New On-site Treatment System Ordinance Update, Stone County

Stone County Health Department officials first proposed a new septic ordinance for the county in September 2009. This ordinance was designed to help correct deficiencies in the system which had not required upgrades to septic systems found to be failing even after a home inspection found these systems to be failing.

In other words, the money needed for septic system repairs was deducted from the sale price or otherwise accounted for, but the septic system was sometimes not actually repaired upon sale of the home.

This new proposed ordinance would require a Property Transfer Certificate to be used in every sale or transfer of property in Stone County upon which the septic system or onsite wastewater treatment system (OWTS) was more than 10 years old.

Local real estate communities as well as some others opposed the new ordinance on the grounds that it would complicate the property sale process and prevent home sales in Stone County.

The County rescinded its first Property Transfer Certificate amid this opposition and instead the County Health Department voluntarily launched a series of stakeholder meetings to help streamline the ordinance and come up with a more practical and justified version of the process.

Todd Fickbohm with the SCHD offered eight county-wide public information seminars on the proposed septic ordinance throughout the summer of 2010. The new ordinance was finally passed January 1, 2011.

So how does the Property Transfer Certificate Work?

For homes that have OWTS's that are less than 10 years old, a PTC is not required. For older OWTS's, the steps include getting the OWTS inspected by a licensed inspector and negotiating between the buyer and seller if the OWTS is found to be in need of repair. An affidavit can be used by a buyer to complete a purchase of property with an inadequate OWTS and the County will allow up to 1 year for the system to be updated.

Above: Typical failing Septic tank near Table Rock Lake; in many cases the failure in not as apparent. Untreated sewage contains E. coli and other harmful bacteria which can be hazardous to our health when present in the waters we use to swim or drink.

Stone County Health Department Staff have reported over 100 Property Transfer Certificates have been issued to date. There have also been two completed advanced wastewater treatment systems, seven septic tank replacements, nine septic tank pump-outs and 2 affidavits for future repairs completed since the new ordinance has gone into effect.

Communication and open discussion were an essential and valuable part of the process taken to pass the new On-site Wastewater Treatment System Ordinance. Public meetings helped dispel negative reactions felt by some toward "just another burdensome regulation." The successful adoption of the ordinance can be attributed to the proactive approach of the Stone County Health Departments well as local citizens to take necessary steps to protect water quality while also making sure to mitigate negative effects toward commerce and home sales. For more information on the new OWTS ordinance visit the SCHD webpage at: www.stonecountyhealthdepartment.com

 News from Tammy Yelden, Education Outreach Director

Lake Taneycomo Clean-up and 

Watershed Management Plans

Last year we had about 60 volunteers pick up around 15 tons of trash! We had teams in Branson, Rockaway Beach, and Powersite! There will probably be plenty of trash this year due to the high water from earlier this year!

We are looking for sponsors and volunteers once again. We had awesome t-shirts last year and we are looking for sponsors to help get our volunteers t-shirts again. Please contact TRLWQ if your business is interested in helping! Every dollar amount helps!

We also need VOLUNTEERS! We will be setting up a list for each site, Branson, Rockaway Beach, and Powersite. The "Super Captains" at each site will help organize the crews. Please also take into consideration that we need many boats to clean up Lake Taneycomo. If you have a boat and need more help to load trash we can help point the volunteers where to go. Contact TRLWQ via email or call to sign up!  

Starting in September, TRLWQ will be asking local citizens and businesses to play a part in the process of writing a Watershed Management Plan for Lake Taneycomo. This plan is written to explore the water quality issues for Lake Taneycomo. We are interested in hearing from all citizens from the recreational boater, shoreline fishermen, businesses on the lake, and anyone who enjoys the beauty of Lake Taneycomo. There will be a series of meetings from September through December.

The Watershed Management Plan is composed to identify water issues and come up with solutions to the problems. With a wide citizen base to provide input we can address the issues at hand locally. The report is ultimately sent into the DNR. With a Watershed Management Plan complete a watershed is more likely to receive funding for projects to improve their water quality.

If you are interested in participating, please contact Tammy at TRLWQ. Phone: 417-739-4100 or tammyyelden@trlwq.org.

My father-in-law recently gave me an old whiskey barrel. It is a beautiful barrel and I had been wanting to put in a rain barrel for ages. I decided to put it on the corner of my house closest to my flower gardens. That way I wouldn't have to haul the water so far. I think the most challenging part of putting up a rain barrel is diverting the rain gutter. We had to saw off part of it and put in two elbows to make the angle right down to the barrel.

Before this dry stint we had quite a bit of rain. Luckily my rain barrel was set up for that. I collected a lot of rain that I used on my flowers. You should never use rain collected from rooftops on vegetables. The roof always has other substances, mainly bird feces, that can wash into your barrel and you don't want that on your vegetables. The flowers love the fresh rainwater though!

You too can put in a rain barrel! Keep your ears open for old barrels whether wooden or plastic or check out the Habitat for Humanity Restore Springfield!