Bay Restoration Septic Fee

[scotty80]

I received my first Utility Bill today. It had the quarterly septic fee attached, $7.50. I'm more than willing to contribute 30 bucks A year to help clean up the Bay. However, I don't think it is fair to charge individuals with private septic systems A fee to upgrade sewer treatment plants for the benefit of people who don't have septic systems.

If Elkton's treatment plant were to fail tomorrow, The town of Elkton would bear the burden. If my septic system were to fail tomorrow I would bear the burden. Yet I am being subjected to the same tax ?

I feel the bill would be fair if it provided some measure of compensation to individuals with failing septic systems.

[Cuttyfunk]

Some of those charges are going to expansion of existing systems. Many shore counties are trying to pick up county residents with septic systems and put them through municiple treatment.

[capt.george]

---I also felt this increase, as it put my sewer charges over the 100.oo mark----like other items it would been better if it came to 99.95------as to septic, & i lived with septic most of my adult life---& as you know they are a constant pain in the tail for some on overloaded systems---A good one is fine, but so many need CONSTANT pumping by the Honey Dipper --this waste ends up in sewer treatment plants----Think of it all as a good thing, when i push the handle----[grin]

[scotty80]

I here ya Ct & Capt George. It is definitely A good thing. But A septic owner pays on top of everything else when they need A pump out. A treatment plant user does not.

I should have included this in my initial post;

When I drive down to my local marina, I pass by A old house. I little old lady lives there and her septic system is shot. It constantly leaks funk into the local river. I have A hard time blaming her as I doubt she has the funds to replace it. But I have to wonder why she is being charged an extra $30/year ? I think the funds could be distributed more fairly.

[Popster]

I with Scotty on this one. There is a hefty increase in pump out fee to cover the increased cost/tax to the sewage facilities. If some funds were available to help those whose system were failing it would seem equitable to me.

Better yet, how about wer take the money from the septic folks and use it for research (maybe not needed since technology seems already available in other countries) or to grease whatever palms are needed to get alternate systems approved for septic users.

How about some composting systems that are up and running successfully in scanadavian countries. The big objection here seems to be that none have ever been tried.... duh.

[denger]

Better question is whether this increase is really going to help the bay, or is it just to grow the bureaucracy?

[DrBee]

Pay the money......or pooop in the woods like I do.

[Lance 641]

I thought some of the money would go to upgrade septic systems. Maybe I'm misinformed?

[C Sollers]

If your tank ever gets pumped out, then you are using a water treatment plant. If you never need a pump, then this is just another example of the inequities of our bureaucracies.

[Cuttyfunk]

Like I said before. Most of that money goes to expanding current treatment plants. As the plants grow then they can pick up users that are currently in the county using septic systems. You can think about it this way you can either pay the $ or complain that the current systems are out-dated or are inadequatecauseing overflows and pollution. Well I'd rather spend the $ to make sure that current munciple systems are doing the best they can to put back clean treated water into the bay.