Stafford officials face stinky reality: More septic systems are failing

STAFFORD — Failing septic systems are a problem in Stafford County.

The homeowner at 685 Courthouse Road asked county officials for a non-subsidized sewage pump when the septic system at his home failed. Since its no longer filtering waste, as it was designed to do, the homeowner is now responsible for having the tank pumped out on a regular basis.

And now since the Stafford County Board of Supervisors approved the non-subsidized sewage pump, the county will work with the homeowner to rebuild his septic system.

The homeowner did not return a request for comment for this story. His home is located within the county’s Urban Service Area, where the county has or will run water and sewage pipes.

Water and sewage service at 685 Courthouse Road is expected to be available in the future, but until that time, without a properly-working system, or a system that’s pumped out regularly, the health department could deem the house on the property uninhabitable.

“The Virginia Department of Health is responsible for overseeing the design, installation, and maintenance of septic systems across the State,” said Tom Coen, who represents residents who live in the rural George Washington District, where septic fields are common. “Septic systems can fail for a variety of reasons, and continue to be a challenge for most localities.”

Although systems are failing, Stafford leaders have a plan to handle the problem.

“The Stafford County Board of Supervisors has created policies to assist with extensions of public sewer wherever possible and provide “pump and haul” services where public sewer is not feasible,” said Coen. “Additionally, Stafford also coordinates with VDH to ensure that development utilizing septic systems is done sustainably to minimize failures and provide long-lasting solutions.”

With the Board of Supervisors’ action, the property on Courthouse Road is added to the county’s Pump and Haul Permit. The homeowner is responsible for coordinating with a septic hauler to have their tank regularly pumped.

All property owners on the county’s “pump and haul” list are required to abide by certain standards, and they are responsible for paying all costs to have the waste removed.

In the past, other property owners have asked for the Board of Supervisors for help with their failing septic systems. Now, Coen raises the question of how the Board will deal with future septic system failures?

“Some of the past board meetings where they have taken up a specific pump and hauls you see they often raise questions of equity and cost,” said Coen. “If the county deviates from its protocol- would that set a precedent for others to expect or demand the same? Likewise, there has been much debate about the size of the Urban Services Area and the impact of expanding it.”

Right now, no other properties with failing or potentially failed septic systems are under review by county officials.

Earlier this year in a showdown between the Board of Supervisors and housing developers, county officials slashed the number of acres of available land that developers could have built so-called “cluster developments” of homes, mostly in the rural portions of the county.

Now, most of the residential development will take place near and along busy commuter routes like Interstate 95, and Routes 1 and 17 which are already in the urban service area.