Winnipesaukee Forum - View Single Post - Cruiser wakes or seeping septic systems???

ApS · 06-12-2007, 05:31 AM

I can't speak to island properties, except that some still have outhouses! (Though they may actually be better than "septics", depending...)

Non-existant runoff control uphill washed my neighbor's entire 1940s-era system into the lake in a July 2000 thunderstorm. Good riddance, as the tank's location was revealed by the storm's runoff and discovered to be only 20' from the lake.

My other neighbor sold out to a spec-builder (in the "used-house" business—no offense to Realtors®) who installed a new house adjacent—but right in the middle of the old septic system! Town-approved, both share a new drilled well, and both pump effluent into the existing house's new field. That new field has a continuous, but mostly odorless, trickle around its periphery. Once occupied for the season—and depending on the wind direction—suspicious odors waft my way: the Health Department is happy—what's left for me to do?

Uphill—where the lack of runoff-control begins, a developer has put in a septic system to service 20 yet-to-be-built homes. It abuts an immense rock ledge, which is unlikely to provide good leaching capacity. The system's several "lollipops" can be easily seen from Winter Harbor, which has a single small outlet to The Broads for dilution. Algae clumps are a problem in Winter Harbor, where only a minority of lakefront homes have grassy lawns.

IMHO, "slap-dash septics" may be the reason that NH wishes to extend its oversight beyond ~200' from the lake, and not leave it up to the respective Town inspectors and Health Departments.

BTW: A distant lake I frequent requests a pumpout "every three years".

I'd like to see a pumpout requirement upon the sale of every lakefront home—in addition to "an inspection". There's an adequate turnover of lakefront homes to justify this requirement.

06-12-2007, 05:31 AM	#5
ApS Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Florida (Sebring & Keys), Wolfeboro Posts: 5,941 Thanks: 2,214 Thanked 778 Times in 554 Posts	Oh, the troubles I have seen... I can't speak to island properties, except that some still have outhouses! (Though they may actually be better than "septics", depending...) Non-existant runoff control uphill washed my neighbor's entire 1940s-era system into the lake in a July 2000 thunderstorm. Good riddance, as the tank's location was revealed by the storm's runoff and discovered to be only 20' from the lake. My other neighbor sold out to a spec-builder (in the "used-house" business—no offense to Realtors®) who installed a new house adjacent—but right in the middle of the old septic system! Town-approved, both share a new drilled well, and both pump effluent into the existing house's new field. That new field has a continuous, but mostly odorless, trickle around its periphery. Once occupied for the season—and depending on the wind direction—suspicious odors waft my way: the Health Department is happy—what's left for me to do? Uphill—where the lack of runoff-control begins, a developer has put in a septic system to service 20 yet-to-be-built homes. It abuts an immense rock ledge, which is unlikely to provide good leaching capacity. The system's several "lollipops" can be easily seen from Winter Harbor, which has a single small outlet to The Broads for dilution. Algae clumps are a problem in Winter Harbor, where only a minority of lakefront homes have grassy lawns. IMHO, "slap-dash septics" may be the reason that NH wishes to extend its oversight beyond ~200' from the lake, and not leave it up to the respective Town inspectors and Health Departments. BTW: A distant lake I frequent requests a pumpout "every three years". I'd like to see a pumpout requirement upon the sale of every lakefront home—in addition to "an inspection". There's an adequate turnover of lakefront homes to justify this requirement. __________________ Is it "Common Sense" isn't.