Hamilton County Commission approves decentralized sewer regulations

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- The Hamilton County Commission had to make a decision that will impact future development.

With many areas still not connected to a sewage system in rural Hamilton County, the county commission had to decide Wednesday if developers could build their own sewage systems disconnected from the WWTA.

Proposed developments across the county like Spangler Farms in Walden have been a point of controversy in recent years.

A group of residents mostly speaking in favor of a resolution regulating decentralized wastewater systems.

This is why several residents voiced their support for a resolution by Commissioner Gene-O Shipley that would require all newly built wastewater treatment facilities to be directly owned by the WWTA.

Commissioner Chip Baker said, “You take for example Spangler Farms, it’s out of control… They’re trying to put 205 houses on rock!”

Several raised concerns about improperly maintained equipment leading to health issues.

One resident, Barry Glasscock of Walden, said, “The company has received dozens of notices of violations, the majority in Sevier County. Many of the violations show a high level of e-coli, and some of the problems go uncorrected for years. You wouldn’t want that in your backyard either.”

Jennifer Duvall of Sale Creek added, “It takes a minimum of five years to undo damage to the soil. That means you won’t be able to grow anything and it would do damage to the ecosystem… We do not want pink eye because our children go out to play out in the grass and bring it back in.”

Others said that these concerns are effectively fear mongering.

Julian Bell, a representative for Greater Chattanooga Homeowners, said, “The homebuilding industry wants to put these systems in. We want them to be safe. They are an essential tool to be able to lower the cost of housing in Hamilton County.”

With potential legislation at the state level that could limit sewer authority over these systems, commissioners said they needed to act fast.

Commissioner Baker said, “I think by us not approving this today, it sends a message at a very critical time, this is in the Agriculture Committee today, and it’s moving along, we need to send the right message.”

The commission unanimously passed this resolution.

The WWTA says they possibly will be passing new regulations at their board meeting in April.