Deal would resolve Lakeshore sewer woe

The neighborhood's sewage problem is a priority project for health officials.
By ED RUNYAN
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
BAZETTA -- Chances of a successful conclusion for the controversial Lakeshore sewer project improved when the Trumbull County Sanitary Engineer's office and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency agreed to limit its scope.
Rex Fee, assistant sanitary engineer, explained that Sanitary Engineer Gary Newbrough and Erm Gomes, an engineer with the Ohio EPA, came to an agreement last week: The Lakeshore neighborhood and Mosquito Lake State Park campground on the western edge of Mosquito Lake could be served by a package treatment plant on nearby Sterling Drive -- as long as that is the only expansion of the package plant.
Before that, Newbrough had hoped to also provide enough capacity to extend sewer service to the Miller's Landing neighborhood a short distance to the south, Fee said.
The two parties now believe the package plant can be doubled in capacity from 40,000 gallons per day to about 80,000 gallons per day of sewage. Newbrough had hoped to expand the plant to 108,000 gallons per day, Fee said.
The package plant, which is a minitreatment facility, currently serves the residents of Sterling and Prince drives, which are opposite each other on Bazetta Road.
Here's the problem
The Lakeshore development contains 60 homes on two streets that have failing septic systems. The Ohio EPA and the county health department have identified the neighborhood as a priority because of the release of sewage into the lake, which is the source of water for Warren.
Frank Migliozzi, county director of environmental health, said at a meeting last week that the long-term solution for the Lakeshore neighborhood is a sewer line taking the sewage to the Mosquito Lake Wastewater Treatment Plant in Howland.
Migliozzi said the Ohio EPA has opposed expansion of the package plant because it might not comply with effluent limits when completed. Dr. James Enyart, Trumbull County health commissioner, said he fears the upgrade will still not stop the lake's contamination.
Fee said he considers even the package plant upgrade to be a Band-Aid fix. That's because even though Gomes has agreed to allow the Lakeshore development to use the package plant, he doesn't believe the neighborhood can be certain that the EPA will allow use of the package plant for any set time.
Fee said the Lakeshore sewer project, which is due to come to a public hearing in July, is still clouded with question marks, such as how much it will cost each homeowner and whether all of the agreements still needed will come together in time for the public hearing.
Dr. Enyeart has said if the plant doesn't get approval or if the hearing isn't held, he will order temporary septic tank upgrades that will cost property owners $2,000 to $2,500 each.
runyan@vindy.com