Council Set To Approve Mandatory Sewer Connection

Despite community resistance, Councilman David Marks said he supports a requirement that because of health concerns.

Marks, a Perry Hall Republican, made his comments Tuesday afternoon after a County Council work session in Towson.

"I think this is a necessary evil," he said during the meeting. "It's not popular among many people."

A dozen homes in a rural stretch of Lilac and Dunrovin lanes in Perry Hall will be required to abandon their existing septic systems and connect to a public sewer extension.

County code requires the council to approve extensions deemed necessary because of unsanitary conditions. The council is scheduled to vote on the resolution Monday night.

Bill Korpman, deputy director of the county Department of Public Works, told the council Tuesday the change is necessary to protect the health and safety of residents in the area because of septic system failures.

The change is in response to community complaints, he said.

"We go in and look at the community as a whole and determine if there is a health problem," Korpman said. "If there is, we expect the community as a whole to participate and share in the costs."

The total cost of the extension is slightly more than $1.1 million. The county will pay about 55 percent of the costs.

The balance—about $491,598—will be split among the 12 property owners over a 40-year period. The costs, including interest, will be assessed on individual tax bills.

The charges typically appear on the first tax bill after the property has been connected to the sewer system.

But it's the cost that concerns many community members. Marks said the elderly and disabled may be able to have the costs deferred until the property is sold.

Still, not everyone agrees on the necessity of the project.

Earlier this month, John Slone he had a new septic system installed on his property 15 years ago.

Slone, who lives on Dunrovin Lane, said he has never had problems with back-up and pays about $150 per year to have his system pumped. The estimated cost of connecting to the public sewer could amount to more than $2,000 per year, he said.

"A lot of homeowners have perfectly working septic systems. Why should we have to pay the added cost for someone else's failing system?" Slone said.

Korpman told the council that some systems only appear to be working properly.

"A lot of times, people have septic systems they think are functioning," Korpman said. "They think they are functioning because it hasn't backed up into the house or they don't have sewage coming out to the surface of their property. So, they think it's functioning. The people who live down hill from them, they have sewage coming out of the ground even when they are already connected to public sewer."

Emily Kimball contributed to this story.

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