Letters will soon go out from the Hamilton County Water and Wastewater Authority to about 250 homeowners on Signal Mountain asking permission to inspect and, if necessary, repair the sewer lateral lines on their properties.

The affected properties line both sides of Taft Highway, starting a little below Shoal Creek Road and ending just beyond Rolling Way.

"We are requesting a return reply within 10 days of receiving the form," WWTA officials wrote in the cover letters which will accompany the forms.

"The WWTA will assess a monthly $8 PSLP fee whether or not you participate in this program," the form tells affected property owners. "All collected funds will be dedicated to this program.

"Should you decide that you do not wish to sign a 'Consent and Agreement' under the WWTA’s “SEWER USE RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR WASTEWATER COLLECTION SYSTEMS” the following penalties will apply:

"If access is denied by the property owner for the initial inspection, WWTA will increase the sewer rate, on the water bill . . . (and) the water bill sent to said property by five (5) times the normal monthly . . . rate."

WWTA Executive Director Cleveland Grimes said the 250-home project is the first in the authority's aggressive Private Service Lateral Program aimed at upgrading sewer lines throughout Hamilton County. It was chosen, he noted, because of the variety of challenges it presents.

Some of the properties lie in dense residential areas, while others are more remote. Many are right along busy Taft Highway, but others are off the road in areas more difficult to access.

The first challenge will be actually locating existing lines.

Any land, shrubbery, fences, driveways and walks damaged during WWTA-sanctioned work on the property will be "restored to as near the original condition as feasible," according to the consent form.

Mr. Grimes said homeowners will be given 24 to 48 hours notice before work on their lines actually begins, in order to give them time to move affected plants and/or structures if they wish.

Any illegal connections to the service lateral - including storm water and foundation drains - will be disconnected, the form says.

"It is your responsibility to direct these discharges, as necessary, once they are disconnected," it says. "These illegal connections cannot be reconnected to your service lateral."

Name

Address

City, State Zip Code

Subject: Private Service Lateral Program (PSLP) – “Consent and Agreement”

Regarding Property: Tax ID

Located at: Address

City, State Zip Code

Dear ___________:

In accordance with the procedures and regulations of the Hamilton County Water & Wastewater Treatment Authority (WWTA), beginning May 1, 2009, the eight dollar ($8.00) fee for the Private Service Lateral Program (PSLP) will be initiated and the rehabilitation program implemented. This is a part of the Corrective Action Plan (CAP) to establish a Maintenance, Operation, and Management (MOM) program as required by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC). The fee will be charged on a monthly basis to all customers that are served by the gravity portion of the WWTA’s sewer system and all collected funds will be dedicate to this program.

This program, as required by TDEC, is designed to address inflow and infiltration (I&I) of excessive extraneous flow into the main sewer system. The ultimate goal is to minimize the potential impact to the environment by the Hamilton County WWTA sewer users. The initial phase of the program will involve the location and evaluation of your service lateral (a gravity sewer conveying wastewater from the premises of a user to a public sewer) and the installation of required clean-outs.

A portion of the service lateral will be located on your property; therefore, we require a “Consent and Agreement” in order to evaluate and make the necessary repairs to the service lateral on your property. We respectfully request that you complete one copy of the “Consent and Agreement” document and return it as soon as possible, in the enclosed stamped envelope. The second copy is for your files. Please note that all individuals having an interest in the subject property should sign the document.

We would like to emphasize the fact that you are merely authorizing the WWTA, its contractors, and/or agents to have accessibility to your property to install the required clean-outs for your service lateral and for rehabilitation construction. Please note that you are not surrendering ownership of the property and once the rehabilitation is complete, the responsibility for maintaining your service lateral will be yours once again.

We are requesting a return reply within ten days of receiving the form. Should you decide that you do not wish to sign a “Consent and Agreement” under the WWTA’s “SEWER USE RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR WASTEWATER COLLECTION SYSTEMS” the following penalties will apply:

A. If access is denied by the property owner for the initial inspection, WWTA will increase the sewer rate, on the water bill sent to said property, by five (5) times the normal monthly sewer rate.

B. After the initial inspection, failure to participate in the program will result in an increase in the sewer rate, on the water bill sent to that property, by five (5) times the normal monthly sewer rate.

Signs will be posted indicating the beginning of the program in your area. Thank you for your cooperation and assistance to the WWTA to meet the requirement of the TDEC to eliminate inflow and infiltration into the main sewer system that contributes to overflows and allows harmful pathogens to enter the creeks, streams, and waterways.

The WWTA’s goal is to keep our environment clean and safe. Please do not hesitate to call (423) 209-7842 if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Cleveland T. Grimes

Executive Director

Enclosures

cc: Dan Wade, Public Works Administrator

Phil Smartt, WWTA Board Chairman

Mike Carter, WWTA Board Attorney

Mark Harrison, Chief Engineer

Tom Bowen, Wastewater Manager

Wanda Counts, WWTA Coordinator

CONSENT AND AGREEMENT FORM

_

In accordance with the requirements of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), the Hamilton County Water & Wastewater Treatment Authority (WWTA) has developed procedures and regulations for a Corrective Action Plan (CAP) to establish a Maintenance, Operation, and Management (MOM) program. You are requested to participate in the Private Service Lateral Program (PSLP). All customers that are served by the gravity portion of the WWTA’s sewer system will be a part of the PSLP. This program, as required by TDEC, is designed to address inflow and infiltration (I&I) of excessive extraneous flow into the main sewer system.

A portion of the service lateral will be located on your property (Tax ID). By signing below you are authorizing the WWTA to have unobstructed accessibility to your property in order to install the required clean-outs, evaluate your service lateral, and perform any necessary rehabilitation construction to your service lateral. You are not surrendering ownership of the property and once the rehabilitation is complete, the responsibility for maintaining your service lateral will be yours once again.

The WWTA will require that the land, shrubbery, fences, driveways, and walks, if any, to be restored to as near the original condition as feasible by its contractors. Any illegal connections that are being discharged through your service lateral; such as roof drains, storm water drains, foundation drains, sub-pumps, etcetera, will be disconnected from your service lateral. It is your responsibility to direct these discharges, as necessary, once they are disconnected. These illegal connections can not be reconnected to your service lateral.

The WWTA will assess a monthly $8.00 PSLP fee whether or not you participate in this program. All collected funds will be dedicated to this program. If you decide to participate you will not be subject to the penalties as set forth in the WWTA’s “SEWER USE RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR WASTEWATER COLLECTION SYSTEMS.”

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call (423) 209-7842.

YOUR SIGNATURE INDICATES THAT YOU AGREE TO PARTICIPATE AND YOU ARE ALLOWING THE WWTA AND ITS CONTRACTORS UNOBSTRUCTED ACCESS TO YOUR PROPERTY HAVING READ THE INFORMATION ABOVE.

Subject Property Property Owner’s Address (If Different)

Name Name

Address Address

City, State, Zip Code City, State, Zip Code

Phone Phone

Email Address Email Address

_____________________ ___________________________________________________

Date Signature of (Property Owner 1)

_____________________ ___________________________________________________

Date Signature of (Property Owner 2)

BY CHECKING THIS BOX I WANT TO INDICATE THAT I WANT TO PARTICIPATE BUT I DON’T BELIEVE THAT I HAVE SEWER ACCESS.