Study: Scott County water source severely polluted

SCOTT/FAYETTE COUNTY LINE, Ky. (WTVQ)- The water people in Scott County rely on for drinking and bathing is severely polluted. That is according to preliminary results from a study that shows a mobile home park on the Fayette County/Scott County line has a failed sewer system that is causing the problem.

Scott County officials say they have expected these results for a long time. In fact, Georgetown Mayor Tom Prather says Scott and Fayette Counties have already put aside funding to fix it. They hope the release of some of the startling study results Tuesday will help motivate the mobile home park’s owner to help them make a fix.

Mayor Prather says the Division of Water hired consultants who collected samples along the cane run watershed last summer and the summer before that. The Mayor says those consultants found high levels of harmful E. coli bacteria.

They have been able to connect that to two package sewer treatment plants at a mobile home park. The Mayor says the levels of pollutants they are letting out are way too high.

Prather says local leaders want to run a sanitary sewer line to the site. Fayette and Scott Counties have already budgeted for this, but Prather says he has not seen any action yet from the mobile home park owner.

“It’s time that we simply say we cannot tolerate this level of pollution anymore and ask the Division of Water not to further permit these sewage package plants,” Prather said.

The Mayor admits that could mean the estimated 2,000 people living at the mobile estates could have to leave their homes. He says that can be avoided. Scott County officials also say the mobile home park has had environmental and financial issues in the past. In fact, the former owner is in jail for bank fraud.

According to Prather, Scott County knows this is a problem so it has been treating for it, meaning drinking water is safe. Still, he says it is one of the top environmental problems in Central Kentucky.

Mayor Jim Gray says Lexington is happy to do its part in cleaning up the creek.

“We want to be good neighbors. The citizens of Lexington have made an unprecedented commitment to cleaning up local streams and fixing aging sewers. The problem at Georgetown Estates has been around for decades. It needs to be cleaned up,” Gray said.