By ELLEN KOLMAN - Staff Writer - ekolman@starbeacon.com
ROCK CREEK — The Rock Creek sewer plant was called a disaster at the village council’s regular meeting this week.
Councilman Jim Hall, who is head of the water and sewer committee, said, “The sewer plant is totally disastrous.”
“On Saturday, we got the north bed all pumped out, but the south bed overflowed back into the north bed. We pumped six truckloads off (Monday) and we have to keep the north bed dry at least until tomorrow, when we can skim off the sludge.”
Hall said he did not know if they could even save the south bed.
Mayor Beverly Martin said the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency was in Rock Creek on March 10.
“We are going to be getting a letter from the Ohio EPA to tell us what all our violations are and what we will need to do,” Martin said.
There was good news: The EPA representative said Rock Creek’s sewer plant could go from a Class II operator to a Class I operator.
“This will enable us to find someone easier, and possibly cheaper, to be our plant operator,” Martin said.
Rock Creek’s present plant operator, B&J; Environmental, gave council a letter of resignation, or a 30-day notice.
Village Solicitor David McCombs asked council, “Why didn’t the engineering firm you hired to operate the plant communicate to anyone there was a problem this big?”
Councilman Mark Sandercock said, “This is a problem for us: We hire people, and then we do not check up on them.”
In the meantime, Martin said council will have about 45 days to get its sewer plant into compliance with the EPA and get their new certification.
