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Funding OK’d for Riblet Rd. sewer line
Project expected to start in late fall
By Elise Franco
Austintown
Residents of a rural township road who say they have waited for years for a sewer-line project should see construction begin before year’s end.
Bill Coleman, office manager for the Mahoning County sanitary engineer, said the office was awarded a grant through the Ohio Department of Development for $570,000 and a loan of $492,276 through the Ohio Public Works Commission.
The money is earmarked for sewer-line installation on Riblet Road in Austintown.
Coleman said 7,560 linear feet of lines will be installed this fall and will benefit about 50 residents who live along the isolated road in the northeast portion of the township.
“This will go toward improving the overall environmental conditions in that area,” he said. “Because of the density of the population in the area, the on-site septic systems were working poorly.”
Residents said they want the sewer lines, but because they’ve been waiting for about five years with no action, they won’t believe it’s happening until they see machines moving dirt.
“It’s been years now since they said they were going to start this,” said Rich Learn, who’s lived at his Riblet Road home since 1965.
Coleman said project bids will begin in July, and construction should start in late fall and take about six months, weather permitting.
Learn said though he and other neighbors are in favor of the sewer line, he’s never had an issue with his septic system.
“I’ve never had a problem with the septic. ... Other people have, though,” he said. “When they came out to survey, they couldn’t believe mine was in such good shape.”
Learn’s nephew, Jay Learn, who has lived in his Riblet Road house for more than 40 years, said residents understand why the new lines are necessary.
“The septic systems, generally, don’t work,” he said. “With the sewer lines, you don’t have the pumping issues. ... You won’t have the leaching up out of the ground.”
Once the sewer lines are installed, residents will have six months to tie into the system, Coleman said.
He said the tie-in will cost between $3,500 and $5,000, but some of the grant money has been set aside to assist at least 14 of the Riblet Road residents with the cost.
“There’s some set aside for low-to-moderate-income property owners who could be awarded some monies to defer cost,” he said. “Each person would have to apply and see if they qualify.”
Coleman said he hasn’t had any complaints from residents about having to tie into the sewer system.
“I’ve not heard of any complaints, but there are always some people who feel pressure to connect,” he said. “I think they’re happy. ... The project will definitely have a good outcome and improve the overall quality down there.”