Tiverton Waterfront Residents Are Being Told To Inspect Septics

Nearly 700 waterfront property owners in Tiverton are being told they must inspect their septic systems by March 15. Tiverton's is mailing out letters to that effect this week.

According to Leroy Kendricks, chairman of the Wastewater Management Commission, and John Lincourt, department superintendent, the owners of about 663 lots slated will receive these letters. Kendricks said effected properties are in the north end of Tiverton, along the shore of Mt Hope Bay. This area includes the Riverside Drive neighborhood, the Bay, and all the neighborhoods north to the state line in Fall River.

The letter says property owner must contact one of the town's approved septic inspectors (see attached list). Depending on the property and paperwork involved, Lincourt said inspections range from a low of about $75 to a high of about $150.

Inspectors will be recording baseline information on how the septic system is used, as well as the age, size, type, function and structural condition of the system. They will also assess pumping and routine maintenance schedules.

"This is just an inspection just to get a database to where we're at for wastewater management in that area," Kendricks said, noting some folks may have cell pools or failed septic systems that have not been inspectied in more than a decade. "We think that, [with] the pure nature that nothing's been done, or looked at, before this time, that we suspect there's some issues over there. But we have no way to quantify them after inspections should be completed."

In 2006 the town passed an ordinance allowing the Wastewater Management Commission to schedule inspections of all the town’s septic systems. They plan to complete it after 2014. The town is also looking to hook up more residents to a municipal sewer system. So far, the neighborhoods around Stafford Pond and the Nanaquaket Pond watershed have been inspected.

The data from the waterfront inspections will be given to the engineering consultant who, through a request-for-proposal, will provided the town with a facilties report for the entire town and make some recommendations.

A was held on Oct. 1 at by the commission to inform residents of the inspection program and provide general information on today's septic systems. Lincourt said they had more than 60 residents attend, and Kendricks was pleased with the level of interest.

"They felt like we were trying to give them the right information," he said. "There’s a certain amount of wariness."

Kendricks added that the seminar sparked groups of residents stating they want to get their systems updated and completed before 2014, in the manner of a common solution rather than each individual doing their own thing.

For more information, visit the department's website or call them at 401-625-6701. A draft copy of the letter is attached here.