Some residents in Steuben County are angry with the County's Lakes Regional Waste District.
They say the waste district is looking to making them connect to a new sewer system. It could cost thousands of dollars for residents to hook up. The district says the proposal is still in the research stage.
Jim Salway is a part of that core group of Steuben County residents who are mad at the County Lakes Regional Waste District. He says "I want clean water. I don't want any sewage out there. I don't want any bad septic tanks. I just don't want to be told I have to do it when mine is working and when the people next to me is working."
The Waste District heard proposals from companies bidding on the preliminary engineering and environmental reports. District officials say they understand residents are mad, but they're just doing their job. Tim Fredrick, the Superintendent of the Steuben Lakes Waste District says "The Indiana codes are set up that we regulate sewage that's in our district. That was established back in 1975."
Slaway says there are no grounds for the sewer. He said "Under law they are entitled to expand there. We through as citizens say they haven't shown a good reason to expand. I have water quality reports that show that the water will not improve."
The Waste district has already set up a sewer system in two other sections of the district. Depending on who you talk to, hooking up to the sewer will cost between $900 to $10,000 and there's a monthly service fee. Salway says some people will lose their homes due to the cost to hook up. Fredrick responded to the cost concerns saying "I understand where they are coming from. You would go from not paying a monthly bill to paying something that's $75 to $100. I didn't like it. I adjusted."
The Waste District says this must be done to preserve the lake environment. Fredrick said "The other big thing about this is it's a lake area. We have 101 plus lakes here in Steuben County. That's our most precious resource for life. How would you live without water? You wouldn't." But Salway claims they are motivated by money.
If the district decided to move forward with the project construction wouldn't start for anther five years.
Comments
The sewers are being forced upon people in all areas around the state. There are requirements that are written laws, however, there is no agency out there willing to enforce the written laws. Our environment as we know it will have drastic changes to them with the re-routing of water that is drawn from the aquifer beneath your home and your neighbors homes.
Our lakes will dry up like the Red River in AZ.
The costs are all over the place. The federal govt are sharing funds with grants, but for some reason these projects are well over the grant funding amount leaving the common man and woman to have to carry the balance on top of the cost of living increases, freeze on social security benefits, the cuts in medicare treatments and inflation on the rise. We need to require accountability for every dime spent on every inch of pipe. I want to be reimbursed for the water that they are drawing away from my aquifer.
When I use my septic system correctly my water will filter down into the aquifer and be filtered when it is recycled back up through the pump.
There is a law on the books that states that every septic system must be certified triannually. If the system is not functioning it needs to be repaired and certified as safe within 30 days.The county could issue a clearance license for a small fee of $5.00 to cover the cost of recording and issuance of the new certification. This fee would also cover the cost of a person's salary too. Creating a job.
Dianne F.
September 4, 2012 at 11:05 pm
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