The O’Connor’s LakeSmart Septic Update Made a Huge Difference

Anne and Jim were barely settled into their newly acquired lakefront dream home last summer when they got the news—a toxic cyanobacteria bloom was occurring and the lake water was not safe to touch. “We originally bought a home on Lake Kanasatka because the water quality was pristine, but then it got progressively worse,” Anne told us. “For the past two years we haven’t been able to use the lake from August into the fall months.”

Anne and Jim reached out to NH LAKES through the LakeSmart Lake-Friendly Living program to learn what they could do to help keep their lake healthy and safe for their grandchildren. Following a visit to their home, NH LAKES encouraged Anne and Jim to seek out a septic inspection from a licensed septic professional. The septic inspection revealed the system was in “complete failure” and a second abandoned tank was discovered in the process—still full of untreated waste that could pollute the lake! Anne and Jim got to work and upgraded to a new state-of-the-art system, but they didn’t stop there. They upgraded walkways, installed erosion control measures along the road, stabilized the driveway, and planted a rain garden—all to keep runoff water out of the lake.

Anne and Jim’s story is extreme. Most LakeSmart participants are finding it much easier to live lake-friendly. But today, Anne and Jim have the comfort of knowing no polluted water is seeping from their property into the lake

More and more people like Anne and Jim—and you—are listening to their lake. They—and you— know these toxic blooms are pleas for help from the lake. You can get started on your LakeSmart journey to keep our lakes clean and healthy today by taking the LakeSmart Survey at start.nhlakes.org. The survey is FREE and only takes a few minutes and you’ll instantly receive a tailored list of suggestions on what you can to do live more lake-friendly.

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