Northwest Ohio County Condemns Two Amish Houses

Over the pleas of the local Amish community, a northwest Ohio health board is going ahead with plans to condemn two newly constructed Amish homes because they don't have required septic systems for their outhouses. More than 100 Amish turned out Tuesday night to ask the Kenton-Hardin County Board of Health to reconsider the condemnation order, which requires that the homes be brought into compliance or the families move out. Until now, the 200 or so Amish families in Hardin County have never been made to comply with well and septic rules. But last June, local officials said they would no longer ignore violations at new homes. The rules require concrete, watertight pits under outhouses and the waste pumped out.