Village of Ashville, Ohio

Sanitary Sewer Overflows and What They Mean to Ashville

Sanitary sewer systems are meant to collect and transport all of the sewage that flows into them to a publicly owned treatment works (POTW). However, occasional unintentional discharges of raw sewage from municipal sanitary sewers occur in almost every system. These types of discharges are called sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs). SSOs have a variety of causes, including, but not limited to, severe weather, improper system operation, maintenance, and vandalism. The exact numbers of SSOs are not known but the EPA estimates that there are at least 40,000 SSOs each year. A survey of the Association of Metropolitan Sewerage Agencies indicates that many do not track SSOs and/or the results of existing SSOs.What are CSOs and SSOs?

Problems that can cause chronic SSOs include:

• Infiltration and Inflow (I & I): too much rainfall or snowmelt infiltrating through the ground into leaky sanitary sewers not designed to hold rainfall or to drain property, and excess water inflowing through roof drains connected to sewers, broken pipes, and/or badly connected sewer service lines
• Pipe Failures: blocked, broken or cracked pipes; tree roots grown into the sewer; sections of pipe (s) settle or shift so that pipe joints no longer match; and sediment and other materials accumulate causing pipes to break or collapse
• Equipment Failures: pump failures, power failures
• Sewer Service Connections: discharges occur at sewer service connections to houses and other buildings; some cities estimate that as much as 60% of overflows comes from the service lines

Historically, the village, like most municipalities, has had SSOs. The village is working with the OhioEPA in a proactive effort with the objective to remove all SSO’s. Through monitoring, we have investigated the impact of removing these SSOs. The primary reason there exists an SSO is water runoff during severe weather as described above involving I & I. To remove the SSO without investigating the SSO runs the risk of back up into basements that are upstream. From these investigations all but one SSO has been eliminated. We have one SSO that will be eliminated during the next wastewater plant expansion.

The village needs to address these issues even though they may be costly. Untreated sewage from overflows can contaminate waters causing serious water quality problems in Walnut Creek. It can also back-up into basements causing property damage and threatening public health. SSOs occur in almost every sewer system, even though systems are intended to collect and contain all the sewage that flows into them. When SSOs happen frequently, it means something is wrong with the system.

The response to this challenge varies considerably from state to state. Sanitary sewer collection systems are a valuable part of the nation's infrastructure. EPA estimates that our nation's sewers are worth a total of more than $1 trillion. The collection system of a single large municipality is an asset worth billions of dollars and that of a smaller city could cost many millions to replace. Sewer rehabilitation to reduce or eliminate SSOs can be expensive, but the cost must be weighed against the value of the collection system asset and the added cost of this asset if allowed to further deteriorate. Ongoing maintenance and rehabilitation adds value to the original investment by maintaining the system's capacity and extending its life.

What are the issues involving Stormwater? Surface Water Program

Pollution: Every time it rains, the rainwater that is not absorbed into the ground or evaporated (called runoff) carries contaminants from lawns, streets, buildings and parking lots and deposits them directly into our village creeks through the underground storm sewer system.

Flooding: Early stormwater management practices can prevent flooding, because of design standards & Village capital investment, flooding from normal storms has been reduced; however, but trouble spots still remain.

Funding: Stormwater Management has been funded in the past through developer fees, taxes and other general fund revenues. These funds to an increasing extent are going toward other critical operations of the Village such as police. Council has determined stormwater management should be related to water and runoff into the Village’s present and future stormwater system.

What is a Stormwater Utility?

A Stormwater Utility is to stormwater what a sewer utility is to sewage, and a water utility is to drinking water. It is a "stand-alone" service unit within the Village government which generates revenues through fees for service. A stormwater utility is responsible for funding the operation, construction and maintenance of stormwater management devices, for stormwater system planning, and runoff management. A stormwater utility generates its revenue through user fees. The fee is based on a formula related to stormwater runoff into a stormwater system. The more water runoff the greater fee.

How much is the fee?

Each single-family parcel will be charged based on an average lot size. A single family home will pay $36 per year. Other properties and non-resident developed parcels will pay based on how many Equivalent Residential units, or "ERUs", there are on the parcel.

How will the Stormwater Utility Fee be billed?

The charge is a service fee, not a tax. To save administrative costs, it will be billed as part of the monthly utility bill.  

What about vacant property and public property like schools and parks?

Since rain falls on all property, all property will be charged. Schools, churches, etc., will be charged just like businesses; based on the number of ERUs on the site.  

What is an Equivalent Residential Unit or ERU?

An ERU is a unit of measure which serves as an index to compare the runoff generated by different size properties with different amounts of impervious surface. Impervious surface is any surface which does not allow water to pass through to the soil. Rooftops, driveways, parking lots and streets are familiar examples of impervious surface. All single-family residential properties are calculated at 1 ERU and are billed the same flat daily rate. An example of how the 2006 residential rate is calculated: $ 0.0987 per day X 30 days = $ 2.961 X 1 ERU = $ 2.961.

Non-residential properties are calculated by how much impervious area the property is known to have, which was compiled from the village’s Geographical Information System (GIS) and other records. A property with 10,000 square feet of impervious area would be billed at 5 ERUs (10,000 divided by 2000).

Is there a minimum base charge?

Yes, there is a minimum charge. The minimum is based on the concept that even if no parcel contributed any runoff to the Village system, rain falling on Village streets still has to be managed. The costs of managing that stormwater have been assigned equally to all parcels in the form of a minimum charge. The yearly minimum charge, called the base fee, is set at $36.

If a property is not on a body of water and is considered high and dry, why is it charged?

There may not be a problem on a specific piece of property or in a neighborhood, but the runoff from the property and the neighbor's property contributes proportionately to the Village's overall stormwater system. All of those who enjoy living in Ashville benefit from positive actions to manage stormwater problems, and they all suffer when these problems are not addressed.

How will problems such as street flooding be solved?

The Village has developed a Capital Improvement Plan which outlines the projects which will be undertaken to reduce pollution and minimize flooding. The Village staff is aware of many drainage problems, but if a citizen knows of others, they can call the Village at 740-983-6367 to report problems. Not every drainage problem can be fixed immediately (it has taken over 100 years to create the present situation), but the Village of Ashville is committed to working to solve these problems as quickly as possible.

The impact of stormwater (surface water) is a function of the Service Department. The traditional view of stormwater is surface water runoff as a “service”. Historically that is because the Service Department is responsible for keeping the storm drains clear which in turn kept streets drivable in a rain event.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has taken on an increasing role in this area. The result of their emphasis seems to be concentrated in three categories.

First, how surface water drainage may affect bodies of water – ponds, creeks, and rivers.  Read More

Second, EPA concern about combined collection systems, sanitary and stormwater collected in one system, sometimes known as SSO.   Read More

Third, EPA concern about infiltration and inflow, also known as I & I.   Read More

Stormwater is billed by the village through the utility department.

Utilities & Billing Contact Us

Stormwater:  Gregory Sturgill Contact Us

Surface Water Program

Chap. 940 Stormwater Utility

Stormwater Credit Procedure

Stormwater Rate

Residential $3.00

Commercial $2.961 / Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU)

For Rate Detail Ordinance Chap. 929. Water, Sewer and Stormwater Rates

Surface Water Program

SSO Removal Program 

Infiltration & Inflow (I&I)

The Service Department of the Village of Ashville, Ohio

Goals

The goal of the Service Department is to provide well-maintained streets for the convenience and safety of the public, and for the provision of all-weather alleys.

Activities of the Service (Street) Department include the maintenance of:

• Paved streets
• Unpaved streets
• Paved alleys
• Unpaved alleys
• Drainage ways
• Streets (sweeping)
• Mowing (Rights of ways)
• Leaf Pick-up (Right of ways)
• Snow Removal (Right of ways)
• Drainage channels and Village-owned lots
• Street signs (as well as making them)
• Maintaining Public Buildings