Elyria committee approves emergency ordinance to allow limited acceptance of hauled septic waste at city treatment plant

The Utility, Safety and Environment Committee on Feb. 5 approved an emergency ordinance revising Chapter 9.37 of the Elyria Codified Ordinances to allow the city wastewater treatment plant to accept residential hauled septage, including septic tank waste, porta‑potty waste and RV/motorhome holding tanks, as a pilot program.

The change, presented by Wastewater Assistant Superintendent Derek Cut and staff member Shane Dericotte, is intended to create a new revenue stream while ensuring the plant’s biological processes are not disrupted. Cut said department staff have been “working on our renewable energy plan” and exploring hauled waste as a potential source of revenue and local capacity for Lorain County haulers.

Under the ordinance language provided to the committee, the pilot will initially work with a single hauler, with required sampling and monitoring. The fee schedule in the ordinance sets a not‑to‑exceed $250 charge for a typical 3,500‑gallon tanker; quantities above that would incur an additional 12¢ per gallon. Haulers must obtain a registered conditional permit and pay a $25 annual fee per vehicle; permit packets must be fully completed and will include operational guidelines. Shane Dericotte told the committee that haulers who cause an “interference” with the plant’s processes would be barred from returning.

Committee members asked about scope and outreach. Cut and Dericotte said the program will accept residential hauled waste only (commercial septic haulers operating on residential accounts and porta‑potties, RVs and motorhomes), and will begin without broad advertising. They said Lorain County Public Health will notify licensed septic haulers directly; Cut referenced a conversation with Ryan Tristano of the health department about outreach.

Officials discussed revenue potential but stressed the pilot nature of the rollout. Dericotte cited other plants’ results, saying Medina’s program generated between $500,000 and $800,000 a year in one example and Vermilion generated about $1.2 million, but he and Cut emphasized Elyria will begin with a study to monitor chemical balances and operational impacts. Finance will track revenues via a separate line item for septic receipts; payments will be collected by check at the wastewater department and recorded for billing and audit.

The committee report recommended the ordinance’s adoption as an emergency. The motion, moved by Missus Davis and seconded by Mister Oswald, was approved on a voice vote with the chair noting the motion carried. The ordinance text presented to the committee contains entirely new verbiage for the sections highlighted in the packet and requires administrative implementation steps (permit issuance, sampling protocol, enforcement for interference) before a wider rollout.

The committee directed a pilot approach: accept a single hauler initially, require sampling and monitoring, and refine procedures before expanding. Staff said they will return with operational results and any recommended adjustments based on the pilot.

Notes: the ordinance number and effective date were not specified in committee materials presented at the meeting; implementation details (the single hauler’s identity, sample schedules, and full permit packet language) were provided to committee members as draft documents but were not read in full on the record.