Blueprint panel finishes work on sewer line plans

A map shows county areas where sewer lines are to be built in the future.
By ED RUNYAN
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Dozens of meetings over nine months of the Blueprint Trumbull County committee have produced a map and time line for sewer-line construction that will help some county residents avoid costly septic-system upgrades.
Alan Knapp, director of the county planning commission, said that was the main accomplishment of the committee, which began its work last August and finished in March.
Knapp said the map is the centerpiece of a thick report that's being printed for distribution to real estate, banking, construction and government officials to report the accomplishments and goals of the committee.
The map identifies the county areas where sewer lines are likely to be built in the next two years, in the next two to 10 years and in the next 10 to 20 years.
The map, made in conjunction with the county health department, allows residents living in the zero- to two-year and two- to 10-year areas to qualify for a short-term fix to their failing septic system.
Why panel was started
Knapp said it was because of homeowner concerns about the cost of replacing septic systems that the Blueprint Committee was first formed.
Knapp said the map may not be specific enough to identify all homes scheduled for sewers, so he is thinking about having a list of streets and addresses created to pinpoint locations better.
Though the work to carry out the recommendations of the Blueprint committee is just getting started, Knapp is starting work with a related committee called Blueprint for Water this week. Its first meeting will be at 10 a.m. Friday in the planning commission offices, 347 N. Park Ave.
The map and time line was only possible, Knapp said, because the health department established its new short-term policy while the committee's work was being done, Knapp said.
The policy allows homeowners identified on the Blueprint map to follow a regimen of pumping their septic tank in the zero- to two-year areas and to buy a relatively inexpensive (approximately 2,000) filter and chlorinator system in the two- to 10-year areas.
Another key accomplishment of the committee was to have 10,000 brochures printed that tell homeowners what the county health department's rules say about upgrading septic systems as a result of a home sale.
An additional 2,000 brochures are being printed explaining the petition process for having the county build a sanitary sewer line to serve an area.
On the committee
The committee brought together officials from the county health department, county sanitary engineers, planning commission, townships, cities, public and others.
One of the committee's ongoing efforts will be to seek state and federal money to help people pay for septic system upgrades and replacements, construction of sewer lines and expansion of treatment capacity at waste treatment facilities.
The new Blueprint for Water committee will focus its work on the need to protect the "source water" throughout the county, such as that found in lakes, rivers and underground, Knapp said.
There is a need for a countywide plan to protect bodies of water, for instance, in the event of a tanker truck spilling contaminants into a lake.
There also needs to be attention paid to problems with contaminated water wells and the dangers associated with septic systems leaking contaminants into bodies of water, Knapp added.
runyan@vindy.com