Danville reviews wastewater ordinance amendment aimed at reducing inflow and infiltration
Loading...
Summary
Council reviewed a draft wastewater-ordinance amendment that would institute inspection triggers (including title transfers), clarify enforcement and inspection procedures, and consider cost-sharing approaches for homeowner repairs to reduce inflow and infiltration; staff said more drafting and policy decisions will follow.
Town staff presented a draft amendment to the wastewater ordinance intended to address inflow and infiltration (I&I) in the sewer collection system by allowing inspections, authorizing disconnection of improperly connected sump pumps or stormwater, and establishing administrative processes for enforcement and fee orders.
Staff said the principal goal is to limit unnecessary treatment and wear on pumps, thereby keeping rates down for ratepayers. The draft includes definitions and procedural language; the presenter said the most substantial changes appear in a marked section and that this is an initial phase of work to be followed by additional measures in the coming months.
Council members pressed staff on operational details: how inspections would be carried out, whether the town or homeowners would bear repair costs, whether the ordinance should include clearer guidelines rather than leave decisions to the town manager, and the mechanism that would trigger inspections. Staff and council observed that title transfers are commonly used as the trigger — the title company requires a certificate of inspection as a condition of transfer — and that the town intends initial inspections to be at no charge to homeowners, with fee and waiver language left for refinement.
Several council members recommended clearer, less‑vague ordinance language so future officials understand intent and to avoid unintended consequences a decade from now. Staff said the measure is in early draft form and will be revised based on council feedback before returning for formal consideration.
