Time to fix OL septic problems

Living near Old Lyme's only public waterfront on Long Island Sound has been a mixed blessing for Sound View Beach neighbors. They enjoy the proximity of swimming and boating, but also have to put up with heavy traffic, crowds and noise from bars on summer weekends.

Residents often have complained about street congestion - even persuading officials to reduce the size of parking lots, increase fees and make some roads one-way - and have requested additional police patrols to combat drinking-related problems.

At the same time, many of these same residents have been ignoring, or at least attempting to avoid, a more serious concern: failing septic systems.

State officials have been trying to correct this problem for decades, and in 1982 the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection ordered the town to stop polluting groundwater, surface water and tidal water. The state issued similar mandates to other shoreline municipalities, and many complied.

Last year the neighboring town of East Lyme approved sewers for the Pine Grove beach community; to the west on the other side of the Connecticut River, Old Saybrook voted to authorize improvements to local septic systems.

But in Old Lyme, many appear to be resisting the order, as was the case the other night, when Sound View residents expressed concern about proposed changes to the town's sewage disposal ordinance.

The town Water Pollution Control Authority wants to ban ineffective cesspools and steel septic systems, and require the replacement of undersized septic tanks. This is not just a reasonable proposal, but a necessary one for public health and environmental reasons. Such upgrades are long overdue.

But some residents want more studies and suggest construction of a sewage treatment plant might be a better alternative. The town has balked at this concept, adopting a no-sewer policy.

Seasonal residents also have said it is unfair that the town might require them to make expensive septic system upgrades when they only live in town a few months a year. We see this as a potential stalling tactic.

The town has scheduled another informational meeting on the subject for Aug. 17, and the ordinance would still need approval by a town meeting.

We think the process has dragged on for far too long. To borrow from a common expression, it's time for Old Lyme to get off the pot.