Sewage issues

A troublesome situation has come to my attention that needs to be given some serious consideration. An application is being processed for a State permit to allow raw sewage to be dumped on the ground very near to a well developed residential area. Should this permit be granted, the owners of the adjacent and nearby properties will experience very negative impacts to their expectation of a clean living environment, as well as a decrease in their property values. I find this very disturbing.

Growth in the Flathead Valley has reached the point where locating land that is suitable for accepting raw sewage, and that is not close to residential development is extremely difficult. It is time to employ a more efficient, environmentally sound method of dealing with raw sewage. There needs to be a regional facility to serve the needs of this area.

As I understand, the existing rules which allow a licensed septic pumping service to dispose of raw sewage are administered by the State Department of Environmental Quality. The final approval of a specific dumping site application requires an evaluation and approval by the local County Health Department. The Department of Environmental Quality has a very limited number of personnel who are assigned to monitor rule compliance by the numerous pumping services that operate in the State.

I am certainly not a scientist, but I have to wonder about the idea that home owners are required to install expensive septic systems that store sewage well underground and far away from any water sources, but that permits can be granted to septic pumping services, which allow them to dump the same raw sewage from these septic systems out on the surface very near these same home owners' properties. Something doesn't smell right here.

If anyone else shares my concerns about the current methods of dealing with raw sewage, or if there might be a possibility of a permit for a future sewage dumping site being granted near their property, I would suggest that it might be time to start contacting our local and state authorities to see what alternatives can be considered.

As a candidate for the Montana House of Representatives from District Nine, I can only bring this matter to the attention of the public, but if I am elected there will be a good opportunity to consider legislative action to address the problem.

Edd Blackler

Bigfork