Living in a toxin-free environment is essential to peoples mental and physical health. Being exposed to chemicals from pollution in soil, air, and water has wide ranging health effects including acute asthma symptoms, hormone disruption, decreased mental ability, and cancer. A U.S. national environmental quality index determined that there are over 30 more cases of cancer in counties with poor environmental quality than in counties with the least exposure to toxins in the air, water, and soil (approximately a seven percent increase).[1]

In addition to being a health issue, a toxin-free environment is also a quality-of-life issue with equity implications. Across the United States, low-income communities and communities of color are more likely to be exposed to environmental toxins. Facilities using toxic substances that can pollute the soil, air, and water are often located in low-income, non-white neighborhoods.[2] The demographics are similar for neighborhoods containing hazardous waste treatment, storage, and disposal plants.[3] Additionally, studies have shown that within cities, low-income neighborhoods are exposed to higher levels of air pollution from highways and factories, putting residents at higher risk for acute asthma attacks and other illnesses.[4]

In an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ranking of environmental pollution in metropolitan areas in the United States, called the Risk Screening Environmental Indicators (RSEI), the District of Columbia ranks 576 out of 2,357 localities.[5] D.C. is a dense urban environment. As such, every ward in the District has some exposure to chemicals that are released by daily activities including personal transportation, household behavior, and commercial activity. However, given the Districts RSEI ranking in the top quartile of counties, we wondered what environmental hazards exist here? Where in the city are these hazards concentrated? What does that mean for the health and health equity of District residents?

A survey of the Districts environmental hazards, their locations, and their impacts follows, examining soil contamination, air pollution, and water pollution. Overall, we have found that residents of Wards 4, 5, and 6 are disproportionately exposed to chemicals in the soil, air, and water from sources outside of daily activity.[6]

In the District, as in the rest of the United States, there is contaminated land due to hazardous waste being dumped, left out, or improperly managed. Soil contamination can happen if hazardous chemicals are spilled or improperly disposed of, as well as if contaminated soil migrates to uncontaminated areas. Contamination can occur if chemicals are not stored properly, during the application of fertilizers or pesticides, and through chemical and industrial processes. People then can be exposed to chemicals by breathing in contaminated dust, touching contaminated soil, or eating food grown in contaminated soil, in turn impacting their health.

The most common element polluting soil in D.C. is leaking underground storage tanks (LUSTs). These tanks often hold petroleum and sewage, which contain bacteria and chemicals that are harmful to human health. Brownfields, or sites where future use is affected by environmental contamination, are the next most common soil contaminant contributors, and are concentrated in parts of the city where there has been significant development in recent years. More brownfields may be found in the future as more properties around the city are redeveloped. Superfund sites represent the lowest number of soil contamination sites in the District and are largely driven by dry cleaners. The majority of superfund sites are located in Wards 4 and 6.

Underground storage tanks (USTs) are tanks and underground piping connected to tanks, with at least ten percent of the container volume below ground. They can hold toxic materials including but not limited to hazardous waste, regulated substances, septic materials, wastewater, oil, and gasoline (petroleum). USTs are a potential hazard if they contain toxic chemicals that leak into the soil and groundwater. Congress began regulating USTs in 1984, creating protocols for tank installation, design, corrective action, and closure to minimize tank leaks. As of 2005, USTs are inspected every three years to identify leaks and other potential issues.[7] Since 1987, officials have identified 1847 leaking underground storage tanks (LUSTs) in the District, the majority of which have been cleaned up and had their leaks corrected.

D.C.s underground storage tanks are regulated locally by the District Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) Underground Storage Tank (UST) Program. DOEE has identified leaking underground storage tanks (LUSTs) and engaged in cleanup efforts to protect against adverse effects of petroleum, petroleum related products, and hazardous materials.

DOEE has established standards for chemical levels in order to protect the health and safety of District residents. The department tests soil for many chemicals found in oil, gas, and hazardous materials including total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs), gasoline range organics, and diesel range organics. Additionally, groundwater is tested for many chemicals including lead, benzene, and toluene.[8] The health effects of these chemicals require more study and are dependent on the amount and type (skin, air, water, etc.) of exposure.

Nonetheless, some health effects of chemical exposure are known. Lead exposure can cause damage to childrens developing nervous system resulting in IQ loss and impacts on learning, memory, behavior, and growth; kidney (renal) effects in adults; anemia; reproductive disorders; and neurological impairments. Studied health disorders related to total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) include skin and eye irritation, breathing and neurologic problems, and stress. TPHs impact mental health and induce physical and physiological effects, and are potentially toxic to genetic, immune, and endocrine systems. The long-term effects of TPHs in humans are not fully understood yet and certain symptoms may persist for years after exposure.[9] TPHs and Benzene have also been linked to cancer in medical studies.[10] At present, there is not enough data to determine if Ethylbenzene and Xylenes, other chemicals found in petroleum, cause cancer.

Since 1987, the District has registered 1847 leaking underground storage tanks (LUSTs). The good news is most of these sites have now been cleaned up. As of 2020, only 130 of those 1847 tanks have not completed cleanup and are still currently active, potentially damaging and contaminating nearby soil and groundwater. While LUSTs have been remediated and cleaned up in every ward in the District, a higher proportion of Ward 2 LUSTs have been cleaned up and resolved than LUSTs in other wards. While Ward 2 held 18.9 percent of leaking underground storage tanks over the last 30 years,[11] it currently accounts for 8.46 percent of active leaking sites (11/130).

A brownfield is a property where development and reuse of land are hindered by previous contamination by hazardous substances. The District employs voluntary cleanup programs (VCP) to incentivize the cleanup of brownfields by owners or developers who did not cause the contamination. Brownfields, or sites contaminated by hazardous substances, are eligible for voluntary cleanup programs if they are not listed on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys National Priority List and are not the subject of a current cleanup action by the Environmental Protection Agency or the Environmental Health Administration.

When a community has questions about a site, or a site is up for redevelopment, an environmental site assessment is conducted by DOEE to understand the environmental conditions of the property and determine if there are potential threats to the environment or human health. These assessments include reviewing records of the property, visually inspecting the site, sampling and testing the soil and groundwater, and developing plans for cleanup such that the property meets the Districts environmental standards. Because an assessment is initiated by community concern or redevelopment, known brownfields may be more highly concentrated in areas with intense development. This means additional brownfields may exist that have not yet been identified.

The majority of identified brownfields in the District, both cleaned up and active, are located in Ward 6. Of the active sites, or sites that have not yet completed cleanup, the most sites are located in Wards 6, 7, and 5, in respective order.

A superfund site is another example of land with soil contamination due to hazardous and improperly managed chemicals. Superfund sites differ from brownfields in that the cleanup of superfund sites involves coordination with the EPA. Often, superfund sites are on the National Priorities List (NPL), a list of the nations worst hazard sites. These sites can include manufacturing facilities, military activity, dry cleaners, and landfills. Common contaminants found at superfund sites include lead, asbestos, dioxin, and radiation.[12] Health effects of these chemicals include cancer, lung disease, neurological effects, and endocrine disruption. The EPA cleans up these contaminated sites or funds local governments to do the cleanup.

There are 29 superfund sites in D.C., and none of them are on the national priority list, which means the EPA does not include them among the nations most hazardous waste sites. While we do not know the chemicals released for all, we know that 9 of 20 are associated with dry cleaners, one is a gardening center, one site is associated with a mercury spill that happened at Ballou High School in 2003, one is a medical facility, one is the result of a protest march to the EPA headquarters when protestors left drums filled with contaminated water, one is a previous landfill which is now a part of the National Park System, and others have to do with previous land use (such as the munitions plant in Navy Yard).

We also know the location of the sites that the EPA is actively cleaning up. The majority of superfund sites in the District are located in Wards 4 and 6 (with six sites each), while Wards 3 and 5 have the fewest sites (two each).

In addition to contaminated soil, residents of the District are also exposed to air pollution: mainly ozone and particulate matter. Air pollution affects residents ability to breathe and can exacerbate asthma prevalence and symptoms in both children and adults. Known harmful chemicals for which levels are tested under Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) include ground-level ozone, particulate matter, nitrogen oxide, sulfur oxide, lead, and carbon monoxide.

Ward 1 has the highest concentration of ozone, largely driven by vehicle exhaust. Ward 7 has the highest levels of particulate matter (known as PM 2.5).

Health impacts of these chemicals can include inflammation and irritation of the respiratory tract, leading to coughing and difficulty breathing, acute asthma attacks and other respiratory diseases, and aggravated heart (cardiovascular) diseases. Specifically:

Air pollution has been connected to mental, neurological, and respiratory health. The Center for Disease Controls (CDC) Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey shows that D.C.s child and adult asthma rates of lifetime prevalence are significantly higher than the national averages.[13] When data is disaggregated by race, it is revealed that white children in the District have lifetime rates of 6.5 percent while Black children have asthma rates of 23 percent.[14] Besides having disparate rates of asthma, there are also disparate rates of acute asthma attacks in D.C., resulting in emergency room visits. While there are many causes of asthma including poverty, stress, and other health conditions, neighborhoods with higher percentages of Black residents have more air pollution than neighborhoods with majority white residents.

There are five main locations where air pollution data is collected by DOEE, located at Takoma Recreation Center, McMillan Reservoir, Hains Point, River Terrace Site, and Anacostia Freeway.[15] Not every site collects the same information, but generally information is collected on ozone, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide. The District stopped monitoring lead in 2016 because levels were consistently below the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS). D.C. levels for all other pollutants have gone down over time and are currently within all NAAQS with the exception of ozone. Nonetheless, even air pollution levels within acceptable safety standards can adversely affect health.

The largest air pollution challenge in the District is ozone, for which D.C. and surrounding counties in Virginia and Maryland receive a marginal nonattainment designation, meaning we are within 11 parts per billion (ppb) of the standard for which air is safe for sensitive populations such as asthmatics, children, and the elderly. Transportation, especially exhaust from personal motor vehicles, is a leading creator of ground-level ozone.

The monitoring site at McMillan Reservoir, located near Howard University, had the highest average concentrations of ozone and sulfur dioxide in 2019. This site, in 2019, also had the most days of ozone at dangerous levels (5 days) and particulate matter (PM 2.5) at dangerous levels (2 days). Particulate matter above dangerous levels[16] was also observed at both of Ward 7s monitoring sites for at least one day in 2019. The two sites in Ward 7, located at the Anacostia Freeway and River Terrace, both had higher averages of particulate matter, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen oxide than the other monitoring sites in the District.

COVID-19 has changed the volume of commuter traffic coming into the District, affecting the amount of air pollution. So far in 2020, there have been no days where the concentration of ozone reached dangerous levels. However, patterns have largely remained the same for differences in averages across sites from 2019 to 2020. The average levels of particulate matter and ozone for 2020 are shown below.

Air quality is worsened by urban heat islands, as heat and pollution can work in conjunction to make breathing challenging. As previously documented by the D.C. Policy Center, the District has uneven heat distribution, with the city center experiencing the most heat and least vegetation and neighborhoods west of Rock Creek Park having the most trees and coolest temperatures. Increased pollution in the center and east sections of the city, coupled with increased heat from the built environment, worsens air quality for residents and has the potential to trigger acute asthma attacks.[17]

Water in the District is contaminated by waste released into the Potomac and Anacostia rivers and overflow from the combined sewer and rainwater systems. Bodies of water in the District have been deemed impaired for human and aquatic life due to high levels of bacteria (E. coli), high pH, low levels of dissolved oxygen, and high turbidity (the degree to which the water loses its transparency due to the presence of suspended particulates). There are several permit holders in the District that are allowed to release waste into the water. These sources of contamination are concentrated in the Anacostia River just as air and soil pollution are more concentrated in the southeast portion of the city than the northwest.

DC Water, the Districts water and sewer authority, collects wastewater in both separate and combined pipes. Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) pipes cover about a third of D.C., draining rainwater and storm overflow into the same sewer pipes that collect liquid from toilets, tubs, and sinks. These CSOs overflow in times of heavy, prolonged rain, letting the excess flow enter directly into the Districts rivers and creeks, namely into the Anacostia River, Rock Creek Park, and Potomac River.[18]

For small amounts of rainfall, the overflow from CSOs typically lasts less than 24 hours. However, with over an inch of rain, the effects of CSOs on water quality can persist up to three days.[19] CSOs are a concern in the District as they contain harmful bacteria to people in addition to compounds, like nitrogen, that contribute to low dissolved oxygen levels in water: potentially killing fish.

Rain can thus cause violations of water standards, as fecal coliform bacteria present in sewage mixes with rainwater and flows into Rock Creek, the Potomac River, and the Anacostia River. Due to flow and location of CSOs, the southeast section of the city is exposed to the most water pollution from the sewer system, while Ward 3 is exposed to none.

Under the Clean Water Act, people and companies are prohibited from polluting in bodies of water. However, National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits can be acquired from the EPA to discharge substances into bodies of water (pursuant to safety standards). In the District, there are currently seven companies with active permits. Pollution in the water can include substances such as radioactive material; sand; and chemical, industrial, and agricultural waste.[20]

These permit holders include:

Of the Districts waterways, the Potomac and Anacostia rivers most frequently receive pollution from permit holders in the District (3 current permits each). Most permit holders have been industrial (9 permits), with one permit for wastewater and one for the DC Water and Sewage Authority (Blue Plains). Most of the permits are still active, except for the JFK Center, Navy Yard, Pepco, and the Washington Aqueduct Division.

The District monitored 36 waterbody segments over a period from January 2015 to June 2019 (2020 reporting period), and found that while water quality is improving, bodies of water in the District are still impaired for human health and aquatic life. This impairment is largely due to high levels of bacteria (E. coli), high pH, low levels of dissolved oxygen, and high turbidity (the degree to which the water loses its transparency due to the presence of suspended particulates).

In comparison with the Potomac River, the Anacostia River has higher levels of E. coli bacteria and exceeds standards for dissolved oxygen and turbidity. In the Anacostia watershed, Kingman Lake has the highest number of samples of any in the District exceeding turbidity standards, with as many as 43.16 percent of samples not meeting the District standard.

Rock Creek tributaries exceeded turbidity standards significantly less than Anacostia tributaries, with averages of 4.23 percent and 25.37 percent of samples that did not meet standards, respectively.

Samples from the Potomac River had higher numbers of exceedances of safety standards for pH levels, although exceedances remained less than 6 percent of samples.[21]

Wards 4, 5, and 6 collectively have the most environmental pollution in the District in terms of soil and air exposure. In addition, heavy rains divert sewer water into the Potomac and Anacostia rivers which flow to the southeast of the city, and permit holders can potentially release toxic materials into bodies of water that flow to southeast D.C.

Soil contamination from LUSTS, brownfields, and superfund sites are concentrated in Wards 4, 5, and 6. Additionally, while air monitoring sites in Ward 7 experienced heightened levels of certain chemicals, the monitoring site at McMillian Reservoir (Ward 1) experienced the highest average levels of ground-level ozone in 2019, the only chemical for which D.C. is not within standard limits. As such, the wards in the District with the highest area median income and highest levels of white residents (Ward 3) are the least affected by environmental toxins examined in this report.

Datasets on Superfund sites, air quality monitors, and water pollution permit holders come from the Environmental Protection Agency. Datasets on leaking underground storage containers and voluntary cleanup sites come from the Department of Energy and the Environment. The shapefile containing the combined sewer overflow system comes from the Office of the Chief Technology Officer.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

[1] Percentage based on National Cancer Institute 2011-2015 averages of 439 new cancer cases per year.

Gomez, S. L., Shariff-Marco, S., Cheng, I., & Reynolds, P. (2017). Impact of the environment on cancer: Seeing the forest for the trees. Cancer, 123(15), 2796-2797. doi:10.1002/cncr.30711

Cancer Statistics. (n.d.). Retrieved October 13, 2020, from https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/statistics

[2] Collins, M. B., Munoz, I., & Jaja, J. (2016). Linking toxic outliers to environmental justice communities. Environmental Research Letters, 11(1), 015004. doi:10.1088/1748-9326/11/1/015004

[3] Mohai, P., & Saha, R. Which came first, people or pollution? Assessing the disparate siting and post-siting demographic change hypotheses of environmental injustice. (2015, November 18). Retrieved October 12, 2020, from http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/10/11/115008/meta

[4] Gochfeld, M., & Burger, J. (2011, December). Disproportionate exposures in environmental justice and other populations: The importance of outliers. Retrieved October 12, 2020, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3222496/

[5] This ranking, called the the Risk Screening Environmental Indicators (RSEI), is calculated by the EPA for states and counties. It uses a formula that takes into account a given chemicals toxicity to people, as well as the amount of that chemical that is released into the environment. It should be noted that the methodology of the RSEI ranking doesnt distinguish between the number of people that are exposed or the area in which the chemical is released. In other words, the RSEI is not a ranking of the total environmental risk to its population, but instead is based on the initial release of toxins by volume, and not how they work through the environment over time.

Where You Live. (2020, February 11). Retrieved October 12, 2020, from https://www.epa.gov/trinationalanalysis/where-you-live

[6] While this paper is not an exhaustive list of all sources of toxins in the built environment in the District, it provides ward-level breakdowns of many environmental dangers and their potential side effects.

[7] Learn About Underground Storage Tanks (USTs). (2020, September 29). Retrieved October 13, 2020, from https://www.epa.gov/ust/learn-about-underground-storage-tanks-usts

[8] Concentrations in soil are not to exceed the following amounts: Total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) gasoline range organics (GRO) or diesel range organics (DRO) concentrations in soil shall be no greater than one hundred milligrams per kilogram (100 mg/kg); Individual constituent concentrations of BTEX in soil shall not exceed benzene (0.005 mg/kg), toluene (9.6 mg/kg), ethylbenzene (0.04 mg/kg), and total xylenes (3.86 mg/kg). In groundwater, concentrations of chemicals are not to exceed these amounts: Lead, 50 parts per billion (ppb); Benzene, 5 ppb; Toluene, 1,000 ppb; Ethylbenzene, 700 ppb; and Total Xylenes 10,000 ppb.

[9] Kuppusamy, Saranya & Naga Raju, Maddela & Mallavarapu, Megharaj & Kadiyala, Venkateswarlu. (2020). Impact of Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons on Human Health. 10.1007/978-3-030-24035-6_6.

[10] Brewer, R., Nagashima, J., Kelley, M., Heskett, M., & Rigby, M. (2013, June 13). Risk-based evaluation of total petroleum hydrocarbons in vapor intrusion studies. Retrieved October 13, 2020, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3717746/

[11] Of the 1847 LUSTs registered in the District, 1732 of them had addresses listed. This represents approximately 94% of the data. The analysis of total LUST data is based on this 94% sample for which we have addresses.

[12] Contaminants at Superfund Sites. (2018, June 04). Retrieved October 13, 2020, from https://www.epa.gov/superfund/contaminants-superfund-sites

[13] D.C. has a child asthma rate of 16.45 percent versus the United States average of 11.4 percent. The District has an adult asthma rate of 17.7 percent versus the United States average of 14.5 percent.

[14] Table L4: Child Lifetime Asthma Prevalence and Weighted Number by Race and State or Territory: BRFSS 2018. (2020, April 06). Retrieved October 13, 2020, from https://www.cdc.gov/asthma/brfss/2018/child/tableL4.html

[15] There is one additional air quality monitors located at Verizon Telephone. However, this monitor only collects data on carbon monoxide.

Ambient Air Quality Trends Report 1996-2019. Monitoring and Assessment Branch Air Quality Division, Department of Energy and Environment. Retrieved October 12, 2020, from https://doee.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/ddoe/service_content/attachments/2020%20Ambient%20Air%20Quality%20Trends%20Report.pdf

[16] PM 2.5 concentrations are considered dangerous when over a daily average of 12.0 g/m3.

[17] High Heat, Air Pollution, Air Quality Create Problems for People with Asthma. (2018, July 17). Retrieved October 12, 2020, from https://community.aafa.org/blog/high-heat-air-pollution-air-quality-create-problems-for-people-with-asthma

[18] Diverting overflow into the creeks prevents flooding of private property.

[19] Combined Sewer System. (n.d.). Retrieved October 12, 2020, from https://www.dcwater.com/css

[20] NPDES Permit Basics. (2020, August 03). Retrieved October 12, 2020, from https://www.epa.gov/npdes/npdes-permit-basics

[21] District of Columbia Water Quality Assessment 2020 Integrated Report. Retrieved from https://doee.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/ddoe/publication/attachments/2020%20IR%2006-25-2020.pdf

D.C. Policy Center Fellows are independent writers, and we gladly encourage the expression of a variety of perspectives. The views of our Fellows, published here or elsewhere, do not reflect the views of the D.C. Policy Center.

See original here:
The geography of environmental toxins in the District of Columbia - The D.C. Policy Center

In the upcoming election, the Highland County Health Department is seeking to maintain its funding with the renewal of a local health levy, Highland County Health Commissioner Jared Warner told The Times-Gazette.

Were looking to renew again this year. Its just to keep it at level funding; its not an increase to anyones taxes, Warner said. Were just trying to maintain funding so we can continue supporting all the different programs that we have here in the county.

If renewed, the levys tax rate will continue at $0.05 for each $100 of land valuation for the next five years, according to information provided by the Highland County Board of Elections. The tax will commence in 2020 and first become due in 2021.

Warner acknowledged that Highland County voters passed a separate health levy during the November 2019 election. He said that levy replaced a levy from 1989, bringing the old levy to modern-day funding levels.

The Highland County community passed the levy that appears on the current ballot in 2000, Warner said, and has renewed the levy every five years since.

The ceiling was set for how much it could earn from the beginning, and its never earned more than it did in 2000, Warner said.

The health department counts on levies like the one on the 2020 ballot to provide its services. Health levies make up 50 percent of the health departments funding.

So much of what we do is unfunded. Half the work we do is funded by local levies and in the midst of a global pandemic is not that time to take away one of those levies, Warner said. When infectious diseases are identified, we contact people who are sick, we talk to them about what symptoms to expect, we connect them with treatment when we need to, we tell them how to prevent spreading that disease to others. Theres no reimbursement for that work. Thats why we rely on funding from tax levies to support that effort.

In a normal year, Warner said the health department provides 60 different health department services for the community.

In 2019, the Highland County Health Department performed 4,337 immunizations, completed over 600 food inspections, processed 3,174 birth and death records, and tracked 514 infectious diseases, Warner said.

The nursing and environmental health departments also answered around 10,000 phone calls.

A lot of those phone calls were the same people, but that represents a quarter of our population that has some interaction with the health department each year, Warner said. Traditionally Highland County is in the bottom quarter of funded health departments in the state. Theres plenty of room for improvement in the health factors and measures that we use to determine if a community is healthy or not. Thats why were here; thats what were trying to do. Thats what this levy funding helps us support.

Warner acknowledged that many community members are frustrated with state officials due to the COVID-19 response but stressed the value of funding local health departments.

The CDC and the national news media and the Ohio Department of Health have the biggest voices, but we are the ones doing the real work were doing essentially all of the work locally, but we have the smallest voices, Warner said. Weve really worked hard to find common-sense ways to protect this community from Covid. Thats one of the benefits in having a local health department thats involved and invested in the community: We understand one size doesnt fit all, and as a local health department, were in the position to make some common-sense decisions and interpret some of these orders from the state in ways that make sense for Highland County. We look for ways to protect our community and work as a partner with the community. Were not out there shutting things down and yelling at people; were really trying to work beside people and find safe ways to do things.

If the levy is not renewed, Warner said the health department will be forced to stop offering some of its programs and increase its prices for remaining services.

There are a few things that were currently having trouble keeping up with, and wed have to do away with those programs, even though a couple of them are mandated by the state, Warner said. One of them is the trash and sewer nuisance program. Its completely unfunded. We dont get any revenue from dealing with these trash complaints and sewage failures. We just will not be able to do that work if we dont get that funding.

It really turns the health department towards only doing jobs and only working on programs that generate funding for us because were trying to make payroll and pay people to do the work that we need to do as a health department. None of this is meant to be held over someones head like, Were going to charge you more if you dont pass this its just the reality. I have to make payroll. If we dont have funds, thats not going to happen.

Fees for items like food licenses and septic and water installation permits could also increase.

A lack of funding would also affect some of the health departments free health care clinics and screenings for those without insurance or access to health care, which ultimately save taxpayers money.

People get frustrated with us because we occasionally have these free programs to offer to the community, Warner said. If we spend a little bit of the health departments money in, say, identifying breast cancer in a woman in our community and we find that early, we save tens of thousands of dollars that would have been spent when this person shows up at the emergency room at the hospital with advanced breast cancer and has to go through all the treatment using Medicare, using Medicaid. A little bit of an investment in preventative health care saves our entire community and our entire tax system a lot of money down the road.

Reach McKenzie Caldwell at 937-402-2570.

In a scene from a past interview, Highland County Health Commissioner Jared Warner explains local public health issues.

Health commissioner: Its not an increase to anyones taxes

See the article here:
Highland Co. Health Department seeking to maintain funding - Hillsboro Times Gazette

October 09, 2020

LUMBERTON Domestic violence survivors are doing their part to help others this month, as crisis calls have increased because of isolation brought on by COVID-19.

The Robeson County Sheriffs Office responded to 2,732 domestic violence calls in the county between Jan. 1 and Sept. 30. Those numbers do not include calls to city police. There are 1,588 domestic violence protective orders pending in the county.

Seven people have died in Robeson County this year because of matters related to domestic violence, said Emily Locklear, executive director of Southeastern Family Violence Center.

Quarterly reports from the Rape Crisis Center of Robeson County also show a 63.9% increase in rape and/or sexual assaults in the county when compared to the same time period in 2019, according to Virginia Locklear, the Crisis Centers executive director. Those numbers include children under the age of 18.

But there are agencies working to address the increased need brought on by COVID-19.

My whole goal with Domestic Violence Awareness Month (October) is to let individuals in our community know that we are here, Emily Locklear said.

I just want people to know that domestic violence is present in our community and that there is help for any individual, she added.

Emily Locklear is a survivor of domestic violence herself, and she often shares her story and strength with others at the center.

The executive director recalls enduring dating violence at the age of 18, when her then boyfriend tried to run her over with his vehicle, while she was pregnant with his child. He convinced her not to continue taking college courses, a decision she would regret and remedy later at a community college.

It altered my life, Emily Locklear said.

But she shares a common history with the rest of the staff, all of whom have been affected by domestic violence in some way, including a worker who started working Wednesday at the center.

The worker, who chose to remain anonymous, recalls six months spent at the centers shelter when she was about 10 years old. She and her younger brother formed bonds with center workers as her mother attended counseling and planned her escape from a husband who used mental and verbal tactics to control and abuse her.

The worker does not recall being abused by her father, but remembers the shouting behind closed doors and the escape from the man behind the heated words.

Now that Im older, I just aspire to be a change, she said.

Although she is new at the center, she hopes to share her story with people who need to hear it most, and to offer advice.

Your situation doesnt define your story, she said.

The worker encourages other victims to reach out for resources and to seek help if needed.

The center offers a 22-bed shelter at an undisclosed location, and programs to help victims plan their way out of abusive situations and to secure housing away from abusers. It also helps with obtaining domestic violence protective orders and hosts a domestic violence support group. A confidential 24-hour crisis hotline also is available at 910-739-8622 or 1-800-742-7794.

Also among about 20 staff members is a Latino advocate and three other Spanish-speaking staff members who work across language barriers to provide accessibility and support for victims.

The SFVC is working to share videos, photos and stories of survivors on its Facebook page during the pandemic, which has restricted its usual methods of raising community awareness of the issue. The center will host its annual candlelight vigil on Thursday via Facebook to honor the memory of people who have died as a result of domestic violence. Anyone interested in sharing photos of loved ones during the ceremony should call the center by Tuesday at 910-739-8622.

About one in four women and nearly one in 10 men have experienced contact sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner during their lifetime and reported some form of IPV-related (intimate partner violence) impact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

There are several types of abuse, including physical, emotional, verbal, financial and sexual, among others.

Victims are encouraged to contact the Rape Crisis Center of SFVC for help, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sexual assaults have not stopped during the pandemic nor did they stop during the stay-at-home orders. If anything the experience is compounded by the COVID 19 restrictions and isolation, said Virginia Locklear, of the Rape Crisis Center.

If you decide to stay, call our crisis line to devise a safety plan, said Emily Locklear, of SFVC.

When survivors choose to leave, the abuser feels as if his or her power is threatened, which can lead to retaliation, according to the National Domestic Violence Hotline.

As a result, leaving is often the most dangerous period of time for survivors of abuse, the Hotlines website reads in part.

In 2019, SFVC served 1,383 individuals and received 1,151 crisis calls. Ninety-five adults and 84 children used the shelter to escape abuse that year.

Leaving an abusive relationship may be hard to do but its the right thing to do. There is no shame in reporting domestic violence and asking for help. As seen by the numbers in Robeson County, we have an issue, and no one is immune from the threat of domestic violence, Robeson County Sheriff Burnis Wilkins said.

Simply asking for help is the first step in taking charge of your life, Wilkins added.

To find more resources on domestic violence visit http://www.hotline.org. All services provided by SFVC and the Rape Crisis Center are free and confidential. The Crisis Center can be reached by phone at 910-739-6278.

Originally posted here:
Pet of the week - The Robesonian

LITTLE ROCK, AR The Arkansas Department of Agricultures Natural Resources Commission approved $14,129,957.25 for water and wastewater projects serving more than 8,256 people in ten Arkansas communities on September 16, 2020. The projects are as follows:

-TheCity of Dumasin Desha Countyreceivedfunds for two separate projects in the communities of Mitchellville and Winchester that will serve a total of 2,557 customers.

1. The Commission approved a $172,525 loan from the Water Sewer & Solid Waste Fund for the project in Winchester. This loan will fund the planning and design for installation of a new sanitary sewer linework connecting the community of Winchester to Dumas.

2. The Mitchellville project received a$2,440,172 loan and a$1,626,781 loan with principal forgiveness from the Arkansas Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund. These loans will fund the new sanitary sewer connection of Mitchellville to Dumas.

-TheTown of Aubreyin Lee County received a $103,000 loan and a $103,000 grant from the Water Sewer & Solid Waste Fund to replace two sewer substations. The number of customers served by this project will be 74.

-TheCity of Fifty-Sixin Stone County received a $396,552 loan from the Arkansas Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund and a $2,247,127 loan with principal forgiveness from the same fund. This project will fund the permanent installation of 4.5 miles of water main and serve 230 customers.

-TheCity of Louannin Ouachita County received a $87,669 loan from the Water Sewer & Solid Waste Fund to replace an existing water well. This project will serve82customers.

-TheVillage Water Associationin Columbia County received a $281,528 loan and a $120,655 loan with principal forgiveness from the Arkansas Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund to make improvements to their existing water tank. The customer base for this project is 161.

-TheLawson-Urbana Public Water Authorityin Union Countyreceiveda $1,144,551 loan from the Arkansas Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund to construct a new water well. The project will serve 441customers.

-TheLost Bridge Village Water & Sewer Improvements District No. 1 & 2in Benton Countyreceiveda $1,392,821 loan from the Arkansas Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund and a $1,392,821 loan with principal forgiveness from the same fund. These loans will fund the installation of a new wastewater treatment plant. The project will serve 406 customers.

-TheIllinois River Watershed Partnershipin Benton, Crawford, and Washington Countiesreceiveda $281,885.25 grant from the Water Development Fund and a $1,000,000 loan with principal forgiveness from the Arkansas Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund. These funds will be used for the Commissions Septic Tank Remediation Program.

-TheOzark Water Watchin Benton, Washington, Madison, Carroll, Boone, Newton and Franklin Counties receiveda $1,000,000 loan with principal forgiveness from the Arkansas Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund and a loan for $261,620 from the Water Development Fund. These funds will be used for the Commissions Septic Tank Remediation Program.

-TheCity of Helena West-Helenain Philips County receiveda $77,250 loan from the Water Sewer & Solid Waste Fund to repair the failing exterior levee walls of the pond at the sewage treatment facility. The number of customers served by this project will be 4,305.

More information about the Natural Resource Divisions water and wastewater programs can be found athttps://www.anrc.arkansas.gov/divisions/water-resources-development/or by contacting Debby Dickson atdebra.dickson@arkansas.govor 501-682-0548.

Learn more about the Arkansas Department of Agriculture athttps://www.agriculture.arkansas.gov/

See the rest here:
Dumas among ten Arkansas Communities to Receive Water and Wastewater Project Funding - Kosciusko Star Herald

By JOHN HOWELL

It couldnt be coincidental from the perspective of Ward 5 Councilman Ed Ladouceur: Riverview residents launch an online petition for the city administration to move ahead with Bayside sewers and in the same week the Warwick Sewer Authority brings up the matter at its monthly meeting.

For Ladouceur, WSA discussion of DAmbra Constructions $19.7 million bid submitted in February was a sign that his seven-year crusade for Bayside sewers is still on track and perhaps has a chance of starting this year.

But as of Wednesday it was not clear how the Bayside contract ended up on the WSA agenda or if, in fact, Mayor Joseph J. Solomon, who has questioned whether the project has the approval of the Narragansett Tribe and if less costly options are available to homeowners, has given it his blessing. In response to that question, the mayors office emailed the following response: The City has determined that the Bayside sewer bid is still valid.

Ladouceur said Wednesday he spoke this week with Tribe representatives Medicine Man John Brown and Nancy Brown Garcia and that there is a question over the memorandum of understanding (MOU) reached about two years ago between the Tribe and the city. He said he was told the MOU was changed by the city after being agreed to by the parties, including the federal government. Ladouceur said he plans to meet with Brown and Garcia to go over what exactly was changed.

In a telephone interview last week, Brown said the Tribe has not signed the MOU and emphasized that he and representatives of the Tribe are prepared to talk with the city although as of that time they had not been contacted.

We are available, he asserted. He questioned the citys commitment in respecting and preserving Indian burial sites that have been identified in the path of the sewer project.

Why do these people (two burials have been identified) have to be disturbed? he said.

Recognizing that the neighborhoods of Bayside are rich with Native American artifacts, the WSA abandoned plans for a conventional open trench installation of sewers preferring directional drilling. The DAmbra bid calls for directional drilling where pipes are installed without disturbing the upper several feet where there are artifacts.

According to Ladouceur, the WSA postponed a vote on the DAmbra bid to confirm the price and to ensure an extension of the bid that was good until last week. In an Aug. 13 Beacon story, Michael DAmbra, president of the company, said he would extend the bid.

Ladouceur compared the process of Bayside to a jigsaw puzzle and were down to a few last pieces. He said his attention is focused on gaining WSA approval of the DAmbra contract, which would then come before the council for approval.

Meanwhile, the petition initiated by Riverview resident George Shuster and backed by the Riverview Association had gained 85 signatures as of Wednesday, including that of independent candidate for mayor Frank Picozzi, who grew up in the neighborhood and remembers limiting the flushing of the toilet because the cesspool couldnt handle the flow.

The vast majority of the homes in this part of the city are older and many have antiquated septic and cesspool systems. The issue isnt just environmental but its also about the quality of life of the residents and this area has been disregarded long enough. I think the city should be actively informing the area residents and holding meetings to give the people a voice, Picozzi said.

Picozzi lives in the Hoxsie are now and has sewers.

Riverview Association president Kevin Eisemann knows all too well what life without sewers is like.

Because I dont have access to sewers I always have the fear of the possibility of a major failure. If a failure were to occur it would be very expensive and involve the excavation of my entire backyard. My septic system currently works fine but theres always the possibility of having to pump out at a significant cost to me, he said in an email exchange.

He said when he bought his home in 1997 they were told sewers were on the drawing boards and they would be able to connect by 1999.

On the issue of cost, he said if he were to sell his house he was told part of the sale would be held in escrow for either septic system repairs or sewer connections. He guesses the amount would be at least $28,000.

On the other hand, if the sewers were installed, the assessment, which is being projected at about $25,000, could be paid off over 20 years and possibly 30 years depending on the financing bond procured by the WSA.

Our thoughts are the added benefits of sewers is a cleaner bay and adjoining brook. Also a cleaner beach. No more smells coming from overflowing cesspools on rainy days in the neighborhood. Neighbors will be able to use their backyards and gardens during the wet springtime, Eisemann said.

The prospect of further delays on the project with no certainty of when sewers might be built are also the subject of a letter from Shuster appearing in todays Beacon. In it, he appeals to Mayor Solomon: In this election year, its terrific to see you focusing on the neglected Mickey Stevens complex and other high-profile issues. Yet if you really want to show voters that you can deliver on promises, please start with this one thats a quarter-century old tell the WSA that you fully support moving ahead with construction of the Bayside sewer project immediately. And fellow residents, please indicate your support by signing our on-line petition at: www.https://www.change.org/p/riverview-residents-start-construction-of-the-bayside-sewer-project-now.

The paper was unable to reach WSA chair Gary Jarvis for comment.

Excerpt from:
Petitioners call on city to proceed with Bayside sewers - Warwick Beacon

CHURCH ROCK, N.M. (AP) Louise Johnson, 76, made a plea for help in her cellphone voicemail message.

My name is Louise Johnson. I live in the Superman Canyon (area). I need food and woods.

Earlier this year, when the pandemic hit the Navajo Nation, she found herself unable to leave her home to go to town for groceries and other essentials for fear of being exposed to COVID-19.

Since she recorded the message in late March or April, her family and friends have been delivering goods to her home, a one-bedroom hogan without a bathroom or running water located in a rural area northwest of Church Rock known as Superman Canyon because thats where scenes of the 1978 Superman movie were filmed.

I heard it on the radio. They advised us to do that, Johnson said about the idea of recording a request for help on her voicemail.

She has not deleted the message, despite her brothers request, because the number of Navajo elders dying from COVID-19 continues to increase, and she feels she is still at risk and does not know when the crisis is going to end.

Johnsons needs go beyond food and woods.

She takes sponge baths and uses an outhouse for her necessities. Her biggest challenge is water. Even though her hogan was built about 50 feet away from a waterline, she has not been able to connect the structure to the line because she lacks a bathroom, one of the requirements for the Indian Health Service to connect the home to plumbing.

According to Church Rock Chapter records, Johnson applied for financial assistance through the chapter to build a bathroom in 2018. All 110 Navajo chapters have an annual budget to assist the community with home repairs and bathroom additions.

Morgan said since Johnsons plight was featured in the news earlier this year, the chapter passed an emergency resolution to immediately grant Johnsons request and she was awarded about $3,000 to pay for lumber and other materials to build the bathroom addition. She also told the Gallup Independent that three volunteers, two of whom had construction experience, offered to assist in building the bathroom.

The project is still in the works. Johnson said she visited the chapter recently to find out whats going on and was told not to worry, that its being taken care of, she said.

Morgan said she is working with the Navajo Engineering Construction Co. on getting Johnsons bathroom and plumbing. She said Johnson is one of about 300 families in Church Rock in need of a bathroom.

About 50 to 60% of our families need bathroom additions, Morgan said. The majority of the families need bathroom additions or new bathrooms because their systems are old and their septic tanks collapsed or their bathroom fixtures got depleted. Some of these homes or bathrooms were built back in the day, when bathroom construction was not efficient or they used to cut corners.

The cost to build or replace a bathroom varies, but the chapter typically awards $3,000 per member in need of assistance for lumber and material. Money, however, is limited and awarded based on priority and need.

Rex Kontz, Navajo Tribal Utility Authority deputy manager, told the Independent in May that about 15,000 homes on the Navajo Nation lack running water for different reasons that include the lack of a bathroom or plumbing.

After unofficial inquiry, I understand roughly 50% need plumbing, he said. But some also need an addition to create space for a bathroom or what is referred to as a bathroom addition. ... Some homes may have been pre-plumbed when built and some may be mobile homes that came with plumbing.

Jenny Notah, a spokeswoman for the Navajo Area Indian Health Service, said the agency can provide bathroom plumbing for homes when it is constructing water and sewer facilities at those homes. But the burden lies on others.

Bathroom additions must be built by either the homeowner, the chapter, the Navajo Nation or by others, she said in an email to the Independent. When IHS can fit bathroom plumbing, which usually includes a sink, a toilet, a shower-tub and a hot water heater, in a home without an addition, then we do. However, many older homes and hogans typically do not have room in the existing home for bathroom plumbing. When a bathroom addition is necessary, the IHS typically coordinates with the homeowner and chapter on the need for bathroom additions long before a water/sewer project begins in order to give the homeowners and chapters time to build the necessary bathroom additions.

Notah couldnt say how many homes are on a list of funded projects. Hundreds of others are in need of bathroom additions, she said.

The agency has worked with the Navajo Engineering and Construction Authority to install about 88 homes with plumbing, including toilets, and showers or tubs so far this year, Notah said.

Visit link:
Thousands of Navajo Nation homes without plumbing amid virus - The Journal

Sarnia City HallFile photo / /The Observer

Since December, just about every detached, semi-detached and townhouse owner in Sarnia has had the ability to create secondary dwelling units, save for those with septic systems or in areas prone to hazards like flooding.

July 13, partial-service properties with municipal water but not sewage services could get the OK as well from city council.

If passed, the new rules would allow homes with septic tanks to install secondary dwelling units like basement apartments, so long as those tanks can accommodate the additional fixtures, said Stacey Forfar, the citys general manager of community services.

Owners whose tanks cant accommodate the extra can decide whether or not to upgrade their septic systems, she said

But it certainly wont be a barrier on the planning side of things, Forfar said.

Homes in areas prone to flooding will still not be able to build secondary dwelling units.

The overall move is a push towards boosting affordable housing options in the city, and started with select residential areas in 2017 amid ongoing sewer system upgrades.

The option gives homeowners a significant mortgage helper and helps with modest intensification, along with providing affordable housing options, Forfar said.

Sarnia in recent years has seen the need for more housing amid a spike in out-of-town workers, and an increase in international students studying at Lambton College.

Homeless shelters were full in early 2019 and 99 people were housed in local motel rooms with emergency funding.

But few people in Sarnia have taken advantage of the option its open currently to about 85 per cent of detached, semi-detached and townhouse residential properties to add secondary dwelling units, Forfar said.

That may be in part because Sarnias population is on average older than most places in Ontario, she said, noting typically secondary dwelling units are used by younger families as a mortgage helper.

Usage in Sarnia hasnt really jumped through the roof yet, she said. Well see what happens now in terms of next steps.

Affordable housing is also a key component of Sarnias community improvement plan, she said. Public feedback is currently being sought for a plan review and update at speakupsarnia.ca about how the city could improve and revitalize areas including downtown, Mitton Village and Northgate.

Plans are to meet and gather feedback with people in the community throughout July, city officials said.

There hasnt been a great volume of feedback from the community about secondary dwelling units, Forfar said, including from consultations last fall before council approved expanding the program in December.

We didnt find this one to be particularly contentious, she said.

tkula@postmedia.com

Original post:
Secondary-dwelling-unit option eyed for Sarnia homes with partial services - Sarnia Observer

Tay council wants to know if there is potential for development in the Grandview Beach and Paradise Point areas.

That's why councillors approved moving forward with a hydrogeological assessment todetermine the need for sewers and advise on the capacity for continued or expanded use of septic systems in that area.

And even though they all voted to pass this motion at their most recent meeting, Coun. Barry Norris had his concerns.

"It's more or less to point out ---here we go (again)," he said in an interview with MidlandToday.

Norris wasn't sure why yet another assessment was needed when previous assessments existed and results had indicated well-water contamination, according to a 2015 assessment report.

"Groundwater supplies in the Paradise Point/Grandview Beach community are highly vulnerable to bacteriological contamination," says the report.

The study also concluded that under the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change development guidelines, the nitrate impact of the community is between 25 and 28 mg/L. If the remainder of the lots are developed, then the nitrate impact would be 27 to 30 mg/L. The current limit for development on on-site services for the area would be 22 to 63 lots.

But public works director Peter Dance said part of that earlier report's concerns have already been addressed.

"The municipality constructed a year-round water main in the area. So that part of the health issue, if people choose to connect to our water main is taken care of," he said.

He added that the study's main focus is septage and advice on continued or expanded use of septic systems to determine if the current holding zone can be lifted.

Dance said afew decades agothere'd been arecommendationfor the townshipto establisha municipal sewer system.

"There was some grant money available at that time, too," he said. "I can't remember how much. It ended up going to the municipal board (Ontario Municipal Board) because some residents were opposed to the project."

Mayor Ted Walker recalls the incident.

"The OMB in the end did not approve the project and about a month later, the Walkerton situation happened," he said, adding that the decision might have been different if the appeal had been made after the Walkerton incident.

Walker saidwith municipal water already available to residentsin that area, council is now looking at questions around whetheror not the holding zone can be suspended.

"The study is checking the groundwater," he said."It's just an overall assessment of the water quality."

Walker said depending on the study's results, residents in the area could likelybuild an addition or a new home. But he added all this would happen with certain conditions in place that would be determined at a later date.

"I think all of council is hoping that there is opportunity for development down there," Walker said."Our council is very pro-development. And the other thing is to know where everything is at."

Norris, however, has his doubts.

"My argument to this whole thing is that there's no mandate that everybody has to hook up," he said."The problem you run into is that there will still be people on well water. And it's not drinkable, according to these reports."

Unfortunately, Norris saidone can't go back inhistory to installboththe sewer and water lines.

"Nowadays, the cost is a major problem because you're into the limestone," he said."After the 2015 study, the option was to put in the sewer and water line, but the cost would have been too much. Is it viable to turn around and spend that kind of money when the value of properties in that area isn't even that high?

"I just didn't feel the expenditures justified going through with it," Norris added."I don't believe anything has changed for those vacant lots to build on."

Link:
Tay will study whether further development possible at two waterfront areas - OrilliaMatters.Com

Nez Perce County allowed four more septic systems in the Lewiston Area of City Impact on Wednesday, drawing the ire of Lewiston city officials who have been working to reduce septic impacts on groundwater quality.

County commissioners Don Beck, Douglas Havens and Douglas Zenner granted developer Joe Grecos request to waive a requirement for a dry sewer line that would eventually serve four out of the 16 lots in the preliminary plat for phase two of his Skyview Estates subdivision on Powers Avenue. The vote came after a public hearing Wednesday that was conducted electronically to comply with the coronavirus shelter-at-home order.

Greco said that at about $80,000, the line would not be practical to build. And since Public Health Idaho North Central District has already said the soil on the lots will support septic systems, he applied for the waiver.

But in her written comments objecting to the request, Lewiston Community Development Director Laura Von Tersch said the city gave up acreage in the impact zone in 2014 in exchange for the countys adoption of city development standards.

Unfortunately, many proposals have been approved without meeting standards such as one acre minimum on septics (when a sewer line is beyond 200 feet away), storm water, and more, Von Tersch wrote. Removing the requirement for the dry line on the four lots that can gravity flow to the sewer is a step in the wrong direction. It is only a matter of time before the situation demands a special assessment district or some other funding mechanism to bring sewer out to this area.

She added that the dry sewer line will make it easier for future homeowners to hook up to city sewer and avoid trenching through what will become landscaping, pavement and accessory buildings. In his response, Greco said it is unknown how much septic systems are contributing to nitrate pollution in nearby Lindsay Creek, noting the farmland that surrounds the drainage is also a likely contributor.

Greco also said the city sewer is more than 1,300 feet away from the most recent extension into the eastern Lewiston Orchards. A letter submitted by Michael Camin, a water quality engineering manager at the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, said a nutrient-pathogen study is needed to evaluate whether the line is reasonably accessible. The city has requested such a study.

Camin also said that DEQ offered guidance to Public Health that multiple new septic systems at Skyview can further degrade water quality in this designated ground water nitrate priority area. Wastewater systems are outside of the departments purview, Camin added, and the department only approved the construction plans because they included drinking water infrastructure that meets minimum state requirements.

DEQ approval of the construction plans should not be construed as a preference for the dry line to be removed, he wrote.

Private homes built in phase one of the subdivision already added about 10 septic systems to the area before the sewer trunk lines installation in 2018. The Lewiston Urban Renewal Agency partnered with the city on that $2.1 million project to bring sanitary sewer to the area, with a primary goal of reducing pollution by getting homeowners to abandon their septic systems. Dozens of homes have already switched, and others have pledged to join them in the future.

At Wednesdays meeting, Zenner said the commissioners should approve the waiver because it meets the three main county subdivision requirements for access to the subject properties, a viable drinking water supplier in the Lewiston Orchards Irrigation District (Greco still has to build a booster station) and a way to treat wastewater from the future homes. And Havens downplayed the citys concerns over septic systems in general.

You cant just automatically say theres something incorrect about every single drainfield, Havens said, noting that a properly designed and installed system can effectively treat wastewater.

Havens also repeated his claim that a section of the nearby city sewer system was not planned and built properly, and is too narrow to handle the number of future hookups in the area. But Joe Kaufman, the citys engineering project supervisor for wastewater and stormwater, said the original design report for the line shows the section has a capacity for 2,800 homes.

The report outlines the 450 existing homes on septic systems, the 367 anticipated at Skyview Estates and an additional 450 of infill development in the spaces in between, Kaufman said in an email to the Lewiston Tribune.

This can provide some context for the 2,800 capacity, Kaufman said.

Follow this link:
Developer's plan to use septic systems OK'd by NPC commission - Lewiston Morning Tribune

Key Centers Sewage Woes

I read with interest your story on Key Centers sewage woes (Wastewater Treatment Limits Business Growth, KP News, March 2020). I spend a fair amount of time on water quality and sewage issues as we at Taylor Shellfish Co. work to protect water quality in shellfish growing areas.

We faced a similar situation years ago in the towns of Edison and Blanchard adjacent to Samish Bay. Edison is a small rural community where sewers were potentially cost-prohibitive due to the small number of hookups.

There was an enthusiastic group of Edison residents that formed the Edison Sewerage Committee with a tremendous we can resolve this spirit.

Blanchard was a little more light-hearted but no less serious about finding a solution. They formed the Blanchard Poop Group. Taylor contributed some seed money to the groups for research and organizing efforts.

I helped write a grant to secure a $500,000 Community Development Block Grant that paid up to $23,000 per household if they qualified as low to moderate income to install new septic systems.

Blanchard installed 29 new septic systems, 27 of which were paid for by the grant.

Because the lot sizes in Edison were too small for new septic systems, they ended up installing what is referred to as a septic tank effluent pumping (STEP) system. Every residence in town got a new watertight septic tank, paid for with grant funds for qualified recipients.

Edison installed sewers in the town with 2-inch pipe, which is possible when moving only liquids and far more cost effective than 12-inch lines and pumps to move solids. The 2-inch lines went to a gravel filter, ultraviolet sterilization and a drain field at the new elementary school, which also needed a new septic system.

All that to say, Pierce County and Key Center leaders might benefit from a tour of Edison and connecting with folks who lead that effort.

Bill Dewey, Director of Public Affairs

Taylor Shellfish Co.

View original post here:
Letters to the editor - Keypennews