Permits expired for dozens of wastewater plants in Jefferson County,

One of the more pressing problems facing Jefferson County is how to finance infrastructure improvements such as sanitary sewers.

An NID would allow homeowners to pay for improvements through special assessments levied over a number of years.In the past, the smaller systems were left to property owners associations to maintain. But the standards for treatment plants have become more stringent over time and there is a new, complex permitting process, he said. Sewer districts are struggling with ways to finance the required upgrades."It's a problem every district has," Cox says. "There are no quick fixes for it."Pratt says that he has been contacted by eight other private sewer systems to have the Jefferson County Public Sewer District take them over, but no funding is available.Josiah Cox of Trumpet Land Services and Clyde Pratt, Jefferson County Public Sewer District chair, discussed the dilemma at the Jefferson County Council work session May 2.There are four main public sewer districts in the county: Glaize Creek, Northeast, Rock Creek, and Jefferson County Public Sewer District, along with private sewer systems, lagoons, and an unknown quantity of septic tanks.Residents along Mark Drive in Fenton plan to pursue an NID for their neighborhood. Currently there are 34 homes with failing septic systems, Cox said. The water quality issues violate code and could warrant a $1,000/day fine.The group has already raised about $20,000, and has engineering plans designed and easements signed, said spokesman Jim Weiss. A building permit was issued Nov. 22. Following approval of the NID by the county council, they can begin construction.The former County Commission created the Jefferson County Public Sewer District in 2000, which includes all unincorporated parts of the county not already served by other sewer districts. In 2007 it took over the troubled Raintree Plantation subdivision sewer system.The District has placed bond issues before the voters in the past to borrow money to build facilities, but the issues failed.Another option is to establish a special tax district like a Neighborhood Improvement District that would enable improvements to be made to sanitary sewage collection and disposal systems. NIDs are financed by the local government through the issuance of general obligation bonds.Of the 265 wastewater treatment plants in the county, about 20 percent are operating with expired permits, Cox said.

The county does have a Private Sanitary Sewer System Replacement program to repair or replace failing septic systems for low-to- moderate-income residents, but there is a limited amount of funding available.