Plans to upgrade Falls Township neighborhood

Residents met at the Falls Township Fire Department Monday, during an open house meeting to discuss their outdated septic systems, and plans in place for an update.

County officials say in the 1950’s and 60’s around 55 homes were built in the Dunzweiler, Kern and Earl Drive area. Now, more than 50 years later, those homes still use their original septic systems when comparable neighborhoods are connected to a city sewer system.

“Septics are really meant for rural homes or homes on larger lots. So, when you have smaller lots, with houses closer together, obviously these homes were built in the 50’s through 60’s, and they put septics in and that’s really just not the most effective way, and as they deteriorated, it’s more cost effective for us to bring public sewer to them,” said Stephanie Hill Muskingum County Community Development Block Grant Coordinator.

In a project, Muskingum County Commissioners call The Dunzweiler Drive Sanitary Sewer Project, commissioners plan to update the neighborhood. Hill says it’ll cost $800 thousand, half will come from grants and the other half will come from stimulus cash.

“It really helps the homeowner because with the overall cost of the project, we basically divide that up amongst the homeowners and that’s how we come up with our tap fee. Essentially, cutting the project cost in half, it has helped basically bring the cost to the homeowner to tap on down to the minimum cost that the sewer system has,” said Hill.

Residents will be responsible for paying back $400 thousand over a 20 year period. The project is scheduled to begin this fall.