Residents of Greene, Madison, Orange, and Rappahannock eligible for septic repair costs

A cost-share program administered by the Culpeper Soil and Water Conservation District will help property owners in Greene, Madison, Orange and Rappahannock counties whose septic systems need pumping, repair or replacement in fiscal year 2025. File photo by MadRapp/GreeneJournal.

All residents in the Culpeper Soil and Water Conservation District (CSWCD) area are now eligible to receive reimbursement of fifty percent of the cost of pumping, maintaining, repairing or replacing sewage disposal systems on their property.

Effective July 1, CSWCD received additional funding to expand its current septic program to all areas of the five-county conservation district – Culpeper, Greene, Madison, Orange and Rappahannock.

The district governments expressed their gratitude for the funding.

“Because we are a rural community, many of our citizens' wastewater is treated through a septic tank,” said Stephanie Golon, Greene County's deputy planning director and assistant zoning administrator. “The septic tank requires regular maintenance to ensure it is functioning properly and the surface and groundwater are free of contaminants. To protect the local streams where our community fishes, swims and recreationally, CSWCD staff member Henny Calloway administers a cost-share program that provides payments to cover maintenance costs for eligible Greene County citizens with a septic tank.

“As the Greene is one of the headwaters of both the James and Rappahannock Rivers, we appreciate the support of these programs and recognize the importance of not only preserving the health of our river for our community, but also preserving the quality of the entire Chesapeake Bay for all generations to come.”

Jonathon Weakley, Madison's administrator, was also grateful for the increased funding from CSWCD.

“The CSWCD's continued support of efforts to improve our local environment is welcomed by the county,” Weakley said. “Often times, a failing septic system can be a huge cost burden for a homeowner, so additional funding sources and opportunities help to help people where they are in need while improving soil and groundwater. I want to thank the CSWCD for their tireless efforts to support the environment and the citizens of Madison County.”

The focus of this program is to reduce existing or potential impacts on local groundwater and surface water quality.

1. Some local waters have long been found to contain higher levels of coliform bacteria than would be expected by state water quality standards, although other contaminants, particularly nutrients, may also be involved.

An additional benefit to the property owner is peace of mind knowing their system is up to standards and functioning properly. This is a win-win for both water quality and property value. This grant complements several grants already in place and expands options throughout the county.

Program participants are entitled to various payments depending on the actual needs of their system. Reimbursement payments are typically fifty percent, but can be as high as eighty percent for those who qualify for low-income status.

The maximum payments to property owners with average income are:

• Maximum of $225 for one pumping session (up to $360 for low-income earners)
• Maximum of $3,250 for pumping and inspection (up to $5,200 for low-income earners)
• Maximum of $3,750 for repairs (up to $6,000 for low-income earners)
• Max. $6,250 for a conventional system (up to $10,000 for low-income earners)
• $8,250 max. if a pump is required to move the fluids to the soakaway bed (up to $13,200 for low-income individuals)
• Maximum of USD 15,750 for an alternative technical system (up to USD 25,200 for low-income individuals)
• Maximum of $6,250 for connection to public sewer system (up to $10,000 for low-income earners).

Everyone recommends pumping out and inspection. Such preventative maintenance extends the life of a system and prevents higher costs later if the system fails. If the inspection indicates further repairs, the owner is still entitled to the additional repair payments.

Applications are required and must be approved before work is undertaken or funding may be denied. The District offers free assistance with initial assessments of individual system needs.

The costs will be reimbursed promptly after completion of the work.

The program is completely voluntary and the County's assistance is free. For more information about the program, contact the County at (540) 825-8591 or (540) 948-7531. Funding for these projects was secured by the Culpeper Soil and Water Conservation District from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, Non-Point Source Program, Commonwealth of Virginia.