R
rmharvey
Guest
I live in South Carolina. We moved into our home 19 years ago and at that time we were under the impression, (We were billed for it had no reason to doubt it) we had county sewage service. (We live in the county but the City of Clinton sells us our water and electricity, they bill for the county sewage authority) We recieved monthly bills for water, sewage and electricity, no reason to believe we did not have these services. Then in March this year our house burned down. The local gas company came out to dig up the gas line since we were going all electric with our new home, (Built on same site) in the process they damaged the sewer line. When we had our new home set up they were going to use existing sewer but it had to be repaired. At this time we found we had been on a homemade septic system probobly made in the 40's possibly late thirty's judging from debris in fill dirt. This was on a Saturday we were digging. We notified Sewer Authority who came out and took pictures and imediately supplied our plumber with a Saddle (For tap into sewer system) and permission to tap in. For the next week we had sewer officials coming out and looking around. We were then informed we would have to make a $150.00 Sewer tap fee. We informed them we would like to be refunded the 19 years of sewer fees we have been paying. They said they would investigate and get back to us. They never did. I called about a month later and no one knew about it so was told "we'll check into it and get back to you." Again no reply. This happened twice before I called three days ago and was informed that as soon as they can get the payment records for the last three years they would refund that, minus the 150 bucks for tap fee, I have reciepts for the previous six years, (Funny what survives a fire) And they told me they were only responsible for the previous three years that was all they would pay and I was lucky I was not being sued for having a septic tank on someone elses property. ( When the system was put in all the homes and properties were owned by a mill company and the system was put about 150 feet behind house, later the properties were split up and sold, in the 60's I believe, and a home was built 20 or so feet from the septic system and the property was divided in such a way that the system was on the other peoples property. My question. If they show us as being on the system does not that assume a fee was paid at some time and work not done? Liability for system on other property would not be ours due to, a)It was done prior to us owning the property. b) We had no knowledge of it. c)Grandfather clauses as to legality of such systems.{they use to be legal} The total amount they would owe us for three years is only about 450-500 bucks, going back to the reciepts we have right around $900, guessing at the whole time around $2500. What is their liability to us? Ours to them? Should we attempt to sue in Small Claims? On a lighter note we never had sewer problems in all those years and the septic system was a four inch clay pipe leading into an upside down fifty-five gallon drum filled with gravel with run off pipes near top. All of this buried about 6 feet down. And it worked. And I still can't get over that fact.
Thanks in advance for your advice,
rmharvey
Thanks in advance for your advice,
rmharvey