Councilman To DNREC: Pick Up The Pace At Lewes MHP

12 days after the Delaware Department of Natural Resources issued a Notice of Violation against the Donovan Smith Mobile Home Park off Savannah Road, a pre-dawn visit Tuesday did nothing to impress Sussex County Councilman Mark Schaeffer.

Schaeffer told WGMD News that as of early Tuesday, areas of the community where sewage had bubbled to the surface had not been fenced off. The community also has some sinkholes that Schaeffer said could be dangerous.

Also, Schaeffer said there appeared to be one truck doing all of the septic-tank pumping.

“There’s raw sewage on top of the ground,” Schaeffer said. “The septic tanks are leaking. DNREC claims that the drinking water is safe, but I can tell you the dozens of people I’ve spoken to at the facility do not drink the water. It smells like sewage.”

DNREC issued the Notice of Violation July 8th. Operators of the Donovan Smith Mobile Home Park have been directed to move quickly to connect the City of Lewes central wastewater system, which the community is willing to do.

“The City of Lewes and the City of Lewes Board of Public Works has stepped up to the plate,” Schaeffer said. “They’ve gone beyond the call of duty and they are prepared to hook this facility up to central sewer and water and give these people a quality of life they deserve.”