We really don't like to think about sewers at all. But all of us surely realize that sewer service is very important for the health of all of us and for our highly populated community. We must have good and adequate sanitary sewers.
But few subjects are less popular for us to face, discuss -- and finance -- than sewers. We all want sewers to be good, but we just prefer not to even think about them -- or pay for them.
So it is unfortunate that we now are forced to face the prospect of needing to spend $100 million or more for sanitary sewer improvements in our Chattanooga community to ensure general good community health.
The Tennessee Clean Water Network has filed a complaint against Chattanooga, citing Clean Water Act violations.
"We're looking at it as a huge community problem," Chris Clem, the attorney for the wastewater authority, has told Hamilton County commissioners. He said enforcement of the regulations is "very heavy-handed and serious."
The needed upgrades could require $100 million for solutions over the next five to seven years.
Who'll pay? Of course, "we" will. Sewer service charges are included in our local water bills.
Exactly how much will the system improvements cost?
"We're not willing to discuss that at this stage," City Attorney Mike McMahan said. "We're not even willing to say what our wild guess is."
So we have a warning, and the bad news, but don't know "how much" yet. And we can't escape it.