North Elba approves changes to septic law

LAKE PLACID | Last week, the town board unanimously approved an amendment to its local septic system law to help better protect Lake Placid Lake from exposure to excess nutrients and pollutants. "The Town of North Elba found that the occurrence of such nutrients and pollutants is increased by the presence of inadequately functioning septic systems proximate to Lake Placid Lake and the brooks and streams feeding the lake," said Code Enforcement Official Darci Whitney in a previous interview. "In addition, such septic systems are more likely to be a threat to public health, with particularly acute impacts upon the general public through impairing and contaminating precious ecological resources of the town [...] and rendering drinking water unsafe." The original law required septic system inspections every five years for a seasonal home and every three years for a full-time residency. However, this amendment requires an inspection to be completed before the sale of a property, unless the last inspection took place within the previous year. The amendment also states that all properties must be inspected by a licensed professional engineer or someone else designated by the town board under the oversight of the Code Enforcement Office. In cases where the property is inaccessible during the time of sale, such as during the winter, the seller and buyer must have a signed, legally binding agreement stating that the property will be inspected after the sale. All inspections may include a septic tank pump or dye test; the cost of the inspection will be the responsibility of the property owner. Examples of a failed septic inspection include discharge of effluent to the ground's surface, direct pipe surface discharge of gray water, and backup of sewage into the building. Those who fail to comply with local law will be issued a violation notice by the Code Enforcement Office and may face a fine of up to $950, up to 15 days of imprisonment, or both. "The parts that we're looking to change are really to clarify the language in our existing 2019 law," Whitney said. "We're essentially just adding more clarification to make it more uniform." This local law (known as the "Lake Placid Lake Septic System Inspection Law" that was first adopted in 2019) applies to all property owners with a septic system on Lake Placid Lake, which is about 100 households, owned mainly by seasonal residents, said Whitney. The amended version, with changes highlighted, can be viewed on the town's website. For more information or updates, visit northelba.villageoflakeplacid.ny.gov. "We're hoping for voluntary compliance. We want everyone to take responsibility for their systems," Whitney said. "And if it's not up to today's standards, we want to help work towards a solution to achieve that."

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North Elba approves changes to septic law

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