Scioto County Commissioners reacted at Thursday’s meeting after the EPA sent a violation letter saying two area housing developments are dumping sewage into waterways. The agency says it’s happening at the Portsmouth Highland Bend and Wheelersburg Pinedale addition.
According to the order, “An unknown number of residents in the area are having sewage discharges into ditches which are subsequently entering waters of the state. The residents are not able to connect to the existing sanitary sewer and do not have approved household sewage treatment systems, and lots do not meet the size or requirement for new or replacement home sewage treatment systems.”
Commissioner Bryan Davis said, “This is something we will be meeting with our sanitary engineer on in the very near future. We will hopefully be able to schedule a meeting with the EPA to discuss what we need to do to satisfy the orders. We are on it. We are aware of it. We will deal with it.”
Commissioner Scottie Powell added, “We have a lot of development in the community. If you are looking at building, please reach out to the city health department to ensure that the land has been tested appropriately and can handle a septic system of your choosing. The last thing you want to do is put in a system that does not work with the ground on which you’re building. That’s what happened here, and we’re dealing with it after the fact.”
Davis said, “Before you even purchase land, please get with the city or county health departments before you spend any money.”