Sewer rates may be going up in Rocky Fork area

Residents of the Rocky Fork Lake area may be experiencing a raise in sewer rates in the near future, after the sewer system operating fund decreased as the result of a large number of people who have fallen behind in payments.

The Highland County Board of Commissioners was told during the board's regular meeting Wednesday that 23 percent of residents in the area have left their sewer bills unpaid for an extensive amount of time. This has lead to the only alternative that can be found, raising the rate.

To read this full article by Katie Wright, click HERE.

Commissioners open bids for new project

Three sealed bids for the construction of a new sewer pump station on the north shore of Rocky Fork Lake were opened by the Highland County Board of Commissioners during the board's regular meeting Wednesday.

Bids for the project were received from Downing Construction of Baltimore, Ohio at $166,313.60, Cooper's Excavating of Winchester at $131,750, and Unger Construction of West Union at $122,512.

To read this full article by KATIE WRIGHT, Click Here.

State hearings seek fix to septic systems

On Nov. 14, the state of Ohio will begin a series of legislative study commission hearings on household sewage treatment systems. These hearings are designed to fix the septic system rules created by the Ohio Department of Health almost two years ago.

To read the full letter to the editor, click HERE.

Changes to Sewage Disposal Rules

We are always asked about the rules and requirements associated with sewage disposal systems. It seems there is always new information about this topic to share with the public. On that note, the following link will provide readers with a copy of the letter sent to local boards of health regarding the repeal of the Department of Health’s home sewage disposal rules which were effective on Jan. 1, 2007.

To view the letter click here.

This should answer any questions about the most recent activity regarding home sewage disposal rules. If you have further questions, please contact the local Board of Health at 937-393-1941 or our office at 937-393-7222.

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Hillsboro Works to Curb Overflows

After mandates from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, the city of Hillsboro is working on correcting the overflow problems within the sewer system. The first task is to find out from where the extra water is coming. This is being determined by utilizing a cleaning pipe followed by a camera crew and tank to "see" below the surface. This is a costly endeavor and the city is considering purchasing their own camera system to actually save money in the long run. These recent problems are something to be expected with the age of the system. The EPA has mandated that the city repair at least 4 miles of sewer line per year until the entire city has been completed. This process is expected to take at least 10 years to complete.

To read more, click here.

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New Household Sewage Treatment Rules

A recent article in the Times-Gazette discussed the new household sewage treatment rules that were recently adopted by the Public Health Council. These rules will take effect Jan. 1, 2007 replacing Ohio Administrative Code rules that have been in place nearly 30 years. These changes impact what homeowners will now be required to provide in order to receive approval for sewage systems as well as addressing some maintenance issues once a sewage system is in place. Click here to read this article, which has a lot of information for anyone interested in learning more. You may also call the Highland County Health Department with other questions 937-393-1941.

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Updates from The Ohio Department of Health

New Sewage Treatment System Rules will be effective January 1,2007. Prior to final adoption, the pending amended STS rules (and the new rules previously adopted in May 2006) can be found through the ODH web link to Pending Rules posted on the register of Ohio. Look for the new and amended rules for chapter 3701-29 at http://www.odh.ohio.gov/rules/pending.aspx

The final STS rules should be available on the ODH web site soon after the October 12th Public Health Council meeting. Look under Final Rules for Chapter 3701-29 at http://www.odh.ohio.gov/rules/final/f3701-29.aspx

Click here for more information! If you have questions regarding the new STS rules, contact Tom Grigsby or Jean Caudill at 614-466-1390.

Tags: Sewage Treatment Rules, Ohio Department of Health