Proposed septic law expensive for homes

Trinity County representatives joined a chorus of North State residents opposed to possible statewide regulations on septic tanks during a recent public hearing held in Redding.

On a snowy night, Trinity Supervisors Wendy Reiss and Judy Pflueger attended the hearing along with the county's environmental health director, Peter Hedtke, to advocate an exemption for Trinity County if the new rules are adopted as proposed.

The State Water Resources Control Board has proposed statewide regulations through Assembly Bill 885 that will likely affect all residents with existing septic systems, owners of unimproved parcels, and future land development.

The legislation would mandate professional inspections of septic tanks every five years. If there are problems, the deficient tanks would have to either be brought up to current code or be replaced—at an average cost of $40,000. Inspection fees range between $300 and $600.

Building costs would increase because of the need for larger, more expensive systems. New regulations regarding leach fields could make some undeveloped properties incapable of supporting on-site sewage disposal at all.

Trinity supervisors called it a huge issue that affects most of this county. Only those living in the few communities that have sewer systems would avoid impact.

Because the state has listed certain surface and ground waters as impaired waters due to septic systems, the intent of the new law is to further protect the surface and ground waters of California with more restrictive septic system regulations.

However, Hedtke notes that Trinity County has no listed impaired waterways related to septic systems, and is requesting exemption from the regulations along with other small, rural counties.

The State Water Resources Control Board is conducting workshops around the state to receive public comments on the proposed regulations and on the adequacy of the associated Draft Environmental Impact Report. Copies of those can be downloaded from www.waterboards. ca.gov/water_issues/ programs/septic_tanks.

Hedtke submitted several comments on Trinity County's behalf, indicating there is no basis to justify the more restrictive, costly regulations here. He said each site is eval- uated thoroughly to locate each system properly to protect surface and ground waters. The county already requires failing septic systems to be repaired, replaced or prohibited from use.

Furthermore, Hedtke argued there is no justification to require costly inspections every five years; many tanks are inspected and pumped for a variety of reasons as needed. He added that many are used less than full time and do not need an inspection every five years.

Higher-density communities in the county are served by sewer systems and offsite water sources. The lower density communities with individual septic systems are on larger parcels with greater separation between wells, septics and neighboring property improvements.

Hedtke said the new requirements would cause increased financial hardship "in our low-income, slowgrowth county with many residents on a fixed income," and that future land development may be slowed and become more expensive.