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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 05-17-1994 - VII-B 1 OR AN G E C 0 U N T Y BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: May 17, 1994 Action Agenda item # VmB' SUBJECT: Monitoring and Maintenance program for on-site alternative technology waste treatment systems DEPARTMENT: County Manager PUBLIC HEARING: _X—Yes No Health Department ATTACHMENT(S) : INFORMATION CONTACT: Dan Reimer, Health Director Public Notice ext. 2412 Chart Paul Thames, County Engineer ext. 2300 TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Hillsborough -732-8181 Durham -688-7331 Mebane -227-2031 Chapel Hill -967-9251/968-4501 PURPOSE: To solicit comments from the citizens of Orange County on two proposed options for providing Orange County Health Department inspections of specified on-site alternative technology waste treatment systems. BACKGROUND: Orange County officials and staff have been working for several years to develop and implement a program which could be used to ensure proper operation and longevity of on-site waste treatments systems utilizing alternative waste treatment technology. The discussion has centered on a progam whereby the Orange County Health Department would provide periodic inspections to monitor maintenance and operational practices at on-site alternative waste treatment systems. The primary thrust of the program would be to promote operational and maintenance practices that would prolong the systems' useful life-span while providing a level of waste treatment efficiency and quality sufficient to protect public health and the environment. Current discussion on the development of an inspection program has provided two basic program options which differ primarily in regard to the proposed frequency of system inspection. Waste treatment systems which are regulated and permitted by the NC Division of Environmental Health (DEB) and local health departments, denoted as DEB Type systems in Column ( 1) of the attached chart, must currently be inspected by local health departments at frequencies mandated by the state. Treatment systems regulated by the NC Division of Environmental Management (DEM) are not currently required to be inspected at all by local health departments. As outlined in Column (3) of the attached chart, Option I advocates an inspection frequency for DEH regulated systems that follows the guidelines set by state mandate. Option I also advocates an inspection frequency for DEM regulated systems that is essentially similar to the frequencies required for DEH systems of comparable technological complexity. Option I provides for increased inspection frequencies for specific systems or types of systems for which inspections, complaints of operating failures and nuisances or operating records indicate a need for more frequent inspections. The yearly inspection costs for the minimum or initial levels of Option I inspections are shown in Column (4) of the attached chart. Option II inspection frequencies are outlined in Column (5) of the attached charts. The Option II recommended inspection frequencies have been developed on the basis of the experience of local health staff and staff of other county health departments in regulating these types of waste treatment systems and in operating similar inspection programs. Option II advocates significantly more frequent inspections than Option I at correspondingly greater expense - see Column (6) . Discussion by the BOCC has also reflected an element of concern as to how owners of malfunctioning systems could be required to repair their systems regardless of their financial situation. Options I and II incorporate a proposal to ensure the availability of the financial resources necessary to make repairs to types of on-site waste treatment systems included in the monitoring program. The intent of the proposal is to ensure that system owners (and Orange County if necessary) will have immediate access to funds that will be sufficient to repair any failing system. Under the proposal, repair funds would be provided prior to the need for system repair by system owners through letters of credit or escrowed funds. Any funds advanced for system repair by the County would be subject to repayment and would be secured by liens against the property of system owners. RECOIMNDATION: Accept public comment on the proposed inspection frequency options. NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED ' ON-SITE WASTEWATER TREATMENT MONITORING PROGRAM FOR ORANGE COUNTY Pursuant to the direction of the Orange County Board of Commissioners, notice is hereby given that a public hearing will be held in the Public Meeting Room at the Orange Water and Sewer Authority office building at 400 Jones-Ferry Road in Carrboro on Tuesday, May 17, 1994 at 7:30 PM for the purpose of giving all interested citizens an opportunity to speak on the following: Background - There are various types of on-site wastewater treatment systems that are being installed and used by individual home owners, entire subdivisions and businesses in Orange County. The Orange County Health Department (OCHD) and the NC Division of Environmental Management (DEM) have different degrees of responsibility to inspect or monitor the successful installation and operation of these systems. The question before the County is to what extent should local regulations be enacted beyond the state requirements for the monitoring and maintenance of these systems. Citizens are being asked to speak on two different levels of possible local regulation. They are as follows: Option I - This level of regulation advocates that OCHD conduct periodic inspection of certain types of locally regulated waste treatment systems (listed as DEH Type systems in Column ( 1) of the attached chart) at or near the same frequency that is currently required under state health regulations. Inspections at any particular system can be conducted more frequently if problems with the system or its operator arise. Currently, systems regulated under the jurisdiction of DEM are not required to be inspected by OCHD. Under Option I, these systems are to be inspected at frequencies comparable to DEH Type systems of similar complexity. Inspections of any particular system can be conducted more frequently if problems with the system or its operator arise. System types are shown in Column ( 1) and Option I proposed inspection frequencies are shown in Column (3) of the attached chart. Option II - This level of regulation advocates that OCHD conduct periodic inspections of both DEM- and locally-regulated systems at intervals more frequent than required under state regulations. The Option 2 proposed inspection frequencies are specified in Column (5) of the attached chart. Inspections under either option are proposed to be financed through inspection fees charged to system owners/operators. Option 1 inspection fees are shown in Column (4) and Option 2 fees are shown in Column (6) of the attached chart. Note: the Board of County Commissioners has discussed the possibility of conducting additional sampling inspections under Option I to "test" the reliability of the required inspection levels. The costs of these additional or test sampling inspections would be absorbed by the County. Both Option I and II include proposed local regulations which are intended to ensure the availability of financial resources sufficient to make repairs to the types of treatment systems included under these options. Funds are to be provided by system owners through letters of credit or escrowed funds. Any repair funds advanced by the County will be subject to repayment secured by liens against the property of system owners. PROPOSED AND REQUIRED INSPECTION FREQUENCIES FOR ON-SITE WASTE TREATMENT AND DISPOSAL SYSTEMS ........... . ........ .......... ...... ..... ...... ............ .......... .... .. .......... ....... .......... ...........................I.... .......... --- ............... ..... ...... ............ .... ...... .......... ...... . .... 11 ,, ..-......... .......�,*........." , ............ y-- ..................... .. ....... . .... ... ............... ...... ...... :;., ....... ...... ......... ......m................................... ............. ........... ............... ... ........ ... ...................... .......... ....... ... . ........-----........................... .................... ................................. ............... . ............................................ ................. .......... .. . .. ........ ..................... ...... .......................... ... .... . . ....... ....... ...... ............. .... ... ...... .. .. .. ... . .. ................ .... ........... ..... .. ............ . ....... ... ................... ...........I......... ..... .. ........ ...... -:::r::.. ... ... ...... ............ . .................. ................................... ...... .......... ....... .....�, .......... .. ............ ................................ . ................. ...... ......... ,. ............... .......... ............ ............... ...................... ................................................... .............. ..... --- .............--- .......... ................ .... .............. ..... ....................... ........ ........ ............. ... ................ 0.11L Im ... . ............ .......... . ........ ...................................................................... ............... ..................................... .................... .......... .................... ......... ..... ........ ..... . ............ ....... ....................... ..... ..... ......... ....... »;_ : ...... ........ ........................ . ....... ..... ... ...... ............................................................................... ............ .......... ........... ........ .......... ............ ... .............. ........................... ................. . .................... ... . ............... ........................ .................... ..........%...: ...................... ........ ......... ... ............. .. =........ ............. ........... ............... ...... . ..... .. .. ..... ............. ........................ ...... ................... ............................................... .........-................. ......... . ......... .............. ...... ..............;... .......... ......... .............. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ............. ......... .......... ................................ ..... ....................... . ................. ................. ................. ..... ................................................................ ........................ ......... ............... ... . . ....... .... .............. ... ......... . ................................................ .............................................. ........ .. -. ........I..................................I................ ............... ....... ......................................... ....................... .........................................................................."", ............................... ...... ................ .............. . . ......-...... ..... .... .......... ...... ... ... .................... ......................... ... .... . .... ................ . .......... ...... .............. ... ...... ummm NOT REQUIRED NOT mar NOT ....................... ................................................ "0'. OR RECOMMENDED APPLICABLE RECOMMENDED APPLICABLE ............................................................... ........... ........ .................... ........... ......... .............. ............ ........... 20M NOT REQUIRED NOT NOT NOT ............. . . ........ ......... OR RECOMMENDED APPLICABLE RECOMMENDED APRJCASLE .............. .......... ............. ..... . ................. $100 PER $100 PER ...... . ............... ............... .................... ..........I..................... 2060 INSPECTION REQUIRED INSPECTION INSPECTION RECOMMENDED 14SPECTION ONCE EVERY FIVE YEARS (W PER YEAR AVER ONCE EVERY FIVE YEARS (SO PER YEAR AVERAGE) .......... ............. ............ ........ ..... INSPECTION REQUIRED $100 PER INSPECTION RECOMMENDED $100 PER ..................................................... . .... .................................................. .......... ....... .......................... ........... 950 ONCE EVERY FIVE YEARS INSPECTION ONCE EVERY"4E YEARS INSPECTION ...................................................... (SO PER YEAR AVERAGE) (W PER YEAR AVERAOM INSPECTION REQUIRED ONCE EVERY $100 PER INSPECTION . .................. ..................... ................ .............................................. ...................... THREE YEARS•MORE FREQUENT (M PER YEAR ON AVERAGE, INSPECTION RECOMMENDED ................................................................ ................ ........................................ ................. ................................... ............... V I.N. soo NSPECTM PROCESS WY BE ACTUATED UNLESS MORE FREQUENT ONE TIME PER YEAR $100 PER YEAR .......... ................... ....... . .. .....- ................ .......... SY SYSTEM FAILURE ORNONZOWUAMCE INSPECTIONS ARE REQUIRED) TVTTH REPORTING REQUIREMENTS ----—-------- INSPECTION REQUIRED ONCE EVERY $100 PER INSPECTION THREE YEARS-MORE FREQUENT (S33 PER YEAR ON AVERAGE, ......... ... .............. .......... ............................ .............. ........... io INSPECTION PROCESS MAY BE ACTUATED UNLESS MORE FREQUENT INSPECTION RECOMMENDED WD PER YEAR ......... INSPECTIONS ARE REQUIRED) ONE TIME PER YEAR ......... .......... BY SYSTEM FAILURE OR NONCOMPLIANCE .......................... ......... WITH REPORTING REQUIREMENTS aia 00INSPECTION REQUIRED ONE TIME 00f....M.. .. PER ......... YEAR-MORE FREQUENT INSPECTION ($100 PER YEAR ON AVERAGE, .................... PROCESS MAYBE ACTUATED BYSYSTEM UNLESS MORE FREQUENT SEMIANNUALLY W PER YEAR ........... ................................. .......... . ..... FAILURE OR NON40MPLUMM WITH INSPECTIONS ARE REQUIRED! .... ....... ..... .......... ....... ...... REPOfffM REQUIREMENTS ................................ DISPECTIONRE;111ii ONE TIME PER ..... .................. ...................... .................. f......... YEAR. MORE FREQUENT INSPECTION SIODPERINSPECTION . .. ........ ..... .............. 0 PROCESS MAY BE ACTUATED BY SYSTEM (1100 PER YEAR ON AVERAGE, SEM&ANNUALLY SM PER YEAR FAILURE OR NO*COMPLIANCE WITH UNLESS MORE FREQUENT ............ REPORTIGREQUIRBOM INSPECTIONS ARE REQUIRED) ........... .................. ....... .................. .......... ...... INSPECTION RE(KARED TVIO TIMES PER ...................... .. ...... ... .......... ......... YEAR•MORE FREQUENT INSPECTION $100 PER INSPECTION ..........I-m ....... ................... .............. ........... .............................................. .......... .................. ...... . .......