The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1958-12-05


the city limits, and too often without
adequate provision for sewage dis.
posal and/or a safe water supply
Proper legislation is past due and will
again be submitted to the 1859 Legis-
lature for its consideration.
HOME OWNERS NOW
UNPROTECTED
If water from a public water sup
ply and proper sewage disposal is not
available from the city, the home
owner in the "fringe" area must drill
a we'll and construct a septic tank
or cesspool. Very often the wells and
septic tanks are improperly located,
particularly when small lots have been
created by subdivision.
One home owner may properly To-
cate and construct his we'll and sep
tic tank, only to find that close
neighbor later locates a cesspool that
drains into his we'll. There is now no
Legislation to prevent this until a we'll
has been ruined.
Even though the public water sup
ply is available but proper sewage
disposal has not been provided, a sep
tic tank or cesspool may still be a
menace. There are many places in
Montana where the soil is not suffi-
GENTLY porous for the liquid sewage
to drain into the ground. This causes
the liquid from the sewage system to
come to the surface of the ground or
seep into neighboring basement.
If this sewage comes to the sur
face, it may flow to low point where
it stagnates. This is a health hazard
also as it provides a place for flies
and mosquitoes to breed. Frequently
children play in it and come home
with Sewage soaked" clothing.
One Montana situation was re-
ported where this sewage liquid col
lected directly over a public water
main. In case a leak should develop
in the main, the sewage could flow
into the main under negative pressure
thus communicating the
water supply for hundreds of fami-
lies. Furthermore, it would be almost
to keep the sewage from
seeping into the water main while
he main was being repaired
After these problems are recog-
lized the people living in the fringe"
urea usually do something about it {
they do not like it either. 1t is not I
My a health hazard but unless cor :
ected their property loses its value. :
Also in order to correct the situation y
t takes time for promotion, planning, !
financing, vote of the people and I
construction of adequate
ewage disposal and/or a safe water P
upply. All the while this process is {:
.oing on they Give in the sewage
diluted area. s.
In addition to all. this the home S
wner is usually required to pay for D
hese facilities twice-first on an in s.
ividual basis and then again for the u
DIRECTED public facility.
'THER HAZARDS h.
The Federal Home Administration di
as refused to insure homes in an CO
rea where hazard has been created re
Y inadequate sewage disposal and w
here there is no assurance of a safe lie
alter supply; FILA loans have not OF
zen approved in some of the areas d,
here it is known the ground is satur- tie
ed with sewage. Federal highways pr
I've not been approved in some areas M
It'll sewage which was draining into
rrow pits has been removed and
sposed of elsewhere. Sewage is be- - -
g drained into some bitches which De
rmers use for irrigation, thus
reading sewage on the land and ~
tile often 'wallow" in it. -:
Offensive odors are usually Gre a. a.
I'd, which although by themselves ba
" not be injurious to health, are th,
'ensive. Sewer laden bitches run Or'
hit through residential areas of a -,
ne of Montana's cities. 49,,
fRPOSE OF PROPOSED is
ha,