Backyard cesspool puts 2 in hot water

A Herriman couple has been charged after the health department found they created their own wastewater disposal system without obtaining proper approval.

Salt Lake Valley Health Department employees investigated a mobile home near 14200 South and 6300 West. They found about 35 vehicles and wood piles soaked in sewage. A black pipe ran from the home to a hole in the ground that served as a cesspool, charges filed Monday in 3rd District Court state.

The cesspool was partially covered "in an apparent effort to hide the sewage and grey wastewater," charges state. But it smelled of sewage and a drinking water well used by others in the neighborhood was only about 30 feet away, charges state.

No wastewater disposal system had been approved for that address, charges state.

The man and the woman, both 48, were charged with unlawful discharge of pollutants, a third-degree felony, and two counts of violation of a Salt Lake Valley health regulation, a class B misdemeanor.