Bridgton board leans toward requiring public sewer, not engineered community septic

Shannon reviewed LD2173’s updated statutory language and recommended adding a clear definition of "public sewer system" to the town ordinance because the ordinance references public sewer in many places. She said LD273 removed earlier permissive language that had allowed engineered or "comparable" sewer systems for some developments.

"My suggestion to the board is to just add the definition of public sewer system to section 9‑3 of the land use ordinance," Shannon said, noting it would help clarify several sections that currently reference public sewer. Members raised concerns about community septic systems, with Kathy pointing to treatment standards: "Public sewer systems are required by law to meet what they call secondary treatment standards and engineered systems of subsurface are not required to meet secondary treatment standards," she said, arguing that public sewer is more protective of water resources.

Board conversation focused on tradeoffs: engineered community septic systems can work if well‑maintained (through HOAs), but they carry risks of neglect and failure. Several members, including Maggie and Kathy, preferred limiting the ordinance to public sewer to protect water quality and better align with safety and infrastructure goals. The board reached consensus to move forward adopting the more restrictive definition and to consider related edits in subdivision language to preserve incentives for development served by public utilities.