Local officials and the Ohio EPA have announced the lifting of a 10-year old court order mandating how Trumbull county regulates septic systems.

Under the old decree, Trumbull county homeowners were banned from having off-lot septic systems if it was possible for them to connect to sewer lines or if they could construct an on-lot system.
 
Trumbull County Director of Environmental Health, Frank Migliozzi, says, "Where there are sewers run and somebody has installed a septic system that is non-discharging, basically an on-lot leeching system, that is functioning without creating a health nuisance, and within 200 feet of the sewer we were never allowed to consider a variance."

Now homeowners can get a variance.  And now you may not be required to have costly replacements of septic systems, the health department may now allow repairs of existing ones instead.

State Rep. Michael O'Brien, says "They can replace their septic systems for just a few thousand dollars compared to the $20,000 it would cost to completely overhaul their septic systems."

So why was Trumbull the only county in the state under this decree? And why did it take so long to lift it?

The Director of the Ohio EPA, Craig Butler, says, The county had hundreds and hundreds of what we call discharging systems where the septic systems had failed and we saw partially or untreated sewage making it's way off the property into roadside ditches creating unsanitary conditions we could not allow to exist."

The requirements were made to improve water quality, which the EPA says has worked.
New lots or land can now be developed where on-site septic was not allowed before and sand filters will no longer be needed for off-lot systems.