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Harbor and Environment

Rockport rule: oldest septic tight tanks need inspection every 3 years

A new Rockport Board of Health rule: tight tanks 30 years or older need a full Title 5 inspection every three years, about $517. Enforcement starts June 1.

Side by side drawing. Left: a regular septic system, where wastewater flows from a house into a tank and out to a drain field in the ground. Right: a tight tank, a sealed tank with no drain field, emptied by a pump truck.
A regular septic system drains into the ground. A tight tank holds everything until a truck pumps it out. Illustration: Cape Ann Current illustration
Rockport

By Ana Lucia · Monday, October 19How we work

Trust Check: Checked against public records

Rockport homes with an old septic tight tank will need a full state septic inspection every three years. The Board of Health approved the rule 4 to 0 on Thursday, Oct. 15.

The Board of Health sets local rules to protect public health, including septic rules. This one is meant to catch old tanks that crack and leak sewage into the ground and groundwater.

18tight tanks on the town's list
1home that has to comply right away
Every 3 yearsa full state septic inspection, once a tank is 30 years old
$517average cost of that inspection

What happened

A tight tank is a holding tank. It has no drain field, so it holds all of a home's wastewater until a truck pumps it out. The state allows them only as a last resort. Rockport's health director told the board that older concrete tanks break down over time in acidic soil. Until now, neither the state septic code, called Title 5, nor the town had a rule for checking that a tank is still sound.

The board held a public hearing on the rule at an earlier meeting. Since then, one main thing changed. The draft first called for a quick visual check. Now it calls for a full Title 5 inspection by a certified inspector. The health director said most pumping companies only offer the full inspection, so owners will find it easier to book.

Vice Chair Ron Newman asked if that meant another hearing. The health director said no, since the three year schedule and the penalties did not change.

What it costs an owner

In the health director's example, a two bedroom home lived in all year needs pumping about every seven weeks, at about $500 a time, or about $3,700 a year. A $517 inspection every three years adds about $172 a year, a 4.65% increase.

Figures from the health director's slides, Oct. 15. Another slide put pumping at $300 to $450 a visit.

Who it affects

The town knows of 18 tight tanks. The oldest on record went in the ground in 1987, so that home is the only one that has to follow the rule right away. The others join as their tanks turn 30. Newman asked if there could be older tanks the town does not know about. The health director said some may turn up as systems fail.

If an inspection finds a problem, the owner will have no more than one year to fix it. State rules can allow two. In places that are sensitive for the environment, the board can set a shorter deadline.

Also at the meeting

  • New health agent: The board welcomed Carolyn Damato-MacPherson, the town's new part time health agent.
  • Opioid settlement money: Dominique Hurley, Gloucester's public health director, said Rockport pays $30,000 a year into a $300,000 a year program shared with Gloucester and Ipswich. Chair Barbara McCarthy said the town wants to be sure it gets value for the $60,000 it has put in.
  • Tobacco rule: The town's nicotine free generation rule, which bars tobacco sales to people born after a set date, starts Jan. 1. Letters and signs are ready for the two stores it affects.

What happens next

The road ahead for tight tank owners

  1. Letters go outThe health department will send each owner a copy of the new rule.
  2. SpringOwners get time to book inspections after the ground thaws.
  3. June 1The town begins enforcing the rule.

As described at the Oct. 15 meeting. The rule takes effect right away.

The board meets next on Thursday, Nov. 19, in person on the second floor of the Community House, to review its year. It sets 2027 goals on Monday, Dec. 14, on the first floor.

How you can take part: Board of Health meetings are open to the public, with two public comment periods. When the chair calls on you, you may speak once for up to two minutes in each. Agendas are posted on the town's website.

Earlier coverage: Rockport boards this week (Oct. 12) previewed this meeting's agenda.

How we did this: Cape Ann Current watched the meeting online and checked names against the agenda and the board's roster. This story was produced with the help of AI tools and checked against the documents listed below. If you see an error, tell us at [email protected].

Sources

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