Leaders in St. Tammany Parish are divided over a proposed ordinance requiring inspections of residential septic systems, with some arguing it unfairly excludes the northern part of the parish.
“We’re going to get accused of being corrupt, we’re going to get accused of back-room deals. I think the concerns that have been raised by the public overwhelmingly is that this is not fair,” Councilman David Cougle.
The ordinance, which moved forward at the last council meeting, mandates inspections for areas south of the urban growth boundary, generally south of Interstate 12, while exempting residents north of the boundary from mandatory inspections.
“A deal was not cut; it was found that most of the septic tanks on the north are on five acres and up, and they do not discharge into any waterways or any ditches. It just didn’t make sense,” said Councilwoman Kathy Seiden.
Council Vice Chair Jeffrey Corbin supported the ordinance, emphasizing its proactive nature to protect waterways.
“To use urban growth boundary as a cut-off allowed us to get sufficient support to move the ordinance forward, which is what we want to do. We want to get the ordinance started. You can sit around and wait for the perfect ordinance in place and never get it approved and started, and we felt this was a worthwhile trade-off to get it moving sooner rather than later,” said Corbin.
Councilwoman Cheryl Tanner backed the ordinance after her district was excluded from mandatory inspections, noting that larger lots have filter beds, preventing untreated sewer from entering ditches or streams.
Councilman Larry Rolling also supported the ordinance, describing it as a win-win for residents, offering free inspections and helping to reduce pollution.
“I think the future looks bright. What’s going to happen in a year or two is, we’ll re-evaluate and maybe include everyone. This is going to be a great start, we have to start somewhere. So, I think this ordinance will give the opportunity to make a difference for the future of the parish, so I’m excited about it. Why wouldn’t any resident want to know if their system is not working for their neighbors, for their kids that might be playing in the water ditches and streams,” said Rolling.
However, Councilman Jimmy Strickland, whose district is south of the urban growth boundary, criticized the ordinance for its perceived unfairness.
He argued that water flows from north to south, and inspections should apply to all areas.
“I think there’s no dispute that we want to make sure that we’re not polluting our waters. That’s what everyone is on board with, but I just think it’s not the way to go forward. When we’re just going to exempt a huge area just to get this moving forward,” said Cougle.
Leaders said that grants would be available for repairs for families earning $75,000 a year or less, with low-interest loans potentially available for others.
The parish reported that a third of St. Tammany residents have septic systems, with half not operating correctly.
The public is encouraged to attend the next council meeting for comment on Nov. 6 at 6 p.m. at the St. Tammany Council Chambers.
READ MORE:St. Tammany Parish leaders divided over septic inspection ordinance
