ECUA says septic tanks in nearby Escambia County neighborhoods harming Bayou Chico
ESCAMBIA COUNTY, Fla. — Emerald Coast Utilities Authority says septic tanks in nearby neighborhoods are causing problems for Bayou Chico.
The utility says the best way to fix that is to expand the municipal sewer system and connect more homes to it.
This week, some homeowners say their septic tanks work great. But it will cost them if they don’t make the switch.
ECUA says, historically, only half of the property owners connect to the sewer system within the first year after it becomes available.
This means the other half are in violation of not only a state statute, but also a county ordinance that comes with some serious punishment.
ECUA crews are working to expand sewer in four neighborhoods across the county, including this one in Brownsville.
“The old, existing sewer, we’re taking that out, and we’re adding a new sewer to what the old one was,” said Maurice Austin, Brown Construction pipe layer for the sewer expansion project.
On WPNN Radio Friday morning, ECUA Executive Director Jason Yarborough says the push to expand sewer in these neighborhoods is about protecting Bayou Chico.
“The reality is bad things were happening to the Bayou Chico watershed,” Yarborough said. “And the quickest and the best way is to do it as the one next septic tanks.”
Florida law requires homeowners with septic systems to connect to sewer lines once they become available. Escambia County takes things a step further.
If you don’t comply, the county ordinance says you’ll be prosecuted in the same manner as a misdemeanor. Violators could face a fine of up to $500, up to sixty days in jail, or both.
“I have never seen aggressive regulatory action from anybody to make people walk away from a working septic tank,” Yarborough said. “What I have seen in my 30 year experience in utilities, is when your septic tank fails or your drain field fails, then the Department of Health, or whatever the permitting agency is, won’t allow you to make repairs to it.”
The county ordinance says each day a violation continues is a separate offense, so those penalties could multiply. The county says the Department of Environmental Protection enforces these penalties.
“The goal is not to hurt people,” Yarborough said. “The goal is to improve the Bayou Chico watershed.”
“We got a lot of stuff that’s taped off, and the stuff that’s taped off is very important, like AT&T lines and sewer services, like the services that’s going to people’s houses, and we got some people that’s coming through,” Austin said. “They don’t think they’re getting so close on it, but they might run it over.”
Residents WEAR News talked to didn’t want to speak on camera, but said they’re excited to have access to sewer.
In the meantime, they say the construction has disrupted life. Paved streets replaced by dirt, with the dust-causing allergies are making it difficult to navigate the streets.
“They watch their speed and pay attention to the barricades,” Austin said. “And they’ll help us and we can get on out of here and let them get back to their lives.”
ECUA officials say they expect two of the Brownsville sewer expansion projects to be done later this year. The third is expected to be done by February.