Dothan requires users of satellite sewage system to sign agreement

DOTHAN, AL (WSFA) - The City of Dothan and Dothan Utilities are working to eliminate sewage issues through a new agreement with satellite system users.

Recently, city officials mailed out letters and a draft contract to users.

The satellite cities of Taylor, Midland City, Kinsley, Cowarts and Napier Field  will have to sign an inter-jurisdictional agreement with the city, agreeing to operate and maintain local sewage systems properly.

Houston County Water Authority and the County Board of Education are also included in the agreement because they use the city's sanitary sewer system as well.

This follows several overflows of sanitary sewage.

The five cities and two agencies will be required to monitor inflow and infiltration, create a fats, oils, and grease ordinance and pre-treat industrial waste.

"We'll have to comply we have no choice. Most of us small municipalities can not afford to build our own treatment plants," said Larry Whiddon, the mayor of Taylor.

"What we hope is by everybody who uses our sewer system and uses our waste water treatment plant that if we all do that then we're able to control that and if they're having problems in their city it'll help fix that and then as their sewer comes into our system, we'll also be able to control those in our system," said Dothan City Manager Mike West.

Now EPA holds the city of Dothan to the same standard. Cities connected to the Dothan sewage system will have a year to review and complete the agreements.

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