If you're a homeowner in Missoula and are still on a private septic system, you undoubtedly received a letter notifying you of your non-compliance with the City's new ordinance that requires connection to the public sewer. Title 13, Chapter 13.04. If you received a notice, it is public record and will show up on your title report when you go to transfer ownership of your home. This ordinance went into effect on July 1, 2007.
Within the Missoula city limits, it is now unlawful for any person to sell, transfer or convey any real property containing plumbed buildings until the plumbed buildings have been connected to the public sewer when it is available.
According to the ordinance, public sewer is considered to be available when any building is located within 200 feet or less from any public sewer system and you are required to connect to the sewer upon property transfer.
If you are planning to sell your home in the near future, or even if you're not, you may want to consider connecting to the sewer prior to listing your home.
If you are unable to make this connection. the city does allow you to apply for a (1) time delay if you arrange a financial holdback that will pay for the connection within 6 months of a sale. The ordinance does not state an amount that is required for a holdback. However, the city is now requiring that you submit a written bid from a licensed & approved contractor to perform the service, and that you holdback 1.5 times the estimate for the connection. This 1.5 times the amount is also a requirement for many lenders, including those with FHA loans.
The City has a list of licensed contractors available and estimates range from $7,000-$14,000, depending on the type of system they need to install. With the 1.5 times the estimate requirement for a holdback, sellers can be looking at a serious financial strain when they sell their home. The sewer connection process and the disruption to landscaping and inconvenience can also deter some buyers.
We have worked with sellers through this process and it can take some time. It is well worth the effort to obtain written estimates from multiple contractors in order to get the best deal. I was told by several contractors that they are able to connect to the sewer year-round, unless the ground is really frozen.
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