Ossipee officials cite long compliance history for town-owned dam, seek engineered temporary fix and PFAS monitoring

Town officials told the board that a recent inspection and a review of archival correspondence show recurring compliance concerns for a town-owned dam dating back decades. The speaker said the dam was conveyed to the town in 1987 and that a 1988 letter asked for a mutually agreed schedule for repair and warned the state could seek maximum civil penalties if the town did not act.

"There's actually a newspaper article in here that says in here that the letter asked for a mutually agreed schedule for the repair of the dam by reach by June 3rd. If the town does not act, the state will seek maximum civil penalties," the speaker summarized while describing the record. The town said GZA (the engineering firm) is preparing engineered plans for a temporary fix so the town can return approximately six feet of water before winter and avoid waterline freeze issues.

Officials also reported that the Department of Environmental Services (DES) will monitor the mixing pits that feed into the leach beds and will sample solids at the pump station for PFAS. The monitoring is intended to determine if PFAS levels are present in the town's wastewater-handling areas; the town said it was coordinating with state officials and expects to receive GZA's recommendations for both temporary and long-term remediation.

Board members emphasized that a longer-term decision ' whether to repair, fully reconstruct or remove the dam ' will require a formal engineering study and possible appropriations at a future town meeting. The speaker said the town may seek to contract the same vendor for both of the town's dams to obtain pricing advantages when a more extensive repair is scheduled.

Next steps: the town will review GZA's engineering plan for a temporary fix, proceed with DES monitoring for PFAS, and if needed present an engineering-study appropriation for a future town meeting or budget cycle.