Richmond septic problems nearing an end

After five years of controversy dealing with septic systems for the non-incorporated communities of Richmond and Rubio, it appears the issue is finally at rest. The last five homeowners, two in Richmond and three in Rubio, have signed agreements that will allow the county to install the septic systems. The county will recover the costs through special tax assessments. The supervisors approved the agreements Tuesday.

In 2001 the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) had issued a notice of violation to the county for improper sewage discharge in the Richmond community. Since the community is unincorporated, it was the countys responsibility through the Board of Health to provide reliable sewage treatment for the residents. Garden & Associates, LTD was hired by the County in 2003 to begin preliminary work to provide information for an approved sewage treatment method for Richmond.

The work involved a survey of the residents, analysis of different treatment methods and operating costs and searching for funding sources. Regional Utility Service Systems (RUSS) located in Fairfield have assisted the county in the search for funding sources and information on operating costs. RUSS at that time managed six sewer systems for small communities in Southeast Iowa.

A facilities plan for a two-cell lagoon has been submitted to the Iowa DNR for approval. The proposed lagoon was designed to serve the current 83 residences.

The Knutsons said they were concerned that Richmond residents who had spent $8,000 to $9,000 to install a new on-site septic system would be required to connect to the new system. In addition, the Holy Trinity Parish Life Center would have been required to connect to the new system and discontinue the use of their recently installed $23,000 sewage system. Another of the main concerns regarded the long term operating expense of the selected lagoon system. Knutson said she had received information from several sources reporting high operating expenses for small community lagoon sewage systems in western Iowa.

The opposition to the proposed Richmond lagoon continued to grow, resulting in the formation of a nonprofit group called Residents for a Better Richmond, which filed a lawsuit to halt the project. It also became a major election issue that resulted in three supervisor candidates opposed to the RUSS projects winning in the November 2012, election Stan Stoops, Jack Seward Jr. and Bob Yoder.

Seward said he would be meeting with a representative of the IDNR and expected the five agreements would satisfy the states June 1 deadline to bring Rubio and Richmond into compliance with state laws.

Seward has also been working with Habitat for Humanities to create a conduit for donations to aid the five low-income residents in paying for the septic systems. Margie Roth of Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity was at the Tuesday meeting and said her group covered four counties including Washington County. Being a funnel for the tax-deductible donations, she said, went along with the groups mission of obtaining and maintaining homes for financially challenged residents.

Seward noted that there were already two area groups expressing their willingness to donate funds a faith-based group near Rubio and Residents for a Better Richmond.

Donations can be made online at iowavalleyhabitat.org/ or by calling 319-337-8949.

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Richmond septic problems nearing an end