Transcript The Miami County Clean Waters/319 Project Ron Jackson, R.S. 319 Project Coordinator 937-440-5450 or 937-440-5458 [email protected] The Past and the Code The Miami Co.

The Miami County Clean Waters/319 Project
Ron Jackson, R.S.
319 Project Coordinator
937-440-5450 or 937-440-5458
[email protected]
The Past and the Code
The Miami Co. Board of Health has
required permits for the installation of
septic systems since ’38. Currently we
manage a database of 10,000 – 15,000
as built drawings dating back to 1949.
The Past and the Code

When comparing census statistics &
sewage permits, we est. less than half of
Miami Co. residents have met the
minimum installation permit requirement
since the local code went into effect in
1938. 1.

Though off-lot discharge of HSDS had been
permitted by local authorities in the past,
serious attempts to reduce or eliminate offlot discharge began with the conception of
this program in 1971 by the MCHD.
In the beginning…

The Miami Co. Operational Permit
Program (OPP) was established in 1972
to address the increasing number of
poorly maintained aeration units that
had began to fail due to the lack of
maintenance by property owners. In
their defense, the systems were sold to
the public as “low” or “no maintenance
HSDS.”
We’re doing this for several reasons.
1. From a sanitarians perspective, we took this
project on in an effort to improve the
environmental and public health within our
watersheds.
2. Taking inventory and continued monitoring of all
existing HSDS enables us to stay in tune w/what’s
working v. what isn’t.
3. Ongoing monitoring enables the H.D. to have much
needed contact w/the public right at their
doorstep. Another benefit is the extraordinary
amount of info. sharing between the public and us.
Tales of bootlegging, unscrupulous contractors,
etc. Active listening skills are important here.
Why we are doing this?
4. Liability issues: Realtors, sellers, buyers
beware! ORC has been revised regarding
the issue of full disclosure of the condition
of a HSDS/HSTS during a real estate
transaction.
5. Overall property values are maintained or
improved within the watersheds.
Why we are doing this?
6. Continued monitoring & better education
improves efforts in preventative maintenance
and better management of aging septic
systems. Had this process been enacted
generations ago, we would have a better
educated public including but not limited to
plumbers, haulers, installers, sanitarians, etc.
& much less burden from nuisance complaints,
unreported and misdiagnosed illnesses.
Why one would take on such an
endeavor?

The MCHD intends this program to
encompass the entire county while
perpetually educating owner/operators of
the benefits of preventative maintenance;
thereby extending the life of thousands of
aging systems that have approached the
end of their average life-span.
Logistics, Statistics & Quick
Rundown of 319 Grant Objectives
1. Write a countywide HSTS plan that
conforms with OEPA requirements.
2. Meetings, meetings, meetings, meetings,
meetings, meetings, & more meetings.
3. Inventory & onsite evaluations of HSDS
while educating homeowners at the same
time. Hired 2 WQTs for this purpose.
4. Building of the database.
2.
3.
4.
Grant Objectives Continued
5. Provide staff/personnel for
inspections, enforcement, alternative
system at 2-4 demo sites.
5.
6. Provide cost share to repair or replace
a minimum of 51 HSDS.
6.
Miami County - The Present




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500 aeration units operating to one degree or
another throughout the county.
95% of these discharge their effluent or about
65,700 gal./day or 31,207,500 gal./yr.
We estimate an additional 2,000 HSDS discharge
their untreated effluent. 131,400,000 gal./yr.
Thousands more lie directly on fractured bedrock.
Even w/an efficient complaint process in place,
repairs & upgrades of failing HSDS still move @ a
slow pace. This is mainly due to a lack of funding
and resources on the part of property owners and
is the largest obstacle when one is faced with a
repair or complete upgrade.
Miami County - The Present
 Recent
expansion of the OPP is a
result of a local code revisal in May
of ‘01 when the MCHD required all
HSDS to come onto the Operational
Permit Program (OPP) for routine
monitoring, regardless of date of
installation.
Miami County The Present
FYI: The OPP ties in very well with our
House Bill 110 program. For those of you
interested, ask me about HB 110 later.
Where we are we going?
We expect to have over 80% of the county
inventory complete by December 31, 2007,
approx. 15,000 HSDS.
 Est. of residential = 15,000 HSDS
 Est. of commercial (H.B.110) = 3,000 HSDS
 We currently have over 6,500 under some
form of OPP.
 GPS/GIS mapping
 Feedback survey from contractors,
homeowners, etc.
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