The great sewer fiasco. What's going to happen? When? How much is it going to cost me? Everyone has questions and no one seems to have a clear set of answers.

What we know for sure is that the state has mandated that the Keys have sewers by 2010. It is obvious that, even if the money was in place and construction started today, it is simply not possible for this massive project to be completed in just two years. There isn't even a realistic, workable plan in place as yet — at least not one that we have heard of — and, due to irresponsible decisions, foot-dragging, finger-pointing, reckless spending and outright incompetence, there is insufficient money in the county coffers and no answer as to how we are going to feed this money-hungry monster.

For many years, the County Commission has known about the deadline and has done virtually nothing to move the project along or secure and set aside necessary funding. That would make too much sense. Instead, money intended for sewers has been diverted to projects such as buying restaurants, ship-sinking, other self-serving projects and who knows what else.

Literally thousands of homeowners will be affected. What do we do? Do we install our own updated systems now, only to find them not best available technology (BAT) compliant in 2010 and then face the possible expense of another upgrade? Do we update our systems now at great expense — money that working families or retirees don't just have laying around — only to find that we will have to abandon them when it comes time to connect to a central sewer line and then pay again for hook-up?

Do we wait and see what happens, only to find that we face the possible loss of our homes due to fines or liens on our property by the state by not being in compliance by the deadline? What about the "hot zones" and "cold zones?" What and where are they, and exactly what do they mean to the timing of sewer installations in various communities and the effect on the homeowners?

We need answers to these questions to understand how all of this will affect us and allow us to make plans accordingly. As we have become painfully aware, planning is a foreign concept to most of our elected officials.

It obviously does us no good to look to our County Commission for help. So, many of us wait, wonder and perhaps worry, and scratch for information while our so-called Gang of Three on the commission is busy pandering to their special interest groups, big developers and financing their pet projects, while blatantly ignoring the needs and concerns of the taxpayers and homeowners who need responsible action to address these issues.

We need answers, we need workable solutions and we need them now. Where we can go to get them and other questions are going unanswered.

*Chuck Chartrand *

Big Pine Key