Survey shows depth of outdoor toilet issue

County report provides numbers

Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2008

The bad news is that officials found another 31 homes without plumbing.

This latest count, conducted by the county’s community services department since May, brings the total number of outdoor toilets believed to be in the county to 207.

The county commissioners told the department in April to survey the problem. The officials did not inspect the houses, but interviewed residents about their plumbing.

‘‘We’re not doing inspections inside the units,” said Rita Wood, chief of the county’s housing and community development division, in response to a question from Commissioner Edith J. Patterson (D).

Officials were able to confidently determine that 76 of the 228 dwellings they visited in the county do not have facilities, but they were unable to contact residents or were unable to make a determination at 152 other homes.

Officials conducting the survey asked the 192 residents they were able to contact if they would like the county’s help in the form of low-interest loans to renovate their homes. Sixty of those residents declined help, 15 of whom had no indoor plumbing facilities.

Wood was undaunted by residents’ resistance. She said, ‘‘We don’t see this as an end, by any means.”

Commissioner Gary V. Hodge (D) was not surprised either, saying that rural residents are often suspicious of government officials who arrive saying they are ‘‘here to help.”

‘‘I’ve also found that the word ‘loan’ is not well received,” Hodge said.

Wood noted that the federal Department of Agriculture has several programs that could help residents renovate their homes with either no-interest loans or grants.

Commissioners’ President F. Wayne Cooper (D) added that a local church has offered to help install septic systems at no charge.

‘‘There are lots of things waiting to happen once you get done with the survey,” Cooper said.

‘‘I view this as so critical,” said Patterson of the survey. Patterson represents commissioner District 2, which includes Nanjemoy, an area with many homes lacking outdoor plumbing.

However, Commissioner Samuel N. Graves (D) reminded the board that the county’s map of homes without plumbing shows the problem is nearly as prevalent in his District 1 with areas such as Cobb Neck.

‘‘Nanjemoy doesn’t have a unique corner on this market,” Graves observed.