GLOCESTER – Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management Office of Compliance & Inspection has fined the owner of a Glocester home $2,200 for failure to comply with regulations governing wastewater disposal, in a notice of violation documenting awareness of the issue dating back to April of 2022.
Sharon Meehan, the owner of a property at 325 Saw Mill Road has been ordered to immediately take steps to reduce the discharge sewage from the home, and to pay the fine within 30 days. If the homeowner fails to comply with the order, additional fines will be levied, with each day out of compliance to constitute a separate offense, according to RIDEM.
According to a notice filed with the town clerk’s office, an inspector first visited the home in 2022 following a complaint, and observed wastewater being discharged onto the surface of the ground due to failure of the onsite wastewater treatment system, along with associated odors. RIDEM notified the homeowner of their intent to enforce compliance with regulations, but reportedly received no response.
In the violation notice issued on Wednesday, Feb. 14 and signed by Administrator David Chopy, Meehan was ordered to cease use of laundry washing on the property and provide a written response with a permanent solution within 30 days. Any repairs or modifications will require RIDEM approval, and work must commence within 20 days after a plan is approved.
The fines include $1,000 for discharge of wastewater on the ground surface and $1,000 for failure to submit a repair plan, both considered major offenses. Meehan was charged an additional $200 for the cost of septic system pumping as a means to remove the economic benefit from noncompliance.
Town property records state the single-family home on the property was built in 1961, and was sold to Meehan for $228,000 in 2017.
