Jul. 4--Letters went out this week from the city of Athens Wastewater Department to residents of six subdivisions whose residents are not on public sewers, asking whether they would share in the city's cost to install sewers.

At least one resident, Don Hale of Ezell Subdivision, said his septic tank is working fine.

"A lot of people in my neighborhood are retired--I'm retired--and personally, I don't have the money," he said. "I need a new roof more."

Hale, who retired as an enforcement officer from the Game and Fish Division of the Department of Natural Resources 12 years ago, said he has talked to several neighbors and could find just one who wanted a public sewer.

"The amount of money we're talking about is just ridiculous," said Hale, who estimated it would cost homeowners in his neighborhood $15,240 per lot.

However, Wastewater Department Manager John Stockton says Hale read his letter wrong. When Stockton wrote in the letter that it would cost $573,000 to install sewers in Ezell Subdivision, "This equates to over $11,340 per lot."

But Stockton said that figure is what it would cost the city to install the sewers. Of that figure, homeowners would be asked to pay impact and tapping fees of $2,400, plus $1,000 to $1,500 to run a line to their systems.

"The city must come up with the difference," said Stockton. "This is a big decision for the City Council. Are they willing to come up with that much money? The city has never before come up with that much. Back in the 1980s, the full cost of installing sewer would have been $2,500 per lot."

If sewer lines are installed in a neighborhood, even residents who decide against tapping in would be charged $20.50 per month.

Stockton said letters also went out to Byram Heights at Hobbs and Lucas Ferry streets; Glenn Valley off U.S. 72 West; Hannah Heights between Walmart and Lowe's; Whitfield Colony and Winslow off South Lindsay Lane.

Stockton said this is the era of working with developers to install infrastructure as subdivisions are being built rather than going in to an established subdivision, which requires rerouting of traffic and tearing up of streets and landscaping.

"We are currently running sewer lines under Interstate 65 to the Linton Road area," said Stockton. "This is costing from $1 million to $1.1 million. Developers have already paid a half-million dollars in impact fees. Before it's over, developers will have paid for the whole thing and the city will not be out one red cent."

A study of Ezell Subdivision under former Utilities general manager Tom Craven nearly 20 years ago determined that the city could not bury sewers deep enough in that terrain.

"I've got a swimming pool, and when we dug it we hit rock at six feet," said Hale. "That's probably why Mr. Craven said they couldn't get deep enough."

Stockton concedes that there are significant developments in the city that have never had public sewer and function well. He said there are only two homes in Glenn Valley that have a failing septic systems during heavy rains. He said residents of Glenn Valley whose homes back up to businesses along U.S. 72 West, could now tap into public sewers that have been run to those businesses, if they wanted, but none has.

"If the council votes to do this, it would take eight to 10 years, or they may wait," said Stockton. "This is a precedent of major significance."

Stockton and the City Council will host a series of meetings this month to get residents' input on whether they want public sewer and answer any questions they might have.

The schedule is: Glenn Valley residents to meet in the old City Council chambers on Marion Street at 6:30 p.m. June 14; Winslow and Whitfield at 6:30 p.m. July 16; Ezell at 6:30 p.m. July 20; Byram Heights at 5 p.m. July 22; and Hannah Heights at 6:30 p.m. July 23.

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