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Finney County resident asks for help after failing septic system, says daughter suffered mold illness
Summary
A Finney County resident told county officials that an undersized, aging septic system has flooded their basement for eight years, caused mold toxicity in a teenage daughter, and now has a hole leaking sewage; the resident said they have sought help from the public works department and asked the county for assistance to replace the system.
A Finney County resident told county officials during a public meeting that a failing septic system has flooded their basement for eight years, led to mold-related illness in a teenage daughter and is now leaking sewage into their backyard, and asked the county to help replace the system.
"My 8 years, I've been dealing with water coming into my basement," the resident said, describing repeated flooding they attribute to their onsite wastewater system. The transcript did not specify the meeting date or which Finney County governing body was present; the speaker said they had been working with the county's public works department to find a solution.
The resident said the house was originally built as a three-bedroom but was sold as a five-bedroom home and that the property still has a 1,000-gallon tank. "A 5 bedroom now requires a 1,500 gallon septic tank," the resident said, adding that the property has "only about a 100 and foot 150 foot of leech line," which they said does not meet current code and is insufficient to disperse wastewater.
The speaker described site constraints that make replacing the system difficult. With a half-acre lot that the resident said has challenging geometry and an uphill slope, they said it is "highly unfeasible" to locate a larger tank and the additional leach line required by code.
The resident reported health and financial consequences tied to the persistent moisture and sewage issues. They said their teenage daughter "did start showing signs and symptoms" of mold toxicity; the family removed carpet and filed an insurance claim, and the resident said their insurer subsequently dropped coverage because it was a water claim, making it harder to finance repairs.
The resident said they discovered more recent, urgent damage while working on a permitted backyard project: "It now has a hole in the side of the concrete tank leaking sewage under the ground in my backyard right now," they said, and renewed their request that the county provide assistance to address and replace the failing system.
The remarks identify the public works department as the staff office the resident has engaged with but the transcript does not include a response from county officials or a recorded next step. The resident said they brought paperwork on regulations and codes to share with staff.
No formal action or vote was recorded in the transcript. The resident asked for county assistance; whether the county will provide funding, a variance, a permit path or other help was not specified in the record.
