Project Information

Petitions for Sewer and Water

Following is a listing of recently completed publicly bid Stark County Sanitary Engineering projects.

See Current Projects listing for recent Stark County Sanitary Engineering project bid tabs at this time.

Disclaimer: These are not official results and are posted for information only. Bids are subject to review for completeness, accuracy and compliance with all terms and conditions provided in the bid specifications.

For detailed project bid tab information, please contact Engineering.

What is an assessment? Assessments are fees charged to properties that benefit from a public sanitary sewer service or water distribution improvement project.

Sanitary sewer improvement projects. This fee is collected to pay for a portion of the public project. Assessments normally contribute about 50% of the cost of the project. Vacant lots and unimproved non-building sites are assessed at less than a normal full assessment. Agricultural property is not assessed. These parcels are charged a "local charge" if they are improved at some date. A local charge is the fee imposed at the time a sewer permit is issued that is the difference between any assessment charge made at the time the project was installed and the full charge of an assessment when the property is improved. See the example under the vacant lot title below.

How are properties assessed? Long ago the Stark County Commissioners adopted a policy whereby property owners pay assessments based upon a standard formula and not based upon construction costs. Properties located within a sewer improvement project will be assessed based upon a special benefit received. A 50-foot or smaller lot with a single-family residence equals one unit of benefit. Each unit of benefit is worth a pre-established amount. This index changes the first of each month. The amount is indexed and its value is fixed at the time the County Commissioners declare that the project is necessary for the public good.

Vacant lots, unimproved lots, agricultural parcels or parcels never assessed. When a vacant parcel is later improved, there will be an additional charge calculated called a local charge. Vacant parcels are assessed between 0% and 75% depending on the type of parcel. These lots will be charged a local charge when they are later improved. For example, a vacant lot may have been assessed $3,000 when the public project was built. Ten years later a new residence is built on the parcel. At the time the new building is built, the cost of a full assessment may be $5,000. There will then be a local charge of $2,000 which is the difference of the two amounts. This local charge must be paid at the time the permit is issued, or over a 5 or 20 year period.

Water distribution improvement projects. The assessment cost of a water distribution project is calculated utilizing a different methodology than sanitary sewer projects. The costs of constructing a water project is distributed equally among building lots (or parcels). The calculation is accomplished by dividing the construction costs by the number of buildable parcels on the project.

How and when are assessments paid? Assessments may be paid in cash, or financed by the county over 20 years and included on the tax duplicate. Sometime after the project has been completed, there will be a cash payment period available, at which time a property owner may pay any, all, or none of the assessment. Any balance owed at the end of the cash payment period will form the basis of the county's financing and will be placed on the property tax duplicate for long term payback. Once the unpaid balance is financed in this fashion, all principal and interest (for the entire 20 year period) must be paid back, even if paid off early. If the property is sold, the unpaid balance will transfer to the buyer. If the assessment is to be paid off in escrow as part of the purchase agreement, then all interest for the 20 year period also must be paid in order to zero out any balance of special assessment.

If an assessment is placed on the tax duplicate, how much will it cost? The easiest way to explain the cost is to illustrate the costs per $1,000 of assessment. Assessments are paid over a 20-year period. The interest is computed on the unpaid balance over the life of the issue. The interest rate on the bonds cannot be known until they are sold; and the interest rate may be variable from time to time depending on the terms of the bonds; however for illustrative purposes, it is assumed that the interest rate will be 5% for the life of the bond. The most common amortization method is the equal payment method, in which the annual principal and interest payments remain constant. Therefore, for every $1,000 of assessment and at a bond or loan rate of 5%, the total amount of interest over 20 years is $608. Total principal and interest over 20 years is $1,000 + $608 or $1,608. For assessment amounts other that $1,000, multiply the $1,608 figure by its multiple of $1,000. For example, if the assessment amount is $4,700, then the total 20 year cost is 4.7 times $1,608 or $7,560. The total amount paid semi-annually with the real estate property taxes and in this case, the semi annual amount is $189.00. Remember, there is no reduction in interest if the assessment is paid off before the date of maturity. If a property is sold, the financial liability remains with the property and is the responsibility of the buyer.

The assessment department can be contacted by phone directly by calling (330) 451-2304. In addition, inquiries can be made by E-Mail. To contact the assessment department by e-mail, click here.

Legal requirements to connect to a sanitary sewerage system:

Connection to an available sanitary sewer is required by state and local codes and is enforceable in a court of law. The following codes and Ohio Supreme Court ruling apply:

• The Ohio Administrative Code (Section 3701-29-02) requires household sewage disposal systems to be abandoned and the house sewer directly connected to the sewerage system whenever it becomes accessible to the property.
• The Stark County Combined General Health District Home Sewage Regulations (Section 3701-29-02 (M)) require that all building sewers be connected to a sanitary sewer system within six months after it becomes available.
• The Ohio Supreme Court (DeMoise v. Dowell, 1984) ruled that a local board of health possesses the authority to require a house sewer to be connected to any sanitary sewage system, when it becomes accessible to the property.

Enforcement:

The Stark County Health Department enforces the connection requirement. The Board of Health has authority to grant time extension variances for hardship situations. If a required connection is not made, public health orders will be issued. The Prosecuting Attorney will pursue legal action if a public health order is not obeyed.

Abandonment of septic tanks and leach wells:

Devices that hold sewage, such as septic tanks, leach wells and wet wells for sewage pumps, must be properly abandoned. This is done by having the tank emptied (pumped) and spreading a 50 pound bag of mason's lime (burned lime) on the bottom of the tank. The top of the tank is then broken and collapsed and the cavity is filled with native soil materials or gravel. If the top of the tank cannot be collapsed due to its location, the tank can be filled with #57 gravel.

Who to contact if you have questions:

For questions, contact Caroline Terakedis. She can usually be reached at the Sanitary Engineer's office by phone at (330) 451-2307.  If she is not in the office, a voice mail message may be left. In addition, she can be contacted via E-Mail.

What must be connected to the sanitary sewer:

Any drain that carries sewage (wastewater) must be connected to the sewer. "Sewage" means any liquid waste containing animal or vegetable matter in suspension or solution from water closets (toilets), urinals, lavatories, kitchen sinks, bathtubs, laundry tubs or devices, floor drains within the interior structure, drinking fountains, or other sanitary fixtures, and may include liquids containing chemicals in solution.

What must not be connected to the sanitary sewer:

Any clear water, such as roof water, foundation drains, and surface or subsurface drainage of ground water or storm water. In some cases, plumbing changes must be made inside a building to separate clear water from wastewater. Chemicals and commercial or industrial wastes may be prohibited from being discharged to the sanitary sewer system. Interceptor devices may be required if there are oils, sand or gravel or certain other wastes involved. The Sanitary Engineer has sole discretion regarding these requirements.

Many buildings have more than one drain that carries wastewater. For example, the drain from the upper part of the building may go through the basement wall, while the basement drains may be under the floor. All wastewater, such as from toilet, bath, laundry, and floor drains, must be directed to the sanitary sewer. All clear water, such as from down spouts and foundation drains (footer drains), must not be connected to the sanitary sewer. In some cases, plumbing changes must be made inside the building. Missed or improper connections will have to be corrected by the property owner. It is important to have your drain layer check all drains coming from the building before starting the sewer work.

If plumbing changes are made inside the building, a plumbing permit and inspection are required. Contact the Stark County Health Department at (330)493-9904 for additional information.

Yes, you can.  Once a project is completed, there is a cash payment period available, at which time a property owner may pay any, all, or none of the assessment.  Any balance owed at the end of the cash payment period will form the basis of the county's financing and will be placed on the property tax duplicate for long term payback.  For additional information, review the assessments process or contact our assessments department by phone at (330) 451-2304 or by E-Mail

For a description of the sewer connection enforcement guidelines, click here.

The Ohio  Administrative Code (Section 3701-29-02) requires an individual sewage disposal system to be abandoned and the building directly connected to the sewerage system whenever it becomes accessible.  The Stark County Combined General Health District Home Sewage Regulations (Resolution 2-1994) require that all building sewers be connected to a sanitary sewer system within six months after it becomes available.  Click here for more information regarding sewer connection enforcement.