Marion county to consider ordinance mandating sewer connection

At their March 15 meeting, Marion County Board of Commissioners approved scheduling a public workshop to consider an ordinance mandating sewer connection. In support of the measure, the draft ordinance presented to the commissioners cited the solution would be the “best ecological practice for the environment,” specifically, it would “reduce contamination of our aquifer and waterways.”

Under the first draft ordinance, when sewer connections become available within so many feet of a property, the county would send notices to those properties giving them a certain amount of time to connect.

Bobbi Perez, spokesperson for Marion County said that it currently estimates zero properties would immediately receive the notice if the ordinance passed. In addition, Perez said that it currently anticipates the cost of the mandate for property owners would be covered by grant funding.

The ordinance would also only apply to properties in Marion County service areas and does not include sewer lines that might be available nearby from municipalities.  

The map below shows sewer availability as of March 24, 2022 in unincorporated Marion County.