Sewage could be running from some Jefferson County homes right into a nearby creek and the Environmental Protection Agency wants the problem fixed.

The Jefferson County Board of Health is trying to figure out how many homes along Permars Run Road are not tied into the Steubenville City sewage line.

Administrator Bruce Misselwitz said the Board of Health must find the owners of nearly 54 homes, then dye-test their lines to determine exactly where their sewage goes.

If the homes are not tied to the city line, the Board of Health will require owners to do so. That’s something the homeowners may not be happy about since they may have to cover the cost.

“They’re going to feel pretty bad about it because most of the houses will be valued lower than the cost of the system itself,” Misselwitz said.

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