FOSTORIA | Unequal treatment of properties and public mains – Proposal to City Council

Sara DeHaven, a Fostoria real estate broker and law student, has submitted a detailed written comment opposing the city’s proposed Ordinance 1357.07 on inspection and disclosure of lead or galvanized water service lines. DeHaven’s proposal urges city leaders to withdraw the ordinance and replace it with an evidence‑based, homeowner‑fair approach that guarantees safe drinking water without destabilizing the local housing market. Below is 1 section from the proposal highlighting concerns about water. 

Unequal treatment of properties and public mains

DeHaven’s proposal also highlights what she calls the “public health paradox” built into the ordinance’s exemptions. While the measure purports to protect residents from lead, DeHaven says it excludes key categories of buildings where people gather—such as schools, restaurants, and commercial sites—and focuses instead on private residential owners.

This, DeHaven argues, undermines the public safety justification and raises fairness concerns for homeowners who would be uniquely burdened.

In a later section, DeHaven insists that before imposing new requirements on property owners, the city should guarantee that its own public water mains are lead‑free and accept responsibility for any contamination originating from those mains.

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