AMESBURY — The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services will tour the Tuxbury Pond Campground today after receiving complaints regarding a leaky septic system that could compromise Amesbury's drinking water.
The 70-acre campground situated in South Hampton on its border with Amesbury and Newton, N.H., is seeking to expand by 211 sites. For South Hampton and surrounding towns, there is much to consider, such as noise, pollution and other impacts.
A vote by the town's Planning Board had been delayed because an initial application was incomplete, missing sewer plans for the proposed expansion that were to be submitted to the state for review. That information has since been provided.
At last week's Board of Health meeting in Amesbury, Department of Public Works director Rob Desmarais spoke about the health issues that could affect Amesbury's drinking water should problems with an old septic system in the campground not be addressed.
"As of now, we are looking at the septic plans and maintenance of the existing system and awaiting any enforcement from the State of New Hampshire," said Jack Morris, interim Department of Public Health director for Amesbury. "We are thinking of strategy for how we will deal with this if it turns into a major problem."
Amesbury is most concerned with storm-water management controls, septic system designs for the new units, implications of traffic increases and concerns over basic public safety measures, such as fire and police presence.
With the expansion, South Hampton officials have said the area would more than double the population of the small town in the summer.
Amesbury officials have also raised the issued of runoff from leach fields that could compromise Amesbury's water supply. Others feared below-the-surface rock formations could cause leaching directly into the Tuxbury Pond and the Powow River, which winds past the town's water treatment plant, through downtown and into the Merrimack River.
"The town is watching this closely," Desmarais said, noting he is in close communication with New Hampshire officials. "Their septic system is not functioning properly. There is no immediate danger to our water but it's not something we want to risk."
Desmarais said he will await the results of today's site walk to find out what the next steps are.
"It's really not in our jurisdiction as far as shutting it down or not," he said. "Our only course of action is through the courts. If there is evidence to warrant that, we will pursue it further."
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