Board OKs septic upgrade at 135 Staple Shore with conditions after abutter concerns over pipe crossing

The Town of Lakeville Board of Health approved the subsurface sewage disposal system upgrade for 135 Staple Shore on Wednesday, granting 17 requested local upgrade approvals and variances but adding conditions addressing an abutter's concerns about an existing force-main crossing.

Zenith Consulting Engineers' Jamie Bissonette told the board the design uses a bottomless sand filter with an Advantex AX20 unit and time-dose technology to provide denitrification and advanced treatment. Bissonette said the proposal also reduces permitted bedroom count for the house from three to two and replaces an existing tight tank with the new system. "This will give denitrification and and treatment. It's based on time dose technology," Bissonette said.

Abutter Roger Eldridge told the board he and his wife were "very concerned" because the proposed work would cross the pipe associated with their system and run across property near their lot. Eldridge asked that the board require protections and remediation if his system were damaged. "We're concerned about the line being crossed. Our septic system has been in place for 25 years," Eldridge said.

Engineer Jamie Bissonette and owner Richard Clayton (the applicant) described measures intended to reduce risk to the abutter's line: use of flowable fill around the crossing to prevent settlement, compacted trenching, on-site inspections by the health agent and the engineer before backfilling, and documentation with photographs. Bissonette said: "...we specify in that area to be backfilled with flowable fill around the pipes. That will stop it from settling so that we won't be getting calls, because the soil compacted and put pressure on the pipe break."

After extended discussion, the board added conditions requiring: a preconstruction meeting with the health agent to coordinate traffic, emergency access and notifications (including the fire department); inspection and photographic documentation at the time the crossing is backfilled; flowable-fill placement at the crossing; and an agreement that the installer/owner will warranty and repair any damage to the abutter's pipe at that crossing for six months after final inspection. Clayton and his attorney, Bob Mather, indicated willingness to provide these assurances and to include a contractor warranty as part of the permit conditions.

The application also noted a reduction in bedroom allowance at the property from three to two and referenced prior soil testing and assessor records; conservation commission review had occurred and a file number issued after that commission meeting, Bissonette said. The board recorded no change to the approved treatment technology but requested vendor confirmations where equipment dimensions (low-profile tank details) were unclear.

The motion to approve the upgrade with the 17 local upgrades and the stated conditions passed by aye votes. The board recorded further follow-up tasks: preconstruction meeting scheduling, documentation of the crossing location, vendor/manufacturer confirmation where tank dimensions are in question, and requirement that the contractor include a six-month warranty or written agreement prior to issuance of the construction/works permit.