Mount Vernon News

MOUNT VERNON — The Knox County Department of Water and Wastewater will not have to increase fees for users of the Pleasant View Acres wastewater treatment facility. The suggested rate hikes were proposed in order to compensate for an increased amount of visits from the staff of the water and wastewater department in order to meet new EPA requirements. However, the increased number of visits — and hence increased usage fees — will not be necessary after some clarification provided by the Ohio EPA.

“I think I have some good news for you,” said Larry Korecko of the EPA on a conference call to the county commissioners. Ron Simpson and Jason Figgins, superintendent and assistant superintendent, respectively, of the water and wastewater department, also attended the meeting.

“You’ve already submitted a permit modification request and you’ve submitted the $200 fee,” said Korecko, before advising Simpson and Figgins to submit another document requesting that the facility at Pleasant View Acres be reclassified as a Class A. “Once it becomes a Class A plant, you’ll have to go there two times a week,” said Korecko.

Previously, Simpson had been informed by the EPA that the facility would have to be visited and inspected by a qualified staff member of the water and wastewater department five times per week.

“If we can get that through, that’d be great,” said Simpson, referring to the reclassification document.

There was also a brief discussion about the proposed Shannon Farms development and the wastewater treatment facility that would accompany it. Korecko said that the proposed treatment facility at Shannon Farms is in the same situation as Pleasant View Acres, and that if the application was modified to reclassify the plant as Class A, it would only require a visit and visual inspection two times per week.