Agenda - 05-21-1985 - Laserfiche WebLink

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• _ 4 OWASA. Durham said OWASA had not indicated the purpose of the property when it was purchased. Pat Davis, Assistant to the Director at OWASA, told Hartley in December that the property would be used for the disposal of sludge materials. The Orange County Planning Department Was contacted and requested to evaluate the problem -of sludge disposal in Bingham Township. The County dial not know the location of these fields but did study the situation. Also, the Planning Department received a resolution from the Bingham Township Advisory Council in which they expressed concern about the problems with sludge. When the Durham Heirs' property was sold, Hartley contacted the EPA officer who was not aware that OWASA had purchased the- Durham Heirs tract for sludge application and expressed concern that no environmental impact assessment had been completed. No public hearing had taken place and none of the procedures necessary under the terms of the EPA requirements were undertaken. Hartley submitted to the EPA a packet of maps and other documents with a letter requesting an extension for the period for comment. The request was denied on the grounds that OWASA told the EPA that the Durham Heirs' property was purchased for transferal property to be exchanged in the Cane Creek project. An appeal has been sent to the Board of Adjustement. He requested the Board- of Commissioners evaluate the situation and set some means for regulation at on the local level so the citizens can be assured of a level of government with which they have contact and which is responsible to the citizens will have some regulation over the procedures involved. J. T. Thompson, property owner, expressed concern about the drainage and the fact that this drainage infiltrated his well on three (3) occasions. He noted that the sludge was spread on the land three (3) times last year. No signs were present, and it was put on deep enough to cover the tall grass and spread all the way to the road. Windows and doors had to be kept shut because of the odor. The sludge was put on with a tanker truck and not sprayed. The people in the area were not contacted about the use of the property. OWASA indicated their intention to increase the amount of sludge that will be disposed on this property in question. Commissioner Marshall indicated that sludge application is intended to be advantageous for the farmers and expressed concern that it had not been worked out. Edward Johnson, resident in the area, noted a problem in the concentrated application on parcels of land that are located close together and in the watershed. An attempt needs to be made to distribute the materials as widely as possible in Orange County and adjoining counties instead of all in the same watershed. If OWASA thinks the materials are too hazardous to endanger their j water suppply, it is too hazardous for the downhill wells of the residents in the area. Lillian Duncan, a Dunham Heir, stated she was informed that houses would be built on the land. She would not have sold the property for sludge disposition. Carl Walters, Vice Chair of the Orange County Planning Board, expressed concern for the health factor and talked about the value of land application and the need for cooperation of everyone involved. The runoff problem must be a prime consideration in this application. He feels the Soil Conservation j Office and the County Health Department should be involved in the monitoring of the areas where sludge is disposed. The farmer can benefit from this land application but should not have to pay for soil conservation. Everett Billingsley, Director of OWASA, indicated on a map the seven sites used for disposal of sludge. Three (3) are located in Bingham Township, three (3) in Chapel Hill Township and one (1) in Chatham County. The sludge is more I widely dispersed than some may realize. The program is one that is environmentally sound and is closely monitored by the State and inspected periodically by the DEM. He emphasized the cost effectiveness of the program which represents a savings to OWASA of five cents per one thousand gallons of wastewater treated and a savings to the farmer of $40 per acre because of the