A group of south-county residents hopes the Blaine County Commission will overturn a wastewater management ordinance it approved last fall that requires more oversight of the estimated 3,600 septic systems that dot the county.
"We're hoping they will rescind this ordinance and put this issue to bed," said south-county resident Cathy Zaccardi, one of the supporters of a petition opposing the ordinance.
Blaine County officials announced earlier this summer that they are in the process of developing new rules to manage the thousands of septic systems that exist countywide, a step called for by the new ordinance. The rules could be implemented as early as a year from now as part of a pilot program that would target septic systems near watersheds deemed environmentally impaired by the state Department of Environmental Quality. The county would eventually expand the program to all septic systems.
But backers of the petition, being circulated throughout the county, claim the DEQ already has rules in place regulating septic tanks and for 20 years has contracted with the South Central District Health District to supervise design and construction. They say requiring taxes, permits and fees to operate a septic system would be wrong.
"County officials have not demonstrated that there is a threat to the health, safety or welfare of Blaine County citizens," the petition states.
To make the transition from very little oversight of septic system operations to a full-fledged program of inspections, county officials have said they are forming a citizens advisory committee comprised of private landowners and those involved in the business of managing septic systems. The committee, which will hold its first meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 17, is tasked with coming up with a list of recommendations that it will present to the county commission regarding how the program should be managed.
Under rules being considered, violators of the inspection standards could face stiff penalties, including being unable to secure an annual discharge permit, which allows septic systems to operate. Many county homeowners are not aware of the specifications of their septic systems and the new requirements of the ordinance, county leaders have said.
Speaking earlier this summer, Blaine County Commissioner Larry Schoen said the county wants to work with homeowners who may find it burdensome at first to have to locate and then make sure their septic systems are capable of being monitored.
"This program begins with public outreach," he said.
On Tuesday, Schoen said he was aware of the petition effort, but hadn't read the language. He did dispute an allegation in the petition that there has never been a documented case of drinking-water or stream-water contamination from septic tanks in the county.
"There are known cases of contamination from failing septic systems," he said.
Schoen said he is sympathetic with the concerns of residents like Zaccardi, who have already been closely monitoring their septic systems. But unfortunately, he said, not everyone is as aware about the status of their septic systems, which could threaten water sources if left unattended.
"The public cares deeply about groundwater quality," he said.
Schoen emphasized that no decisions have been made about how the wastewater management program will be structured. He asked for patience as the citizens' advisory committee comes up with its list of recommendations.
