Parma to receive $1.5 million loan for septic system replacement of 51 homes

PARMA, Ohio — The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency has issued a preliminary report that clears the way for a $1.5 million project that will eliminate failing household sewage treatment systems in dozens of homes and replace them with a central sanitary sewer collection system.

The North & West Linden Lanes Septic Abatement Phase 1 project will service 51 residential homes on North Linden Drive and Martin Drive, addressing serious environmental and public health concerns in the area.

The Ohio EPA on Sept. 3 found the project will have no negative environmental impacts, clearing the way for the state to provide the city with a $1.5 million interest-free loan to fund the project.

The project is part of the city’s decades-long plan to comply with Ohio EPA orders to convert the city’s remaining residential septic systems to sanitary sewer systems.

The city, in the mid-2000s, identified nearly 1,300 septic systems still in existence.

The antiquated septic systems, installed in the 1950s and 1960s, use outdated gravel filter beds and primitive aeration systems that discharge untreated or poorly treated sewage directly into local waterways.

Previous water quality testing revealed E. coli levels exceeding public health nuisance limits in Baldwin Creek and its tributaries, according to the environmental assessment released by the Ohio EPA.

“For many years, a strong odor of sewage and gray filamentous algae have been observed in tributaries within the project area,” the assessment states.

The project will construct 3,177 linear feet of 8-inch PVC gravity sanitary sewer to connect these homes to the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District’s Southerly Wastewater Treatment Plant. The existing treatment system has adequate capacity to handle the additional flow, which is estimated at 2,400 gallons per day on average, with peak flows of 11,760 gallons daily.

Parma is eligible for the full loan amount in principal forgiveness from the Ohio Water Pollution Control Loan Fund, meaning the loan will not need to be repaid. This favorable financing will save the city approximately $2.95 million compared to market-rate financing.

Homeowners will be responsible for removing their existing septic systems and extending building laterals to the main sewer line. They will incur several one-time costs, including a $750 tap-in fee, plumbing inspection and septic abandonment fees totaling $175, and approximately $70 per foot to extend their lateral to the main line. Grant programs will be available to assist low-income residents with these expenses.

Construction is expected to begin after the loan is awarded and will be completed by the end of 2026.

The public has 30 days to comment on the preliminary determination. In the absence of substantive comments, the decision will become final, allowing Parma to proceed with its loan application.

Comments can be directed to Holly Rundle at the Ohio EPA’s Division of Environmental and Financial Assistance, holly.rundle@epa.ohio.gov, until Oct. 3.