Built in the mid-70s, Jefferson Colony was one of Mint Hill’s first planned neighborhoods. When originally constructed, the houses had wells and septic systems. Since then, we’ve had the opportunity to connect to town water. But still, there is no town sewer available. Yet the new neighborhoods that have been built around us have all had access to public sewer systems.

For many of the 72 Jefferson Colony houses, their 50+ year old septic systems have failed, are failing now, or will inevitably fail. This situation has been brought to the attention of Mint Hill’s previous mayors and Board of Directors, but nothing has been done to provide public sewer. One house was allowed to hook into the system that provides sewer services to the Sonata neighborhood behind us. That system, we’ve been told, is too small to handle the entire Jefferson Colony neighborhood. We are also aware that the system was built and financed by the neighborhood’s developer, then handed over to the town. Apparently, that hand-off wasn’t an option in the 1970s.

As a neighborhood, we are requesting the town to make a legitimate study to assess the possibility of providing public sewer to our houses, and then, should the possibility exist, to make every attempt to have the work done.

We are requesting the Town provide a formal sewer feasibility study or a sewer capacity study, performed by qualified civil and environmental engineers that will include the following key components: 

*Flow and Capacity Analysis Estimates
*Topography and Routing Evaluations
*Infrastructure Assessment Inspections
*Environmental and Soil Reviews
*Cost and Financing Evaluation and Estimates 

Should the feasibility study prove positive, the Town could then move forward with finding the financing. We suggest requests to county and state grant specialists who may be able to provide information about where to apply for funding. If this route is unsuccessful, we’d ask you to contact State Representative Mark Harris’ office to request their help in finding possible national funding options. As a last resort, we’d ask for the work to be added as a line item in a future budget.

Residents of Jefferson Colony have been paying tax dollars to the town of Mint Hill since the 1970s. We deserve to have the benefits the rest of our newer neighbors enjoy.

Thank you for your consideration.