Bee Editorial
Delay in sewer construction leaves residents at risk
For the sake of the homeowners in parts of Clarence and Amherst, let's hope the pause in the Harris Hill Pollution Abatement Sewage Works Corporation plan doesn't last too long.

When sewage is backing up into one's home, or a septic tank is failing, time is the enemy.

In Amherst, residents dealing with overflow and back-up issues dread the summer and the threatening forecast, "heavy rains expected," because that means their homes are at risk for collecting raw sewage. Heavy rains fill the already full line, leaving sewage with nowhere else to go, but back.

The Harris Hill section of Clarence still has septic tanks, failing septic tanks. Should they become inoperable the cost of replacement lies in the resident's wallet. Should the plan for a secondary Peanut Line system go through, the residents could be switched to the sewer line instead of using the old septic tanks.

Erie County has identified environmental problems, dating back to the 1990s. Yes, more than a decade ago. We can see delaying a proposed memorial, a new Starbucks or the redesigning of Town Hall for 10 years but sewage problems? Not a chance.

The lines are at capacity and another line needs to be built. The Amherst and Clarence town boards need to come to an agreement for the sake of their residents who are dealing with a very disgusting problem. And Erie County should have had the "framework" for this project ready before taking it public.

Now the project sits, waiting for public officials and county and town workers to review it, again. Then, hopefully, a request for proposal can be posted before any more homeowners have to wonder when is the next time they will be bailing sewage from their basement.

The experts have stated that there is an environmental problem concerning sewage. They said they need to move forward, need to fix the problem. Now all of a sudden they decide to wait and reflect on what is being proposed.

Thomas J. Whetham, Erie County deputy commissioner for the Division of Sewerage Management, said solutions started being evaluated in 2002. For five years they have tried without success to find a solution. Construction of a sewer line would be needed because obviously the amount of sewage isn't going down any time soon. Capacity is capacity.

We would hope that knowing a problem exists the municipalities involved would push for a solution for the sake of the residents who are the ones suffering from the back-and-forth debate over money, construction and development.