Harrisville faces sewage plant violations

Alleged sewage plant violations have led to nine counts against the village of Harrisville, accusing the village of unauthorized bypasses, allowing untreated sewage to discharge into a local waterway, failure to maintain the plant in good working order, failure to meet notification requirements, failure to submit electronic discharge monitoring reports, staffing violations, failure to maintain records and creating a public nuisance.

“Waste is overflowing and spreading down a hillside adjacent to a baseball field. Since March 8, no one has been overseeing the treatment plant,” according to a May 26 news release from the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, which filed the emergency action.

A May 29 phone conversation with longtime Harrisville Mayor Shari Friend revealed she was scheduled to meet with two potential operators the following week. She said she also is involving at least one other person to assist in the search for a certified operator.

Friend also addressed a rumor that all of council had resigned because of the situation, saying it was untrue. A village official reportedly told the attorney general’s office about the alleged resignations, according to a May 28 story from WTOV, Steubenville.

Friend said one council member resigned because of a move to St. Clairsville, a second resigned because of health reasons and a third resigned because of legal issues, which could not be confirmed.

Friend said none resigned because of the sewage plant situation and that four council members remain in place.

She also addressed another rumor that she lives outside village limits, saying it is true. Friend said she had not previously explained why, but said she has been diagnosed with cancer and cannot live on her own.

“I’ve been going through a lot,” she said. “Nobody knows. They just said I don’t live in town. Well, no, I live a mile and a half out right now.”

Friend said she is not allowed to be by herself, which led to her moving in with her son. After radiation treatments and shots, she said she is not permitted to drive for the time being.

“But anyhow, I’m still working,” she said. “They think I don’t know nothing. Well, yeah, I’ve been up there. I’ve been around.”

Friend said she was not aware the sewage plant had deteriorated to this extent while she was dealing with her health situation.

“A lot of people didn’t know that because I didn’t put the word out there,” she said, adding she believed it was nobody’s business.

The Ohio EPA alerted the Ohio Attorney General’s Office of the failing conditions, which resulted in a 22-page complaint for injunctive relief and civil penalties. The complaint was obtained by the News-Herald from the Harrison County Common Pleas Clerk of Courts.

Other detailed violations include a manhole overflowing at the treatment plant and bypassing the plant, sewage fungus and algae growth in the creek and visible sewage in the outfall pipe.

“When sewage is flowing into a creek and local officials refuse to act, the state will take them to court,” Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said.

The village of Harrisville is scheduled for a court hearing at 1:30 p.m. June 9.