Projects are submitted and bond money awarded on the basis of the customer count and the overall viability of the project. The Public Service Commission then does a cost of service study that reviews all the elements of the project from fixed cost for office space to the interest rate associated with the bond issue and sets a rate that will be sufficient to service the principal and interest. This rate, once determined by a systematic study, is the rate paid by those who use the sewer or water service, namely ratepayers. The general taxpayer is not affected. If Paul can provide documentary evidence from county budget files that county taxpayers have in fact paid for PSD projects, I will humbly admit my error.
Many counties require periodic inspection of septic systems.
I would advocate that the County Commission in distributing racetrack monies should fund a one time study done by the County Health Department which would involve inspection of the oldest septic systems in the county to ensure that they are not quietly failing into the aquifer. There should also be a requirement that every septic owner submit to the County Health Department documentation that the septic tank has been pumped and inspected on a schedule determined by the soil in which that drainfield is lodged. All rights reserved.