Bullitt County Sanitation District expected to take over Hunters Hollow site

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The Bullitt County Sanitation District is expected to take over operations at the Hunters Hollow Sewage Treatment site after the Kentucky Public Service Commission approved a request by Bullitt Utilities to abandon the site.

The company says it’s out of money and can no longer afford to maintain the facility, which serves about 700 customers in the county.

“It's a very slippery slope when you start allowing utility operators to up and abandon things,” said Bullitt County Sanitation District manager Jerry Kennedy. “But in this case, what are you gonna do?”

The PSC has indicated that it wants the district to take over operations of the site. Kennedy says the district has bailed out two other failed facilities, but the Hunters Hollow site is the worst.

“This is a complete failure,” he said.

Kennedy says they’ve been planning for a possible takeover since the sewage plant collapsed in March 2014. A WDRB investigation uncovered toxic waste has been flowing into the creek since then. Kennedy estimates it’ll cost $350,000-$500,000 to make upgrades, including a new pump station. He’s still trying to figure out where the money will come from.

“Bullitt Utilities never addressed those issues,” he said. “These are issues we’re going to have to address.”

If the district is chosen to take it over, Kennedy thinks customers will start seeing changes in a few months.

“People have been without really totally adequate service for 17 months,” he said. “30, 60, 90 days is not going to make a difference.”

He says the 700 customers of Bullitt Utilities may see up charges in the future, but he's working to make sure the sanitation district's 3500 other customers won't be affected.

According to Kennedy, a decision about the takeover will be made on Sept. 9 when the district appears in Franklin Circuit Court.