Septic Maintenance Information
The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, a division of the Agency of Natural Resources, provides valuable information and resources for home owners about the maintenance and upgrading of septic systems. Greensboro does not have a municipal waste water treatment facility, and as such, all homes and businesses are individually responsible for the upkeep of their treatment systems.
For basic information on the state’s recommended guidelines for the construction, replacement, and maintenance of these systems, visit here:
https://dec.vermont.gov/sites/dec/files/wsm/lakes/Lakewise/docs/LP_BMPSepticSystemPrimer.pdf
In addition, the DEC provides a wealth of valuable information through its Lake Wise Vermont Lakeshore Management Program on best management practices to help lakefront property owners be good stewards of our Greensboro lakes. Visit the DEC website here for details:
https://dec.vermont.gov/watershed/lakes-ponds/lakeshores-lake-wise/bmp
I seem to have come back to ideas for the GA to implement that serve to protect the lake quality.
May I strongly suggest that the GA maintain its vision on protection of the lake quality and how that serves the economic development of the area. There has recently been published a huge study about the impact on water clarity on economic vitality. They were able to put dollar values on home prices, tax revenues, businesses, employment numbers, etc. in relation to water clarity—there is a direct relationship between summer expenditures for every meter decline in water clarity. The drop in seasonal home value was 37% for every one meter drop in water clarity. 3% for year round, single family homes.
An idea for the GA would be to encourage the GA, with their tax protected funds, to create a loan fund for lakeshore homeowners to replace their septics. This contributes to everybody’s well being and may serve to incentivize folks to risk asking the question.