LAKE PLACID — The North Elba Town Council passed an amendment to the septic law on Tuesday which clarifies the language requiring all owners of properties proximate to Lake Placid to have their septic systems inspected by a qualified engineer before closing on a sale of the property.

This is in addition to inspections that are already required every five years for seasonal properties and every three years for year-round properties. The amendment also specifies that the systems need to be inspected by a “licensed professional engineer” who will perform inspections under the oversight of the Code Enforcement Office.

Darci Whitney, a code enforcement official for the town and village, said these inspections were already required, but the language was ambiguous and caused some confusion. The new language in the law is meant to keep both buyers and sellers of properties accountable for keeping septic systems up-to-date.

“We are looking for the property owners to be responsible and take care of their systems and be responsible for their own systems,” Whitney said. “If they know that something is leaking or something isn’t right, we would like voluntary compliance as opposed to an inspection drumming up some violations.”

In the event that a property is sold during a time when inspections can’t be performed, such as during the winter, the law requires both parties to sign an agreement as to who will be responsible for paying for any needed upgrades and when the work will be done.

The law will go into effect once it is received and filed by the secretary of state, in an estimated 30 days. The text of the law with the proposed amendment can be viewed in the public notices page on the town’s website, or at tinyurl.com/3esuayxj.

–

Ruisseaumont sewer project

–

The town council held a public hearing Tuesday for extensive work planned for the sewer main along Ruisseaumont Way, which no members of the public attended to comment.

The project cost is estimated to be $5.42 million. The town has already received a $3.75 million grant for the project from the state Department of Environmental Conservation’s WQIP program. According to the resolutions passed on Tuesday, the town intends to apply for additional grants and for financing through the state Environmental Facilities Corporation.

The Ruisseaumont project is a joint effort between the village of Lake Placid and the town. On Tuesday, the town completed the process to assume the role of lead agency. They will continue working with the engineering firm Suozzo, Doty and Associates, which has already done extensive work on studies and preparing for the project.

The bulk of the sewer main will be rehabilitated using a “cure-in-place pipe lining method,” according to the language of the resolution, with select locations needing more extensive repairs and replacement. Town Supervisor Derek Doty said there is still a lot of work that needs to be done to finalize plans, and Tuesday’s meeting was just the next step toward eventually breaking ground on the project.