Septic firm leaves stink

(12/22) The return of a banished septic company has left the Hamiltonban Board with a big stink.

SR Daley Sons Septic Service was a septic pumping firm that previously did business for the Township and performed inadequate pumping and did not submit reports, according to Township Solicitor Matthew Battersby.

A letter was submitted to SR Daley in 2020, stating they were not on the approved list of septic tank service firms for the Township, as they failed to provide the Township with proper documentation, according to Battersby.

SR Daley reapplied this year to do services in the Township, and the board denied their return due to past history of not complying with the ordinance, according to Township Secretary Nina Garretson.

Now recently it has come to the Board’s attention that the firm has "allegedly pumped several septic systems in the Township," Battersby said.

Unaware not to do business with SR Daley, at least three property owners have paid for their pumping services, according to the board.

The purpose of receipts and tracking is to ensure of the proper disposal of pump sewage waste, and the Township does not have required reports for this work, and thus has no idea where the waste from the resident pumping was disposed of, Battersby said.

The board approved the Township’s Sewer Enforcement Officer (SEO) KPI Technology Inc. to contact SR Daley for proof of an approved dumping location. Otherwise, actions can be taken by the Department of Environmental Protection, noted Battersby.

The SEO will also inspect the effected septic systems to ensure their proper function. The board reached a consensus to accept copies of the cancelled checks from the disgruntled customers to submit for a report.

Noting the costs that will take to clean up the proverbial mess, the board also approved seeking reimbursement of the SEO’s fees from SR Daley.

"Typically this would be part of the process. With a legitimate hauler, we wouldn’t have to do this," Supervisor Ryan Picarelli noted.