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District weighs whether to fund missing lateral at 293 Broadway, considers new final-bill and illegal-connection inspection policy
Summary
Board members were told 293 Broadway lacks a sewer lateral that plans and as-builts had shown; staff said the law typically places connection costs on property owners. Commissioners asked staff to obtain a quote and explore grant options while staff will review sewer law; the board also endorsed exploring billing software and a policy requiring illegal-connection inspections prior to real estate closings.
During routine business on May 12, Washington County Sewer District staff told the board that a property at 293 Broadway, inside the district and paying district tax, lacks a lateral that as-built plans and earlier records showed should exist.
Executive Director Kevin Gorman reported that CCTV inspection confirmed the lateral is not present. He said the omission appears to be a state error but that statute-of-limitations issues and the absence of a viable claim against the state mean the district currently has no remedy. Gorman said the district's sewer law assigns the cost of connection to the property owner; he is awaiting a contractor quote to put a stub to the property line and will explore whether a county septage grant could help offset costs. Commissioners asked staff to wait for the quote before making a funding decision.
Matthew Fuller asked staff to review the sewer law to confirm whether an in-district property is required to connect and whether the district has any legal obligation to pay for a missing lateral. The board did not make a funding commitment during the meeting.
Separately, Gorman told commissioners the district is evaluating new billing software. The existing system does not support issuing final sewer bills for real estate closings; new software could enable final-bill capability and the administrative processes to support a proposed policy requiring an illegal-connection inspection before closing. Commissioners expressed support for exploring billing options and for pursuing a local law or policy that would require an illegal-connection inspection at the time of closure, with staff to return with draft language and implementation details.
Next steps include securing the contractor quote for 293 Broadway, reviewing legal obligations under the sewer law, and drafting policy and system requirements for final-bill issuance and illegal-connection inspections.
