After a month-long investigation into reports of illegal wastewater discharge within the Pine Haven community near Lincoln, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control issued a notice of violation for wastewater violations to property owner Blue Beach Bungalows DE LLC and parent company Blue Water Development Corp. of Ocean City, Md.

The notice faulted the company for failure to possess appropriate on-site wastewater and disposal system permits as required by Delaware regulations, and cited violations beginning Dec. 9 for untreated wastewater surfacing above septic tanks and cesspool disposal areas within the community.

DNREC’s Division of Water began monitoring the situation at Pine Haven in early December, directing the property owner at that time to take corrective action that included performing frequent pump-outs of the on-site systems to alleviate surfacing, and to submit a plan that addressed ongoing violations.

The notice memorializes these immediate corrective measures communicated by DNREC to company officials, and includes other corrective action requirements such as fencing off impacted areas to prevent public contact with untreated wastewater, daily inspections and reporting of data to DNREC, and establishing a timetable for developing a permanent wastewater solution for Pine Haven residents.