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Board to study septic-hauler policies after residents and haulers warn of public-health and cost impacts
Summary
After public comment and staff discussion, the board directed staff to study septic-hauler permitting, sampling and fee structures and return in April with a proposed ordinance that could include a graduated fee scale and vehicle permits; the city currently charges $25 per load and permits haulers but does not meter or sample loads.
The Board of Mayor and Aldermen opened a substantive discussion about the city’s policy for accepting septic waste from private haulers after public comment warned of environmental and cost impacts and staff reported operational concerns at the wastewater plant.
Tina Bailiff, an attorney speaking for local haulers, said the city’s current practice of accepting out-of-county waste at low cost creates public-health and agricultural risks if septic tanks are not properly maintained. Bailiff described current local charges as $25 per load in Robertson County and said some neighboring jurisdictions charge substantially more for out-of-county loads; she told the board that for a typical 2,500-gallon truck Clarksville (Montgomery County) charges about $225 per truck for out-of-county disposal.
City plant staff and managers described current operations and limits. Jerry Beers, speaking as wastewater plant staff, said haulers must be permitted with the city and purchase $25 dump tickets; the plant has no way to meter gallons or sample concentrated loads today. Staff estimated roughly 35 septic trucks per week (about seven per day) visit the receiving station, and noted that concentrated loads create additional handling and processing demands at an older facility.
Board members raised questions about fairness and long-term costs. One board member observed that a typical household sewer bill is in the $65–$90 per month range and questioned whether allowing large truckloads to enter the system for $25 is equitable to ratepayers. Board members and staff discussed options including a graduated fee by truck size, per-vehicle permits or licenses, volume metering by gallon, and sampling for concentrates.
No ordinance was adopted at the meeting. Instead the board directed staff to research other jurisdictions’ practices and return with a proposed ordinance in April that could include a graduated fee scale, revised permit requirements (including per-vehicle permits or bonding), and options for sampling or metering concentrated waste. Vice Mayor Harris and Alderman Grama voiced support for a graduated fee approach and additional oversight; the mayor reiterated that the issue is under study and that no immediate termination of acceptance was enacted tonight.
Why it matters: The city currently accepts private septic-hauler loads under a permissive ordinance and charges $25 per load; staff said the volume and concentration of hauler waste have raised equipment and operational concerns for a wastewater facility that the city will expand in the coming months. The board’s request for research reflects the need to balance service availability for residents, fairness to ratepayers and protection of plant operations.
Next steps: Staff will study comparable fees, permitting and metering/sampling approaches used by peer jurisdictions and bring a proposed ordinance back to the board in April for further consideration.
