Untreated sewage spilling from a failing wastewater plant into a small Harrison County creek has pushed Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost into court, as the state scrambles to force the village of Harrisville to clean up its act.
In an emergency filing, Yost asked a Harrison County judge this week to order the village to fix its malfunctioning treatment system after inspectors documented sewage leaving the site, running through surface drains, and feeding algae growth along Sloan Run. The complaint says residents have been living with strong, foul odors and even visible sewage in drainage areas near the plant.
The state's Environmental Enforcement team filed the complaint on May 26 in Harrison County Common Pleas Court, seeking an immediate injunction and other relief to halt the discharges and compel repairs. The treatment works, a small batch reactor designed to handle about 32,000 gallons per day, has been operating without a certified operator since March 8, and unauthorized bypasses have sent untreated or partially treated sewage into Sloan Run, according to the Ohio Attorney General's Office.
"When sewage is flowing into a creek and local officials refuse to act, the state will take them to court," Yost said in a Ohio Attorney General's Office statement. The emergency motion asks the judge to require Harrisville to secure a qualified operator, repair bypasses, and take other immediate steps to protect public health and the environment.
Inspectors Say Sewage Reached Creek And Ballfield
Ohio EPA inspectors reported a laundry list of alleged problems at the Harrisville plant, including an actively overflowing manhole that bypassed the treatment system entirely, untreated sewage outside the facility, and visible sewage in the outfall pipe. They also noted fungus and algae growth in Sloan Run, according to WBNS.
The same report describes waste tracking down a hillside next to a baseball field and strong odors reported along the creek bed, painting a grim picture for neighbors who just want to watch a game without smelling a sewer.
Permit Spells Out Rules Harrisville Is Accused Of Breaking
Harrisville's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit identifies the wastewater plant and its discharge point at the headwaters of Sloan Run. The permit includes monitoring and staffing requirements that are supposed to prevent exactly the kind of unauthorized discharges the state now alleges.
Ohio EPA public records detail the facility's sampling schedule and the requirement that the village designate a professional operator of record, according to Ohio EPA.
Tiny Village, No Council, And A Mayor Who Lives Elsewhere
Harrisville is extremely small, and that is part of the problem. The court filing says the system serves about 259 residents across roughly 90 homes. A village official told the Attorney General's Office that the village council has resigned and the mayor lives outside village limits, which complicates who can sign off on emergency work or long-term fixes.
Those details were outlined in local coverage by 10TV, which also noted the village's limited capacity to fund or staff the needed repairs.
State Seeks Court Order, Daily Fines Still On The Table
The Attorney General's complaint asks the court for injunctive relief and related orders to stop the sewage discharges. Under Ohio law, the state may also pursue civil penalties for water pollution violations.
Section 6111.09 of the Ohio Revised Code authorizes civil penalties of up to $10,000 per day for violations and allows the director of Ohio EPA to request that the attorney general bring enforcement actions, according to the Ohio Revised Code.
For now, the emergency motion puts the responsibility to stop the sewage discharges squarely on the village or on a court-ordered operator. If the judge signs off on the state's request, the order could trigger emergency repairs and a court-supervised plan aimed at keeping any more untreated sewage out of Sloan Run.
