Linda Krsnak loves watching things grow. For the past 8 years, her hobby has been her job.
Linda and her husband Jimmy own Linda's Gardens, selling produce to farmer's markets and restaurants.
"That is our only income," says Linda.
Now that income is being threatened. 10 years ago the village of Chester put two sewage ponds less than a quarter mile from their property.
"We fought that battle and we just could not get anyone on our side," says Linda.
Now the battle is even closer to home. Linda says the Brant Lake Sanitary District plans to put another sewage pond about a football field's length from their property. She and Jimmy have major concerns about the food they grow -- and about the water table.
"Those sewage ponds are in the middle of the skunk creek aquifer," says Linda.
Linda tells KSFY that under DENR safety criteria, the new pond would be too close to their property, and it would be too deep into the water table.
Dave Templeton with the DENR says the pond can and will be built safely.
"Our design criteria are recommended design criteria, not required," says Templeton, "We have no evidence of an aquifer under that site or that would be impacted by his facility."
Jerry Lammers, an attorney for the Brant Lake Sanitary District, says the proposed sanitary pond has met with approval locally and nationally, from the Lake County Commission to the EPA.
"By all accounts, it should improve the situation there considerably," says Lammers.
Lammers says the new pond will have the latest technology to help with containment, but the Krsnaks say they still don't believe it will be safe. Based on a recent assessment they say the current sewage ponds have already lowered their property value by 30%. The couple says they could lose twice that amount- and even their business- with the new pond.
"I'm too old to start over. Everything we have, we put into this place," says Jimmy.
"It is terrifying. You can't even describe how it feels to be threatened in such a way that we have absolutely no control over," says Linda.
The Krsnaks say they have pleaded their case to officials locally and nationally, and they say no one will listen to their concerns.
The DENR is going over the plans to build the sewage pond. Once they approve those plans, building can begin any time.
