Ohio § 6117.51

§ 6117.51.

If the board of health of the health district within which a new public sewer construction

project is proposed or located passes a resolution stating that the reason for the

project is to reduce or eliminate an existing health problem or a hazard of water

pollution, the board of county commissioners of the county, by resolution, may order

the owner of any premises located in a sewer district in the county, the owner's agent,

lessee, or tenant, or any other occupant of the premises to connect the premises to

the sewer for the purpose of discharging sewage or other waste that the board determines

is originating on the premises, to make use of the connection, and to cease the discharge

of the sewage or other waste into a cesspool, ditch, private sewer, privy, septic

tank, semipublic disposal system as defined in division (B)(1)(a) of section 3709.085 of the Revised Code , or other outlet if the board finds that the sewer is available for use and is accessible

to the premises following a determination and certification to the board by a registered

professional engineer designated by it as to the availability and accessibility of

the sewer.  This section does not apply to any of the following: (A) Any discharge authorized by a permit issued under division (J) of section 6111.03 of the Revised Code other than a discharge to or from a semipublic disposal system as defined in division (B)(1)(a) of section 3709.085 of the Revised Code ; (B) Wastes resulting from the keeping of animals; (C) Any premises that are not served by a common sewage collection system when the foundation

wall of the structure from which sewage or other waste originates is more than two

hundred feet from the nearest boundary of the right-of-way within which the sewer

is located; (D) Any premises that are served by a common sewage collection system when both the foundation

wall of the structure from which the sewage or other waste originates and the common

sewage collection system are more than two hundred feet from the nearest boundary

of the right-of-way within which the public sewer is located; (E) Any dwelling house located on property that is listed on the county's agricultural

land tax list as being valued for tax purposes as land devoted exclusively to agricultural

use under section 5713.31 of the Revised Code , when the foundation wall of the dwelling house is two hundred feet or less from

the nearest boundary of the right-of-way within which the sewer is located, if both

of the following also apply: (1) The sewer right-of-way for the property on which the dwelling house is located was

obtained by appropriation due to a public exigency pursuant to division (B) of section 307.08 , 6101.181 , 6115.211 , 6117.39 , or 6119.11 of the Revised Code . (2) The local health department has certified that the household sewage disposal system

is functioning properly. The board shall not direct an order under this section to a resident tenant unless

it determines that the terms of the tenancy are such that the owner lacks sufficient

rights of access to permit the owner to comply with the terms of the order. An owner, agent, lessee, tenant, or occupant shall comply with the order of the board

within ninety days after the completion of service of the order upon that person as

provided in this section.  The board, upon written application filed prior to the expiration of the ninety-day

period, may waive compliance with any order either temporarily or permanently and

conditionally or unconditionally. In its resolution, the board shall direct its clerk, or the clerk's designee, to serve

its order upon the owner, agent, lessee, tenant, or occupant.  Service of the order shall be made personally, by leaving the order at the usual

place of residence with a person of suitable age and discretion then residing therein,

or by certified mail addressed to the owner, agent, lessee, tenant, or occupant at

that person's last known address or to the address to which tax bills are sent.  If it appears by the return of service or the return of the order forwarded by certified

mail that the owner, agent, lessee, tenant, or occupant cannot be found, that person

shall be served by publication of the order once in a newspaper of general circulation

within the county, or if that person refuses service, that person shall be served

by ordinary mail addressed to that person's last known address or to the address to

which tax bills are sent.  The return of the person serving the order or a certified copy of the return, or

a returned receipt for the order forwarded by certified mail accepted by the addressee

or anyone purporting to act for the addressee, is prima-facie evidence of the service

of the order under this section.  The return of the person attempting to serve the order, or the return to the sender

of the order forwarded by certified mail with an indication on the return of the refusal

of the addressee to accept delivery, is prima-facie evidence of the refusal of service. No owner, agent, lessee, tenant, or occupant shall violate an order issued under this

section.  Upon request of the board, the prosecuting attorney shall prosecute in a court of

competent jurisdiction any owner, agent, lessee, tenant, or occupant who violates

an order issued under this section.  Each day that a violation continues after conviction for the violation of an order

issued under this section and the final determination thereof is a separate offense.  The court, for good cause shown, may grant a reasonable additional period of time

for compliance after conviction. Any owner, agent, lessee, tenant, or occupant violating an order issued under this

section also may be enjoined from continuing in violation.  Upon request of the board, the prosecuting attorney shall bring an action in a court

of competent jurisdiction for an injunction against the owner, agent, lessee, tenant,

or occupant violating an order. The Ohio water development authority created under section 6121.02 of the Revised Code , in addition to its other powers, has the same power and shall be governed by the

same procedures in a waste water facilities service area, or in any area adjacent

to a public sewer operated by the authority, as a board of county commissioners in

a county sewer district under this section, except that the authority shall act by

order, and the attorney general, upon request of the authority, shall prosecute any

person who violates an order of the authority issued under this section.