From Septic Tanks to Sewers, Unincorporated Bloomington Lands $1.092 Million for Public Health and Growth

Hundreds of Bloomington residents will soon have the opportunity to move away from aging septic tanks and connect to a modern sewer system, a shift officials say will significantly improve public health, protect groundwater and enhance quality of life across the historic community.

The transformation is being driven by a $1.092 million federal earmark secured by Congressman Pete Aguilar and presented Jan. 17 at the Bloomington Public Library, funding critical sewer infrastructure that will allow homes to connect to centralized wastewater lines for the first time.

For many Bloomington families, septic tanks have been a costly and burdensome necessity for decades, requiring ongoing maintenance and posing risks when systems age or fail.

“You have to call, you have to get it cleaned, you have to get it changed,” Aguilar said. “For some of these properties, if they’ve had septic for 50 to 60 years, that tank is nearing its end of use. So this allows them the ability to tie into the mainline sewer system and really help with a quality of life and peace of mind.”

A septic tank is a buried, watertight container designed to collect and partially treat household wastewater on-site. While common in older or rural communities not connected to municipal sewer systems, aging septic infrastructure can allow contaminants, including nitrates, to enter groundwater supplies.

San Bernardino County Supervisor Joe Baca Jr. said transitioning to sewer infrastructure represents a critical public health and environmental improvement for Bloomington residents.

“One of the things that’s very, very important is the health and welfare of our residents,” Baca said. “People don’t realize when people are on septic tanks, what it does, it causes pollutants, nitrates into the drinking water or contamination. But this could improve safety, it could also improve economic development for those that want to come in.”

Beyond environmental and health benefits, the project will give residents access to infrastructure long considered standard in newer communities.

“It really brings a better system for our residences,” Baca said. “People generally don’t understand the difference between septic and sewer. But having sewers is a better quality of life for residents.”

The funding will help construct trunk sewer lines — the backbone infrastructure required to allow homes and businesses to connect to a centralized system. Once completed, residents will have the option to convert away from septic tanks, reducing maintenance burdens and improving long-term property stability.

“This will allow for future connections,” Baca said. “Because it is an underserved community, it will qualify for many state grants. So this will create future opportunities for our residents.”

Aguilar said the project addresses long-standing infrastructure needs while positioning Bloomington for future residential and economic growth.

“It’s a priority because public health is public safety,” Aguilar said. “Creating this infrastructure where people can convert away from septic into the main sewer program is better for public health, it’s better for our groundwater, it’s better for economic development, and it’s better for these residents.”

Reliable sewer access is also considered essential infrastructure for attracting new housing and commercial investment, removing barriers that can delay or prevent development.

“The more we can invest and the more that we can do ourselves in creating these backbone systems, then when new construction comes, new residential construction or new commercial development, they just plug and play,” Aguilar said. “And that is important, so they can move quickly and so we can benefit from that economic development.”

Construction on initial phases of the sewer expansion is expected to begin within weeks, according to Aguilar, continuing San Bernardino County’s broader efforts to modernize infrastructure in underserved communities.

The investment will benefit both future development and longtime residents, many of whom have maintained septic systems for generations.

“Bloomington is a historic and amazing community,” Aguilar said. “Hundreds of families will now have that option, allowing them that opportunity to plug into the mainline sewer system is very beneficial to them, and it could extend the livelihood of their home and of their property and increase the value of their property.”

Officials said the transition represents more than an infrastructure upgrade — it marks a foundational shift in Bloomington’s future, improving health, stability and opportunity while bringing long-awaited modernization to a community that has relied on septic systems for decades.