Newspapers / The Brunswick Beacon (Shallotte, … / April 30, 1992, edition 1 / Page 3
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NEW SEPTIC SYSTEM LAWS Towns May Break Ground Monitoring Systems BY TERRY POPE Brunswick County's coastal towns that plan to keep a closcr eye on alternative scptic tank systems arc legally "cutting new ground", said Milton Heath, assistant director of the N.C. Institute of Government in Chapel Hill. Heath addressed a group of about 40 town and county leaders last week at an educational forum on new scptic tank laws sponsored by the Brunswick County Cooperative Extension Service. On July 1, new state laws will re quire stricter management and main tenance of alternative septic sys tems, which arc blamed for polluting environmentally -sensitive estuarinc waters and coastal nursery areas. Included arc low pressure pipe (LPP) systems that require a pump and series of small drain lines in soils where . traditional scptic sys tems will not function. There arc an estimated 115 L.PPs in use at Brunswick County homcsitcs with some permits still pending. Permits for alternative systems will not be issued after July 1 by the Brunswick County Health Depart ment until the owner has a signed agreement with a licensed operator who routinely inspects the units. The goal is to make sure LPPs are operating properly ami not polluting the environment. Either towns or counties must set up "management entities" to oversee maintenance re ports, to cducate the public about scptic tank laws and to rehabilitate failing systems. Some towns, such as Holdcn Bcach, have expressed an interest in setting up its own entity or inspec tion program. "They think that if the toilet flushes , the system is working -Michael Hoover N.C. State Soil Scientist Michacl Hoover, soil scientist and home waste management expert at N.C. State University, explained why LPPs are disliked. "Sixty percent of the systems are not functioning effectively," said Hoover, "many because they arc not maintained." Alternative systems need more monitoring and maintenance than they are currently receiving, he said. Other alternative systems use aerobic pumps or larger tanks but none of these arc currently in use in Brunswick County. "As we look at the next 15 to 20 years, what we're going to be left with are the more marginal soils that won't work," said Hoover. "We're going u> be forced to use more and more alternative systems. So we need to get serious about manage ment and maintenance." Towns that want to form manage ment entities arc raising legal ques tions about their rights to crack down on owners with faulty sys tems, said Heath. Towns have the authority to maintain on-site septic systems and to adopt a tax or fee to covcr their expenses. Towns and sanitary districts also have the right to enter onto private property to inspect for faulty sys tems, Heath said. However, towns cannot get in volved in permitting or overstep the Farmers Home Moving Today The federal Fanners Home Administration (FmHA) will move its furnishings today (Thursday) and Friday from its location at the Brunswick County Government Center to Promenade Office Park, 143 Holden Beach Road, Units 1 and 2, in Shallotte. Offices will be closed all day today and until 1 p.m. Friday. Ted C. Rivcnbark Jr., county supervisor, said the agency has been asked by the Brunswick County Boanl of Commissioners to move out to help relieve the space shortage at the government center. "We've been here since the center opened," said Rivenbark. FmHA employs three full-time staff members besides Rivcnbark and a temporary employee in the summer. "In addition, we will have a full time appraiser working out of our office, but not part of it," he said. The agency services federal housing and farm loans in the county, a job that has grown considerably in the recent recessionary years, accord ing to Rivenbark. The new mailing address is FmHA, P.O. Box 2120, Shallotte, N.C. 28459, and the new telephone number is 919-754-4880. Any appoint ments or phone calls after today (Thursday) should be made at the new location. ?J55OT8i WS3E8 mrm mp m CARPET CLEANED $2995 Any Size Living Room and Hall ANY ADDITI 1-800-649-3oiV Deep Soil Extraction THIS METHOD INCLUDES BOTH CHEMICAL AND STEAM CLEANING LIVING ROOM HALL & Soo?$4995 EXPERT UPHOLSTERY CLEANING Warranty... We guarantee superior workmanship and complete customer satisfaction... If you're not delighted you DO NOT payl GuaRanT* GUARANTEE CARPET CLEANING & DYE CO. Proudly Serving Wilmington Since 1975 FRESH STRAWBERRIES quarts/flat, $10.00 and Vine Ripe Tomatoes ALL KINDS OF FEED Rabbit ? Horse ? Chicken Hog ? Wild Bird ? Catfish Whole Corn ? Oyster Shells Elephant Food on Request Cat and Dog Food PLUS... Collars ? Name Plates ? Animal Medicine & Pills Storage Buildings ALL AT Old MacDonald's Farm 2 Locations Shallotte Plaza, Shallotte ? Hwy.179 & 904, Seaside 754-2668 Shots Pine Straw-$3.99 bale authority of the local health depart ment which follows state health rules. Otherwise, a conflict would arise, said Heath. "I don't think you can win that kind of legal battle," he said. CurrenUy, towns have authority to impose management entity fees but cannot place liens on property to collect ones overdue, as is done with delinquent taxes. But a group of four counties in northeast North Carolina are lobbying legislators to have that law changed during the summer ses sion of the N.C. General Assembly, said Heath. Towns will also have access to maintenance records kept by the health departments. "We already have a management entity that will require records like that be kept," said Michael Rhodes, Brunswick County health director. According to Heath, after July 1 towns can either count on the health department to serve as its manage ment entity; form their own manage ment program with local ordinances; work an agreement with the N.C. Department of Environmental Health and Natural Resources; or designate a public management enti ty The need for more maintenance grew from studies of coastal septic tank systems. What soil experts battle is a myth that septic tanks arc a greater source of coastal pollution than municipal sewer plants, said Hoover. 'There is no out of sight, out of mind," he added. "They think that because it's out of sight, it has no impact." Sewer plants discharge treated wastewater into streams or rivers that feed into the ocean. Faulty sep tic tanks may filter into coastal wa ters. Towns considering a sewer plant should hire an engineer famil iar with small communities, prepare to pay for good planning, formulate a management plan and seek help from state and federal sources, said Hoover. Calabash and Sunset Beach are both studying plans for community sewer systems. North Carolina leads the nation in the number of on-site sewer systems installed, from 40.000 to 50,000 an nually, said Hoover. An estimated 54 percent of the state's homes rely on on-site sys tems, and few of the homeowners think about preventive maintenance. 'They think that if the toilet flush es, the system is working," he said. STAJF rnOTO BY DOUG KUTTIft Waiting Her Turn Alyssa Varnum ofVarnamiown waits to throw balls at the dunking booth during Coast line Volunteer Rescue Squad's Spring Fling Easier weekend. The event raised $3,500 in cash and $457 in pledges to be used to purchase a new ambulance and equipment. Performers in cluded Miss Brunswick County Crystal Williams, the Cedar Grove Choir and Brunswick County Cloggers. Giant Yard Sale To Help Hospice Lower (Jape hear Hospicc wiii hold a giant yard sale Saturday, May 2, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Camp United Methodist Church. Main Street, Shallottc. The sale will offer clothing, furni ture, household items, books, baked goods, refreshments and more. A May 9 rain date has been set. Hospicc serves the terminally ill and their families in a six-county area that includes Brunswick County. The agency operates an of fice at Sunward Office Building in Shallottc. Demo Candidates At Sunday Rally District 4 of the Brunswick County Democratic Party offers vot ers one last chance to meet all local Democratic candidates for state and county office at a rally Sunday after noon. The event will be held at 1 p.m. at the Democratic Headquarters build ing in Bolivia, where barbecue chicken will be served. Your Vote and Support on May 5 Will Be Greatly A ppi related. Got A Car Loan? Refinance For A Lower Rate And Make It Tax- Deductible. It you have an existing car loan, you may assume you're stuck with it. Not so. When you refinance your car with us, chances are you're going to save about one percent under the prevailing rates offered by other banks, right off the bar. (We'll refinance your car at our new car rate it your car is no more than 12 months old.) More important, with our Tax Advantage Loans, we'll show you how homeowners can deduct up to 100% of the interest on their car loans. And that's where the really big savings come through. (See the example right.) So give us a call. We ll show you how you can drive a harder bargain, even when you've already bought the car. How MikH Do You Save? No Refinancing Based on $15,000 principal it 10% APR tor 48 months. Amount Owed Interest Total Amount Paid Tax Savings Total S15.000 3,261 $18,261 ? S18.261 Tox Advantage Refinancing Based on refinancing $15,000 a 9%' APR tor 48 months Amount Refinanced $15,000 Interest 2,917 Amount Paid $17,917 Tax Savings f (963) Total $16,954 Total Savings $1,307 For more information on lax Advantage Loans, call l-oGG-497-LGAK. W Southern National Tax Advantage Loans 1 zH tjudl Housing lender Member FDIC ( onsuh your ux odnsor for specific details on ilediu til'ility of interest 'interest rate avaiLthle to Select Kinking customers with automatic draft loan payments titti/m are estimated based on a i.i% income tax rate 28% federal plus state leu 2% fr/kral Ux cost from decrease in stale income tax deduction) for homeowners iclso itemize their t,ix returns Saving will vary at dffer rfernil tax rate
The Brunswick Beacon (Shallotte, N.C.)
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April 30, 1992, edition 1
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