Residents call ordinance unfair

EPHRATA - Two Ephrata residents called a city requirement forcing property owners with septic tanks to connect to the city sewer unfair.

The discussion of a proposed amendment to a city ordinance happened during a recent city council meeting. About 27 residents met with city officials and were given the chance to speak to the council about the proposed change.

Rick Reimers started his comments saying the $29 a month charge for sewer service will allow the city to start charging for water service as well. 

"I'm in a situation where I have no water and I have no sewer and I don't mind paying a surcharge or some kind of fee to the city just for living in the city, but I don't want to be charged twice," he said. "I don't mind paying something for expansion or maintenance, but don't charge me for both."

Reimers said many of the septic systems were put in place in the past 15 years, and are modern systems. He didn't feel the city should mandate inspections for the newer systems.

"There should be a cut off date where you know these systems are good," he said. "I've got one of those big green tanks out at my house and the dome-type drain field, but I don't know if it's absolutely necessary, if you have an updated system like that for me, to pump it out just so you can look at it and say, 'Oh yeah, that is fine,' and it costs me $350 for the pump out and the inspection."

He pointed out the 200-foot measurement starts at the edge of the property line, but if it came within the required distance he would need to dig an 800-foot trench to reach the sewer line.

"I just think if it's within 200 feet of the house that would be good, but 200 feet of the property line may put a huge hardship on people," Reimers said. "Especially if they've got some of the larger acreage, one-acre spots, or half-acre parcels with their houses towards the back of the parcel."

Jerry Baker started his comments, saying the city divided affected homeowners into two categories, the people who are within 200 feet of the sewer, and people outside of the limit.

"This 200 feet bothers me a little bit. I'd like it to read something like, 'If it's practically capable of hooking onto a city sewer," he said. "I think you're giving the impression that if I'm at 205 feet, I'm home free. What you have is you have a number of people, and I'm one of them, who couldn't hook up to city sewer services if they wanted to."

Baker questioned the $29 a month charge, saying sewer users weren't subsidizing the septic system users. He pointed out if he saved the monthly charge for 10 years, he'd be able to replace his drain lines if they fail.

"Why is the council demanding that hook ups to city sewer services be immediate?" he asked. "In other municipalities ... they say, 'Well you're going to have to hook up when your system fails, or you have major repairs."

He also pointed out septic systems will still be in the city in the future, because as the city annexes land, it will include the homes that are going to have septic systems.

"This is a terrible policy," he said. "It may be one of several. I don't know, but these people are not going to want to join the city when you have a requirement like this," Baker said.

Unless the city can prove the connection is necessary, Baker believes the homeowners can get a court injunction to stop the city from forcing them to connect to the sewer system.

"Many homes in Ephrata are not compliant with current building codes. Nor does the code require them to be compliant," he said. "Why not force these owners to become immediately compliant with current codes?"

He asked if the city tried any incentives to get people to connect to the sewer system voluntarily.

"I know that you have been discussing waiving the hook up fees, which probably exceed $1,000," Baker said. "That in and of itself might get you some people who will hook up to the city sewer services."

He finished by asking how the city plans to deal with people having trouble paying for the connection to the sewer system. He said the median income for an Ephrata household is about $35,000 a year and a lot of people own property, but don't have a lot of income.

"You have a small number of homeowners who you are making connect to the city services in 90 days or at least that is what was proposed," he said. "What happens if you find that a third of these homeowners are senior citizens on fixed incomes, maybe two of those are elderly females living alone, whose total income comes from Social Security."