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Health district tells Old Lyme WPCA when septic repairs can be limited if sewer hookup is imminent
Summary
Ledge Light Health District clarified that local health can approve temporary or partial septic repairs if a property's sewer connection will be active within 12 months, but otherwise full public‑health repair standards apply; officials also reviewed failure definitions and enforcement tools.
Jen Lajoie, director of health at Ledge Light Health District, told the Old Lyme Water Pollution Control Authority on Thursday that the district enforces Connecticut’s public health code for on‑site subsurface sewage systems but does not approve public sewer projects.
"We consider public sewers to be a public‑health advancement," Lajoie said, noting the district’s responsibilities focus on septic systems — investigating failures, approving repair plans and applying technical standards. She said the district serves nine towns, including Old Lyme, and has environmental health, community health and public‑health preparedness teams.
Lajoie said the technical standards allow the director to consider temporary or partial repairs when a property will definitely be connected to public sewer within 12 months. "If it's going to be outside of 12 months…we have to hold the repair standard to the public‑health full code," she said.
She defined a failure as sewage surfacing or a backup into the house and described typical responses: neighbor complaints or hauler reports trigger an investigation, which may include site walks, soil testing and coordination with a licensed septic installer. "We are investigators," Lajoie said.
On enforcement, Lajoie described a graduated process: investigators and the director work with property owners to keep sewage off the ground, issue public‑health orders with deadlines when needed, and — if the owner fails to comply — pursue next steps that could include legal action through housing prosecutors. She said deeming a dwelling unfit and extreme removal actions are rare but possible.
Cheryl (environmental health team) and Lajoie also explained jurisdictional thresholds: local health covers systems under roughly 2,000 gallons per day, the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) reviews larger systems, and the state environmental agency (referred to in the meeting as DEEP or DEP) generally oversees systems at higher flows or defined community systems.
The district recommended the WPCA consult DPH/DEEP on groundwater monitoring and lab testing protocols for wells and long‑term monitoring because those activities and permit parameters often fall under the state agencies’ jurisdiction.
Lajoie offered to share technical contacts at the state health department for ordinance review and recommended towns seeking to tighten pump‑out or cesspool rules ask the state to review proposed ordinance language before adoption.
Next steps: Ledge Light will provide contacts for state review and the WPCA said it will consider suggested ordinance changes and follow up on specific properties and testing questions.
