Ohio Rev. Code » Chapter 6117
Ohio Revised Code

Ohio Rev. Code § 6117.51 (2026)

New public sewer construction projects

✓ current as of May 2026
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Effective:
May 6, 2005
Latest Legislation:
House Bill 411 - 125th General Assembly
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If the board of health of the health district within which a new public sewer construction project is proposed or located passes a resolution stating that the reason for the project is to reduce or eliminate an existing health problem or a hazard of water pollution, the board of county commissioners of the county, by resolution, may order the owner of any premises located in a sewer district in the county, the owner's agent, lessee, or tenant, or any other occupant of the premises to connect the premises to the sewer for the purpose of discharging sewage or other waste that the board determines is originating on the premises, to make use of the connection, and to cease the discharge of the sewage or other waste into a cesspool, ditch, private sewer, privy, septic tank, semipublic disposal system as defined in division (B)(1)(a) of section 3709.085 of the Revised Code, or other outlet if the board finds that the sewer is available for use and is accessible to the premises following a determination and certification to the board by a registered professional engineer designated by it as to the availability and accessibility of the sewer. This section does not apply to any of the following:

(A) Any discharge authorized by a permit issued under division (J) of section 6111.03 of the Revised Code other than a discharge to or from a semipublic disposal system as defined in division (B)(1)(a) of section 3709.085 of the Revised Code;

(B) Wastes resulting from the keeping of animals;

(C) Any premises that are not served by a common sewage collection system when the foundation wall of the structure from which sewage or other waste originates is more than two hundred feet from the nearest boundary of the right-of-way within which the sewer is located;

(D) Any premises that are served by a common sewage collection system when both the foundation wall of the structure from which the sewage or other waste originates and the common sewage collection system are more than two hundred feet from the nearest boundary of the right-of-way within which the public sewer is located;

(E) Any dwelling house located on property that is listed on the county's agricultural land tax list as being valued for tax purposes as land devoted exclusively to agricultural use under section 5713.31 of the Revised Code, when the foundation wall of the dwelling house is two hundred feet or less from the nearest boundary of the right-of-way within which the sewer is located, if both of the following also apply:

(1) The sewer right-of-way for the property on which the dwelling house is located was obtained by appropriation due to a public exigency pursuant to division (B) of section 307.08, 6101.181, 6115.211, 6117.39, or 6119.11 of the Revised Code.

(2) The local health department has certified that the household sewage disposal system is functioning properly.

The board shall not direct an order under this section to a resident tenant unless it determines that the terms of the tenancy are such that the owner lacks sufficient rights of access to permit the owner to comply with the terms of the order.

An owner, agent, lessee, tenant, or occupant shall comply with the order of the board within ninety days after the completion of service of the order upon that person as provided in this section. The board, upon written application filed prior to the expiration of the ninety-day period, may waive compliance with any order either temporarily or permanently and conditionally or unconditionally.

In its resolution, the board shall direct its clerk, or the clerk's designee, to serve its order upon the owner, agent, lessee, tenant, or occupant. Service of the order shall be made personally, by leaving the order at the usual place of residence with a person of suitable age and discretion then residing therein, or by certified mail addressed to the owner, agent, lessee, tenant, or occupant at that person's last known address or to the address to which tax bills are sent. If it appears by the return of service or the return of the order forwarded by certified mail that the owner, agent, lessee, tenant, or occupant cannot be found, that person shall be served by publication of the order once in a newspaper of general circulation within the county, or if that person refuses service, that person shall be served by ordinary mail addressed to that person's last known address or to the address to which tax bills are sent. The return of the person serving the order or a certified copy of the return, or a returned receipt for the order forwarded by certified mail accepted by the addressee or anyone purporting to act for the addressee, is prima-facie evidence of the service of the order under this section. The return of the person attempting to serve the order, or the return to the sender of the order forwarded by certified mail with an indication on the return of the refusal of the addressee to accept delivery, is prima-facie evidence of the refusal of service.

No owner, agent, lessee, tenant, or occupant shall violate an order issued under this section. Upon request of the board, the prosecuting attorney shall prosecute in a court of competent jurisdiction any owner, agent, lessee, tenant, or occupant who violates an order issued under this section. Each day that a violation continues after conviction for the violation of an order issued under this section and the final determination thereof is a separate offense. The court, for good cause shown, may grant a reasonable additional period of time for compliance after conviction.

Any owner, agent, lessee, tenant, or occupant violating an order issued under this section also may be enjoined from continuing in violation. Upon request of the board, the prosecuting attorney shall bring an action in a court of competent jurisdiction for an injunction against the owner, agent, lessee, tenant, or occupant violating an order.

The Ohio water development authority created under section 6121.02 of the Revised Code, in addition to its other powers, has the same power and shall be governed by the same procedures in a waste water facilities service area, or in any area adjacent to a public sewer operated by the authority, as a board of county commissioners in a county sewer district under this section, except that the authority shall act by order, and the attorney general, upon request of the authority, shall prosecute any person who violates an order of the authority issued under this section.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 8 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 1984–2022 · leading case: Ayersville Water & Sewer Dist. v. Geiger, 2012-Ohio-2689.
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Ayersville Water & Sewer Dist. v. Geiger, 2012-Ohio-2689. · cites it 8× “04(AA) AND R.C. 6117.51 {¶24} In her second assignment of error, Geiger argues her home is not accessible to the District’s sewer system.”
State ex rel. Cordray v. Helms, 949 N.E.2d 522 (Ohio Ct. App. 9th Dist. 2011). · cites it 5× “They have argued that the apartment building is exempt from mandatory connection under R.C. 6117.51 and that the court lacked authority to otherwise order the connection.”
DeMoise v. Dowell, 461 N.E.2d 1286 (Ohio 1984). · cites it 2× “In their view, the extensive array of procedural safeguards for the construction of a public sewer, present in Chapter 6117, together with the authority R.C. 6117.51 provides for governmental bodies to order sewer connections, represents a sort of preemption of the subject by…”
Andres v. City of Perrysburg, 546 N.E.2d 1377 (Ohio Ct. App. 6th Dist. 1988). “First, appellees contend that application of the ordinance results in economic duress because ap-pellees must tap into the sewer line under R.C. 6117.51 and 6117.99. These sections give the county board of health the authority to order property owners within a sewer district to…”
Fry v. Hildebrant, 498 N.E.2d 1089 (Ohio Ct. App. 12th Dist. 1985). · cites it 5× “1 R.C. 6117.51, the statute which authorizes boards of county commissioners to order sewer connections where sewer lines are available and accessible, does not apply to “[a]ny premises in which the foundation wall of the structure from which sewage or other waste originates is…”
Bd. of Cnty. Commissioners v. City of Columbus, 497 N.E.2d 1112 (Ohio 1986). “R.C. 6117.51 specifically provides that any discharge authorized under a permit issued by virtue of R.”
In re Chardon Twp. Wastewater Treatment Plant & Sewer Proj., 2022-Ohio-332. · cites it 2× “Whenever a sanitary sewerage system becomes accessible to a dwelling or structure served by a STS, the dwelling and/or structures shall be connected to the sanitary sewerage system and the STS abandoned in accordance with rule 3701-29-21 of the Administrative Code.”
DiCillo v. Geauga Cty. Bd. of Commrs., 2022-Ohio-333. · cites it 2× “Whenever a sanitary sewerage system becomes accessible to a dwelling or structure served by a STS, the dwelling and/or structures shall be connected to the sanitary sewerage 8 Case No.”
Ohio Rev. Code § 6117.51(C): 5 cases
Ayersville Water & Sewer Dist. v. Geiger, 2012-Ohio-2689. “04(AA) AND R.C. 6117.51 {¶24} In her second assignment of error, Geiger argues her home is not accessible to the District’s sewer system.”
State ex rel. Cordray v. Helms, 949 N.E.2d 522 (Ohio Ct. App. 9th Dist. 2011). “They have argued that the apartment building is exempt from mandatory connection under R.C. 6117.51 and that the court lacked authority to otherwise order the connection.”
Fry v. Hildebrant, 498 N.E.2d 1089 (Ohio Ct. App. 12th Dist. 1985). “1 R.C. 6117.51, the statute which authorizes boards of county commissioners to order sewer connections where sewer lines are available and accessible, does not apply to “[a]ny premises in which the foundation wall of the structure from which sewage or other waste originates is…”
In re Chardon Twp. Wastewater Treatment Plant & Sewer Proj., 2022-Ohio-332. “Whenever a sanitary sewerage system becomes accessible to a dwelling or structure served by a STS, the dwelling and/or structures shall be connected to the sanitary sewerage system and the STS abandoned in accordance with rule 3701-29-21 of the Administrative Code.”
DiCillo v. Geauga Cty. Bd. of Commrs., 2022-Ohio-333. “Whenever a sanitary sewerage system becomes accessible to a dwelling or structure served by a STS, the dwelling and/or structures shall be connected to the sanitary sewerage 8 Case No.”
Ohio Rev. Code § 6117.51(D): 1 case
State ex rel. Cordray v. Helms, 949 N.E.2d 522 (Ohio Ct. App. 9th Dist. 2011). “They have argued that the apartment building is exempt from mandatory connection under R.C. 6117.51 and that the court lacked authority to otherwise order the connection.”
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