Q: Can you give us some background [as of interview date of Feb. 18] on the recent bill you have filed regarding failing septic tanks within the city of Jacksonville?
A: We have 65,000 failing septic tanks. The mayor has already started an initiative to address the three neighborhoods with the worst septic tanks and my bill is designed to jumpstart the mayor’s efforts to demonstrate our desire to begin this project and include the other 32 neighborhoods that have been identified. Four neighborhoods in Mandarin — Julington Creek, Julington Hills, Hood Landing II and Beauclerc Gardens — are included and have a total of more than 3,600 septic tanks among them. 

Q: This is a very large project. How would funding be handled?
A: I want to work together with the mayor to get this project going. The bill I introduced to City Council seeks to borrow $100 million for septic tank removal.  It’s an important start, but it’s only a small drop in the bucket compared to the more than $1 billion we must invest to fix this massive problem and right a six decades old wrong. This project will need funding continuously for the next 20 years. It is the biggest project we will have and needs to transcend multiple councils and mayors over the years. But it must be done.

Q: What is the best way for our readers to contact you?

A: They can email me at THazouri@coj.net or call (904) 255-5217.

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