The Environmental Protection Agency has issued new laws to prevent future disasters, and the Utah Department of Environmental Quality has started a public awareness campaign to increase knowledge and outreach among residents. This led to new ordinances being implemented in Harrisville. Gene Bingham has been in charge of these new ordinances being put into place, although many were already being used before the ordinances went into effect. The City sewer system, for example, was designed eliminate the discharge of raw sewage into rivers and streams bypassing the sewer treatment plants.
Gene has also organized Scout groups to place markers on curbs to notify residents of illicit discharge regulations. If there is a violation detected, there are several steps that must be followed. The City must notify the proper entities responsible for the cleanup, and the party responsible for the illegal discharge is also charged a fee, as well as paying for the cleanup.
One of the most important points has been making sure the current sewer system can be maintained over a long period of time. Other local cities have run into problems because too many houses were connected to one sewer line. Harrisville hopes to avoid that, and has set a deadline of September 30, 2015, to have a new sewer plan in place.
And in thinking to the future, Harrisville buried a time capsule on April 12 as a celebration of fifty years as a city. The City historian, Shanna Edwards, urged all residents to include a letter for their family. It was buried under the marquee near the City offices. Also included was a photograph of the current City Council and Youth Council in a scrapbook created for Harrisville.
