Date: Fri 10-May-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

Blue-Colony-Diner-septic

Full Text:

Septic System Malfunction Raises A Stink On Church Hill Road

B Y A NDREW G OROSKO

Responding to an anonymous report of a strong odor of sewage, Newtown Hook and

Ladder firefighters at 5:25 pm on May 4 went to the Blue Colony Diner on

Church Hill Road.

They learned that the foul smell emanated from septic system liquid wastes

being discharged from the diner into a drainage ditch.

The firefighters stayed for about 30 minutes, but Health Director Mark Cooper,

who had been called in to investigate, stayed at the scene.

Mr Cooper said he told the diner proprietor Efihios Marneoakis to call a

licensed septage hauler to remedy the problem, which Mr Marneoakis did

immediately.

Mr Cooper explained that the diner, a popular eatery next to Interstate-84,

uses an overflow style septic system in which septic waste is pumped from the

building to the back of a rear parking lot where it then drains back down

toward the diner through leaching fields. Any effluent that hasn't been

absorbed by the leaching fields then flows into an overflow tank. The overflow

tank is regularly pumped out by a septage hauler.

Mr Cooper explained that a sump pump was used to pump excess wastewater from

the overflow tank into the basement of the restaurant where the sewage was

then diverted by someone into a drainage pipe that leads to an exposed

drainage ditch between the restaurant and the Amoco gas station. That ditch

leads to the Church Hill Road storm sewer system which eventually feeds into a

tributary of the Pootatuck River.

Mr Cooper estimates that about 100-200 gallons of liquid wastewater got into

the drainage ditch. He said it's unclear if any sewage got into the Pootatuck

River. He said he doesn't expect the discharge will hurt the Pootatuck, adding

that much of it soaked into the ground.

Mr Cooper said he doesn't expect the incident will cause any long-term

environmental damage.

Because the septic system used by the diner is regulated by the state

Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Mr Cooper called that agency.

"We were all very surprised that this occurred at this location. Over the last

ten years, (the diner has) done a very good job of keeping the (septic) system

operating the way it should," Mr Cooper said.

The liquid sewage which made its way to the drainage ditch had an intense foul

odor, Mr Cooper said.

Mr Cooper said the cause of the flooded septic system may have been high

groundwater levels and too much water being sent down drains in the diner.

George Marneoakis, who is Efihios's son, said a switch on the septic system

broke and his father went out to get a replacement part and the overflow

occurred.

Joe Wettemann, a DEP senior sanitary engineer, said he expects to receive a

report on the sewage incident from Mr Cooper. DEP officials will review the

case and determine what steps to take, he said.

Mr Wettemann said that over the years Efihios Marneoakis has been very

conscientious about maintaining the septic system, adding he was surprised to

get a call about a sewage problem at the diner.

After the town's sewer system is in operation in late 1997, the diner will

connect to it for a permanent waste disposal solution.