Tuesday, June 01, 1999
Health hazard may spur sewers
BY DAN KLEPAL
The Cincinnati Enquirer
A shallow stream of sewage runs nonstop just beyond Marie Peaker's property line on Jonkard Road in Green Township.
It winds its way downhill until reaching Taylor Creek, which flows into the Great Miami River.
One street over, the same thing is happening in the tall grass and thick vegetation just behind the property lines on Valley Ridge Road.
The beautiful, tree-lined neighborhood in Green Township is the last place you'd expect to be declared a health hazard by the Hamilton County Board of Health.
But most of the homes here were built in the 1950s and 1960s. Now about 17 of them have faulty septic tanks, according to Travis Goodman, director of water quality and waste management for the county health district.
In February, after a series of samples were taken from the neighborhood drainage ways leading to Taylor Creek, the declaration was made.
No action by MSD
Now, more than three months later, the Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) has failed to act. That has led the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency to take samples.
And the state environmental agency appears ready to order sewer lines be installed in the area.
Mrs. Peaker, 75, has lived on this street for 43 years and is in favor of the sewer lines, even though they will cost each homeowner about $8,000.
The individual cost of the sewer lines may vary depending on where the lines are installed and whether a household needs to buy a pump.
“In the summer, especially when it's hot, you can really smell it,” Mrs. Peaker said. “It just seems like the sewer is a coming thing. It's going to happen.”
Dave Okerbloom, an environmental specialist with the state EPA, said many property owners in the neighborhood are in favor of the sewer lines. The disagreement is over where to install them — in back yards or under the street.
“This is the worst area I've personally witnessed as far as the number of failures and the amount of contamination,” Mr. Okerbloom said. “We sent the findings to our enforcement committee, which will probably issue an order for sewers in a month or two.”
MSD officials say they haven't acted because residents in the neighborhood failed to approve installation of the sewer lines by a majority vote.
“We have a policy that unless we get 50 percent plus one vote, it's up to the (county) commissioners to decide,” said Nancy Ward, assistant to the director at MSD.
Complaints start in 1997
Complaints started rolling into the county health department in 1997. A series of tests, followed by public meetings, were held but no majority vote in favor of the sewer lines could be won.
Tim Ingram, county health commissioner, said the Valley Ridge neighborhood is his office's “No. 1 priority.”
Fecal coliform bacteria counts cannot exceed 5,000 colonies per 100 milliliters. Testing in Valley Ridge drainage swales showed more than 360,000 colonies.
Exposure of the bacteria to mouth or eyes can cause serious health problems, Mr. Ingram said.
But some residents don't see a problem.
As Helen Colony looks out over her beautifully green back yard, she says her sewer hasn't caused any problems in her 49 years on the street.
“I don't think the sewer lines are necessary,” she said. “The problems are being caused by those people up the street. Down here, we've all worked very hard all these years to make sure what we do is right.”
But county officials think the right thing is a sewer line. County commissioners advised MSD officials last week to begin making plans for the sewer lines, since it looks like the state EPA will order installation.
About 54 homes would have to hook into the system, records show.
Dennis and Bonnie Campbell, who have lived on Valley Ridge for 21 years, think the sewer lines would be a blessing.
“Personally, I wish they'd do it,” Mr. Campbell said.
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