Information About the Pirie Property Soil and Percolation Testing

To the Citizens of Hamilton 

The following is information to be found in the Pirie Property folder at the Town of Hamilton Board of Health.  It is being made available by me so citizens will have some additional facts to help them decide how to vote on the purchase of the property. 

I have not made my own decision as of yet and will present only facts or statements found in the folder, not my opinion.  I am not an engineer of any kind and have no expertise in the areas of septic, waste water or percolation, etc. 

1.  There is a memo dated May 15, 2013, from Lindle Willnow, BOH Chair which was to be read to the BOS meeting of May 16.  It states, among other things, that:

a) The Pirie property development “must adhere to the requirements of 310 CMR 15.000: THE STATE ENVIRONMENTAL CODE, TITLE 5”, and

b) “Given the potential size of the development and the volume of wastewater possibly generated, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) may have to approve the planned wastewater disposals system per Title V, rather than the Board of Health.”

2.  On August 5, 2011, Preventative Septic of Hamilton performed four sewage disposal examinations under Title V.  Three passed,  one each at the main house, office house and a horse stable.

The fourth at an unknown location did not pass because of “backup”. 

There was a note on the document specifying a retest but no indication of a retest.

3.  On August 2, 2004, C.G. Johnson Engineering, Inc. Of So. Hamilton,  filed a Form 11 - Soil Evaluation Form for 639 Bay Road, which is on the south side of the access road and Bay Road.  Comments were:

a) “Soil Limitations    Severe:  poor filter      Merrimac Fine sandy loam

b) This was for “Deep Hole Number    T-1”

c) Page 5 indicates the site, P-1 at T-1 Passed the percolation test.

There may also have been a test at 645 Bay Road, but I may have missed it. 

It is indicated on the map, drawing of page 6.

4.  In May, 1997, Ja-BY Engineering of Topsfield, MA did a “Soil Suitability Assessment for On-Site Sewage Disposal”.  It seemed that a number of test holes were dug.  The results page indicates that:

a) The site passed

b) “By observation, test hole logs indicate ‘sand’ will percolation test better  than 2 minutes per inch.”

c) “The soils in the areas that were tested were either very good or very poor.

Septic systems should be placed in areas that have ‘sand’ soil textures.

Additional testing may be required when final lot lines, septic system size and dwelling locations are determined.”

Richard Boroff

South Hamilton