Multi-Flo cisterns, cesspools or septic tanks

The reports, as CPSC published them

1. No one hurt

   Made Mar 3, 2012 · , sent to the company Apr 26, 2012 · , published by CPSC May 10, 2012

   The product, in the report: Multi-Flo Aerobic Septic System

   Multi-Flo in Lake County

   Our Multi-flo aerobic waste water treatment system (ATU) has been malfunctioning and overflowing for the 6+ years that we’ve had it and it was brand new when we moved in. We have spent thousands on this UN-SOUND system. It has been pumped out at least once per year and both pumps have broken at least once and so has the aerator and impeller. When we need a new part it often takes more than a week to get it sent from the manufacturer in Ohio, it’s expensive and meanwhile sewage stews in the backyard. The “certified” service provider used to dump sewage in the woods behind the house and because of our complaints and the video we took he was successfully prosecuted and convicted in Feb. 2011. Since 2010 we have had to use an alternate service provider and problems still persist. We cannot afford to keep maintaining this environmentally unsafe machine. The multi-flo “monster” as one service provider (SP) calls it, is a boon to the septic pumpers who earn hundreds each time they come out. Multi-flo has a reputation for being horrible among every local pumper and SP we’ve talked to. Come to find out it’s happening all over Lake County, according to our SP (that we pay $350/year for the privilege of someone to call when emergencies happen - which is about every few months) some people can’t afford to have theirs pumped and sewage is running all over the ground on many properties in this beautiful part of Northern California. We have recent footage of a system that was fine for two years and now has been spewing sewage for two months here in my neighborhood: http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=I8NficsP84k

   Many houses would not have been built in this rural area if multi-flo had not been approved, so someone made money by getting them approved and installed during the housing boom of ‘03-‘05. County Environmental Health Department says it’s not their fault; the manufacturer Consolidated Treatment Systems (CTS) them without “trash tanks” (a pre-tank that collects solids) so that’s how they were authorized and installed. CTS says the county should have required trash tanks to be installed, as other counties and entire states did. County says “Multi-flo was certified by the NSF (National Sanitation Foundation) the way it is, without trash tanks. Homeowners will have to pay to have trash tanks installed if they want them.” Meanwhile, as of two weeks ago and because of our agitating the County has revised their rules, stating that all NEW installations must include trash tanks. But the fact that hundreds of homeownersare stuck with the original bad design is not addressed. With people barely hanging on to their homes, affording food for their kids, they are supposed to spend $8,000 to repair failing systems that the County approved in the first place? There are hundreds of these faulty units in our county!

   CTS is threatening to sue us because we’ve made the issue public after years of every involved party dodging responsibility, though recently they offered to settle by giving us a new, bigger Multi-flo if we’d sign a confidentiality agreement and stop agitating. We find this solution to be both insufficient and irresponsible, as it does not address the wider issue of hundreds of failing systems that endanger the environment and the health and welfare of our neighbors. CTS has tried to blame us, using their mantra: our unit was being serviced by an “uncertified” SP, we were not using it according to manufacturer’s instructions, and that it is out of warranty. But, as noted in paragraph one above, all the same issues were happening even with their criminal service provider and when it was under warranty. We, like the other homeowners we’ve spoken to have been obsessed with following manufacturer’s instructions to avoid issues. The systems still fail.

   During the years that homeowners have been complaining CTS has said many times that we were simply using too much  soap or water. None of that is true. None of those have been the real issues; to us they appear to be an attempt to distract and evade responsibility for faulty machines. We had a meeting with other homeowners recently and they shared the same stories: Years of overflows, the county and company blaming the homeowners, being told these were “isolated incidents,” and finger pointing.

   A few weeks ago we obtained a report of the 2010 “investigation” that Lake County requested of the NSF. Well, the report was actually carried out by the manufacturer, CTS - a total conflict of interest - and not surprisingly they found nothing wrong with the multi-flo units and the case was closed! We are specifically quoted in the report as reporting “no performance issues” which is a blatant lie. We have also tracked down at least two other homeowners who were similarly misrepresented in the “investigation.” They report that their multi-flos constantly overflow too. (We have seen their units. Sewage is still on the ground. One home had to have a haz-mat team remove waste that flowed down into the street a few years ago.) Why was this bogus “investigation” allowed to stand, especially by the County, who already knew that the units  were failing? Why did the NSF allow the manufacturer to investigate itself?

   We live in an area where there is no city sewer. The sewage has to go somewhere. WHERE? IN THE GROUND? SEEPING INTO THE WATER TABLE? POLLUTING THE LAND OUR CHILDREN PLAY ON? We have pictures and video of overflowing sewage in Lake County and years of email correspondence with the manufacturer and the County. We have reported this online with the Ripoff Report, filed a Freedom of Information Act Request, as well as claims with the EPA, the Grand Jury (suggestion of the Attorney General), and the County’s insurance company.

   We and other victims have been dealing with this crisis to no avail for years now. We have the County’s list from several years ago with 180 units listed (many more have been installed since then)and have personally tracked-down and spoken to many of the disgruntled homeowners that inherited this disaster. Many of us had thought we were alone in this situation - that our problems were ours alone. Everyone who built Multi- flo, authorized it, and installed it has claimed someone else is to blame. Meanwhile nothing changes. Someone needs to step in, investigate, and get this public health emergency handled.

   Red-tagging homes is not a solution. The units are already in the ground and families are suffering and calling out for help. The BOS needs to stand up for its victimized electorate and hold the manufacturer, the National Sanitation Foundation and other entities responsible for allowing these units to become a hazard in the first place.

   Updates:

   February 27th, 2012: Our toilets are no longer working again. Our system was serviced appx 2 weeks ago; to include being pumped out to the tune of $600. We are forced to rent a porta-pottie which our HOA doesn’t approve of, AGAIN.

   FYI: This particular narrative is a copy of that being presented to the Lake County BOS on Feb 28th. Because we filed a claim for damages with the county, there is no mention of the 4 bedroom / 3 bedroom septic / approval debacle. In a nutshell: In appx 2003, our home was approved for a 3 bed-room Multi-Flo Aerobic Septic System (and it was installed) a year before our 4 bed-room house was even built here. In 2005 we unknowingly bought this house brand new.....

   At 9am I will be casting a LARGE net for legal help. Because of the statute of limitations, the clock is ticking.

   Today an insurance rep for Lake County is coming out to talk to us regarding our claim.

   3-3-12 Our problem appears to have started back in 2005 when a 4 bedroom modular home was built on a lot approved for a 3 bedroom. Somehow the Multi-Flo was approved for a 3 bedroom and installed a year before a 4 bedroom home was put here. We unknowingly bought our home with all of these problems.

   Model

   I don’t know.

   Where

   Kelseyville, California: Home/Apartment/Condominium

   Who was involved

   Age 42, Male

   The reporter’s relation to them

   Self

   As this report names them

   Brand Multi-Flo, made or sold by CONSOLIDATED TREATMENT SYSTEMS, INC

   How badly, in CPSC’s words

   Incident, No Injury

CPSC’s disclaimer

Sources