The Miami County Clean Waters/319 Project Ron Jackson, R.S. Ron Jackson, R.S. 319 Project Coordinator 319 Project Coordinator 937-440-5450 or 937-440-5458.

TheThe Miami County Clean Waters/319 Miami County Clean Waters/319 ProjectProject

Ron Jackson, R.S.Ron Jackson, R.S.

319 Project Coordinator319 Project Coordinator

937-440-5450 or 937-440-5458937-440-5450 or 937-440-5458

[email protected]@miamicountyhealth.net

The Past and the CodeThe Past and the Code

The Miami Co. Board of Health has The Miami Co. Board of Health has required permits for the installation required permits for the installation of septic systems since ’38. of septic systems since ’38. Currently we manage a database of Currently we manage a database of 10,000 – 15,000 as built drawings 10,000 – 15,000 as built drawings dating back to 1949.dating back to 1949.

The Past and the Code The Past and the Code When comparing census statistics & When comparing census statistics &

sewage permits, we est. less than half sewage permits, we est. less than half of Miami Co. residents have met the of Miami Co. residents have met the minimum installation permit minimum installation permit requirement since the local code requirement since the local code went into effect in 1938.went into effect in 1938. 1. 1.

Though off-lot discharge of HSDS had Though off-lot discharge of HSDS had been permitted by local authorities in been permitted by local authorities in the past, serious attempts to reduce or the past, serious attempts to reduce or eliminate off-lot discharge began with eliminate off-lot discharge began with the conception of this program in 1971 the conception of this program in 1971 by the MCHD. by the MCHD.

In the beginning…In the beginning…

The Miami Co. Operational Permit The Miami Co. Operational Permit Program (OPP) was established in Program (OPP) was established in 1972 to address the increasing 1972 to address the increasing number of poorly maintained number of poorly maintained aeration units that had began to fail aeration units that had began to fail due to the lack of maintenance by due to the lack of maintenance by property owners. In their defense, property owners. In their defense, the systems were sold to the public the systems were sold to the public as “low” or “no maintenance HSDS.”as “low” or “no maintenance HSDS.”

We’re doing this for several We’re doing this for several reasons.reasons.

1. From a sanitarians perspective, we took this 1. From a sanitarians perspective, we took this

project on in an effort to improve the project on in an effort to improve the environmental and public health within our environmental and public health within our watersheds. watersheds.

2. Taking inventory and continued monitoring of 2. Taking inventory and continued monitoring of all existing HSDS enables us to stay in tune all existing HSDS enables us to stay in tune w/what’s working v. what isn’t.w/what’s working v. what isn’t.

3. Ongoing monitoring enables the H.D. to have 3. Ongoing monitoring enables the H.D. to have much needed contact w/the public right at much needed contact w/the public right at their doorstep. Another benefit is the their doorstep. Another benefit is the extraordinary amount of info. sharing between extraordinary amount of info. sharing between the public and us. Tales of bootlegging, the public and us. Tales of bootlegging, unscrupulous contractors, etc. Active unscrupulous contractors, etc. Active listening skills are important here. listening skills are important here.

Why we are doing this?Why we are doing this?

4. Liability issues: Realtors, sellers, 4. Liability issues: Realtors, sellers, buyers beware! ORC has been revised buyers beware! ORC has been revised regarding the issue of full disclosure of regarding the issue of full disclosure of the condition of a HSDS/HSTS during a the condition of a HSDS/HSTS during a real estate transaction. real estate transaction.

5. Overall property values are maintained 5. Overall property values are maintained or improved within the watersheds. or improved within the watersheds.

Why we are doing this?Why we are doing this?

6. 6. Continued monitoring & better Continued monitoring & better education improves efforts in education improves efforts in

preventative maintenance and better preventative maintenance and better management of aging septic systems. management of aging septic systems.

Had this process been enacted Had this process been enacted generations ago, we would have a better generations ago, we would have a better educated public including but not limited educated public including but not limited

to plumbers, haulers, installers, to plumbers, haulers, installers, sanitarians, etc. & much less burden sanitarians, etc. & much less burden

from nuisance complaints, unreported from nuisance complaints, unreported and misdiagnosed illnesses.and misdiagnosed illnesses.

Why one would take on such Why one would take on such an endeavor?an endeavor?

The MCHD intends this program to The MCHD intends this program to encompass the entire county while encompass the entire county while perpetually educating owner/operators perpetually educating owner/operators of the benefits of preventative of the benefits of preventative maintenance; thereby extending the maintenance; thereby extending the life of thousands of aging systems that life of thousands of aging systems that have approached the end of their have approached the end of their average life-span. average life-span.

Logistics, Statistics & Quick Logistics, Statistics & Quick Rundown of 319 Grant Rundown of 319 Grant

ObjectivesObjectives

1. Write a countywide HSTS plan that 1. Write a countywide HSTS plan that conforms with OEPA requirements. conforms with OEPA requirements. 2. 2.

2. Meetings, meetings, meetings, meetings, 2. Meetings, meetings, meetings, meetings, meetings, meetings, & more meetings. meetings, meetings, & more meetings. 3.3.

3. Inventory & onsite evaluations of HSDS 3. Inventory & onsite evaluations of HSDS while educating homeowners at the same while educating homeowners at the same time. Hired 2 WQTs for this purpose.time. Hired 2 WQTs for this purpose.

4. Building of the database. 4. Building of the database. 4.4.

Grant Objectives Grant Objectives ContinuedContinued

5. Provide staff/personnel for 5. Provide staff/personnel for inspections, enforcement, inspections, enforcement, alternative system at 2-4 demo alternative system at 2-4 demo sites. sites. 5.5.

6. Provide cost share to repair or 6. Provide cost share to repair or replace a minimum of 51 HSDS. replace a minimum of 51 HSDS. 6.6.

Miami County - The Miami County - The Present Present

500 aeration units operating to one degree or 500 aeration units operating to one degree or another throughout the county. another throughout the county.

95% of these discharge their effluent or about 95% of these discharge their effluent or about 65,700 gal./day or 31,207,500 gal./yr.65,700 gal./day or 31,207,500 gal./yr.

We estimate an additional 2,000 HSDS We estimate an additional 2,000 HSDS discharge their untreated effluent. 131,400,000 discharge their untreated effluent. 131,400,000 gal./yr. gal./yr.

Thousands more lie directly on fractured Thousands more lie directly on fractured bedrock. bedrock.

Even w/an efficient complaint process in place, Even w/an efficient complaint process in place, repairs & upgrades of failing HSDS still move @ repairs & upgrades of failing HSDS still move @ a slow pace. This is mainly due to a lack of a slow pace. This is mainly due to a lack of funding and resources on the part of property funding and resources on the part of property owners and is the largest obstacle when one is owners and is the largest obstacle when one is faced with a repair or complete upgrade.faced with a repair or complete upgrade.

Miami County - The Miami County - The PresentPresent

Recent expansion of the OPP is a Recent expansion of the OPP is a result of a local code revisal in result of a local code revisal in May of ‘01 when the MCHD May of ‘01 when the MCHD required all HSDS to come onto required all HSDS to come onto the Operational Permit Program the Operational Permit Program (OPP) for routine monitoring, (OPP) for routine monitoring, regardless of date of installation. regardless of date of installation.

Miami County The Present Miami County The Present

FYI: The OPP ties in very well with our FYI: The OPP ties in very well with our House Bill 110 program. For those of House Bill 110 program. For those of you interested, ask me about HB 110 you interested, ask me about HB 110 later.later.

Where we are we going?Where we are we going? We expect to have over 80% of the county We expect to have over 80% of the county

inventory complete by December 31, inventory complete by December 31, 2007, approx. 15,000 HSDS.2007, approx. 15,000 HSDS.

Est. of residential = 15,000 HSDSEst. of residential = 15,000 HSDS Est. of commercial (H.B.110) = 3,000 Est. of commercial (H.B.110) = 3,000

HSDSHSDS We currently have over 6,500 under some We currently have over 6,500 under some

form of OPP.form of OPP. GPS/GIS mappingGPS/GIS mapping Feedback survey from contractors, Feedback survey from contractors,

homeowners, etc.homeowners, etc.