HomeMy WebLinkAboutACSA199800002 Correspondence 1998-02-04 rt
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P nn!ng Dept
COMMONWEALTH of VIRQINIA
In Cooperation with the Thomas Jefferson Health District ALBEMARLE—CHARLOTTESVILLE
State Department of Health f FLUVANNA COUNTY(PALMYRA)
1138 Rose Hill Drive GREENE COUNTY(STANARDSVILLE)
Office of Environmental Health LOUISA COUNTY (LOUISA)
Phone (804) 972-6259 P. O. Box 7546 NELSON COUNTY(LOVINGSTON)
FAX (804) 972-4310 Charlottesville, Virginia 22906
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February 4, 1998
Mr.David Benish
Albemarle County Planning Department
401 McIntire Road
Charlottesville,VA 22902-4596
RE: Failing Septic System,Beaver Hill Mobile Park
Dear Mr.Benish:
On December 15, 1997,a complaint was received by the Thomas Jefferson Health District
Environmental Health Office. The complainant stated that there was a failing septic system at the Beaver
Hill Mobile Park,there was sewage on the ground in the drainfield area and wastewater had run downslope
around some of the trailers. On December 17, 1997,I visited the site and investigated the complaint. At
that time I did not note any evidence to substantiate the complaint and documented this information.
On January 5, 1998,I received another call from the complainant,who stated that there was
sewage on the ground from a recent snow melt,and sewage had again been transported into the yards of
some of the trailers. I made a second visit to the site that afternoon and did note what appeared to be
grayish-black wastewater with a sewage odor on the ground,(indicative of a failing drainfield,behind
trailer#17 and upslope from trailers#26 and 27). Although a faint septic odor was noted,there was no
evidence of sewage on the ground around trailers#26 and 27.
As a result of this investigation,I determined that there was sufficient evidence that a violation of
the Commonwealth of Virginia Sewage Handling and Disposal Regulations had occurred. I sent Mr.
Sprouse a certified letter dated January 7, 1998(received January 8, 1998)outlining the circumstances of
the complaint,the fmdings of my investigation,and recommendations to prevent the problem from being
compounded until a repair solution was reached. Along with the letter,I enclosed a repair
application,which I instructed him to complete and return to the Environmental Health office by January
20, 1998. The Environmental Health office received his completed repair application by January 20, 1998
and I met with Mr. Sprouse and his contractor,Mr.Buddy Snead,at the site on January 27, 1998. As per a
telephone conversation I had with Mr. Sprouse in the interim between sending him the letter and this site
visit,he was having the septic tank serving the failing drainfield pumped out on a regular basis to prevent
any effluent from reaching the failing drainfield. According to Mr. Sprouse and Mr. Snead,this septic tank
and the failing drainfield currently service three trailers at the site. We looked over the extent of the failure
and discussed possibilities for repairing it.
Based upon several factors and conversations with experienced environmental health personnel
familiar with Beaver Hill Mobile Park,such as William Craun and Dwayne Roadcap,we have concluded
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that the only viable option to correct the failing drainfield(and future drainfield failures)is to connect to
the public sewer main,which apparently runs adjacent to the site along Route 240. The most obvious
factor is a lack of usable area in the vicinity of the trailers themselves. Presently,the existing drainfields
for the trailers in the park have exhausted the usable area in their immediate vicinity. As a result the only
area available for repairs is in excess of several hundred yards from the current failure and the general area
of the trailers themselves. Utilizing this area would be logistically prohibitive,and would pose Mr. Sprouse
with a significant fmancial expense. Also,this would only be a temporary solution because the area
eventually would become exhausted as the existing drainfields progressively failed.
The original drainfields at the site are in excess of 30 years old. On the average,a properly
installed drainfield handling the daily sewage flow for which it was designed,can be expected to last
approximately 20 to 25 years. The drainfields at the site have already lasted beyond that which can
reasonably be expected. As a result,because the drainfields at the site are of similar age and design,placed
in similar soils,and handling similar sewage flows,it can be safely assumed that there will be more similar
failures in the near future. According to William Craun,this is the third drainfield failure at the site in the
last five years. There is not enough available/usable area at the site to replace all of the drainfields as they
fail. Connection to public sewer will not only facilitate a rapid and sound solution to repairing eventual
drainfield failures at the site,but at the same time will increase public health protection. This will impact
not only the people living at the site,but may also decrease the possibility of contamination of the Beaver
Creek Reservoir,as the Beaver Hill Mobile Park is located in this Water Resources Management Area.
The current drainfield failure has already resulted in the discharge of sewage onto the ground. The
regular pumping out of the septic tank and the application of lime on the affected area are only temporary
solutions. This problem is only going to get worse with time,especially with the wet winter season we
have had and the additional rain we can expect in the spring. A sound and timely solution are critical to the
protection of public health not only in this instance,but in the similar situations we can expect in the future.
It is for these reasons that we are requesting that this site be considered for connection to public sewer.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. Should you have any additional questions or
comments,please do not hesitate to call.
Sincerely,�( L4
Jack D.McClelland
Environmental Health Specialist Senior
Pc: Mr.E.A.Sprouse
Dwayne Roadcap,Senior Technical Consultant