The Manchester Enterprise
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Board adopts rule for private sewers
Township to take over repair of malfunctioning wastewater systems
By Alana West, Special Writer
PUBLISHED: January 11, 2007
Sharon Township officials adopted an ordinance Jan. 4 that will allow them to assume responsibility for the repair of malfunctioning wastewater disposal systems within the township if necessary.
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The ordinance is expected to help protect the health of township residents from failed septic systems and provide for a permanent easement that would allow officials to inspect septic systems under certain circumstances.
"If there are five houses on a septic system and the system leaks, and the people on it don't fix it, we can come in, fix it and assess them," said Township Supervisor Gary Blades.
Blades said that if $500 was spent to repair the system, each of those five houses would be assessed $100.
Trustee Thomas Lavender was concerned that the township would foot the bill if homeowners disagreed about whether repairs should be made or in the event that the repairs did not fix the problem.
"Are we held harmless under all circumstances?" Lavender said.
Blades assured him that the township would be covered under the ordinance.
"This ordinance gives the townships the ability to assess the district," he said, adding that township attorney Jesse O'Jack had told him it was a good ordinance.
"If our attorney thinks he can defend it, then no problem," Lavender said.
Alana West is a freelance writer. She can be reached at .
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