About the Project

Beginning in 2019 the Marshall County Environmental Health Department, the Marshall County Clean Water Task Force, the Marshall County Board of Health, the Marshall County Commissioners, and the County Council initiated consideration for the development and establishment of a Regional Sewer District.
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This initiative and the analyses needed to understand the purpose and need for the District have shed light on current conditions and the challenges our communities face going forward.

Overall, the effort has identified over 2,700 equivalent dwelling units that are in need of a sustainable plan for the protection of the health of the residents, as well as the drinking water and surface water resources in 13 unincorporated areas.

In all of these areas, we find the following similar environmental characteristics.

• Historically sub-standard building lots.
• Poor soil compatibility with on-site septic systems.
• Un-documented on-site systems (many of which pre-date local records)
• Shallow water wells within isolation zones of nearby septic systems
• No viable solution for repair or replacement of individual systems

The establishment of a “Marshall County Regional Sewage District”  allows us to carefully address these concerns as a community, which in most cases will be the only viable answer for our residents.

Other benefits will include:

• Stability and growth for businesses that exist within the Priority Service Areas (PSA’s).
• Elimination of the risk for preferential pathways between water wells and septic systems that may allow bacteria, viruses and pharmaceuticals to migrate from a septic system to nearby water wells.
• Improved home site flexibility for re-development (home additions, etc).
• Improved space allowance for new and updated water wells.
• More options for reinvestment in homes and real property improvements
• Increase in property resale values
• The potential for new development where sanitary sewer service can be provided.

The following presentation provides some additional information these topics. A map of the service areas can be found on the following page.