SOUTH MILLS — Camden is seeking a $2 million grant to extend sewer services to South Mills Village where failing septic systems threaten to contaminate the Dismal Swamp Canal and fresh water supplies downstream.

Homes in the Main Street area experience “sporadic failures,” usually during rainy weather, said David Credle, public works manager. Low-lying land, a high water table, and small lots, all contribute to the problem, he said.

The problem has alarmed one regional health officials who said, “a community sewer system is critical to the residents of South Mills for the protection of ground and surface waters.”

The situation poses a health risk for residents and the regional water supply, Jerry Parks, health director for Albemarle Regional Health Services, said in a letter supporting the grant application.

Water samples from ditches and standing water in yards contain contaminants, said Todd Tripp, consulting engineer with McGill and Associates. The water samples taken last year after a rain showed “very high concentrations in some cases” of fecal coliform bacteria.

The contamination threatens the Pasquotank River watershed downstream, an emergency fresh water source for Elizabeth City, said Tripp.

A survey of area homeowners has also indicated the need for sewer system services, Tripp said. In a survey of 80 homeowners in the area, about half indicated that septic tank problems were an issue, particularly during wet weather.

The county is proposing to extend sewer service from the intersection of N.C. Highway 343 and Main Street, near the bridge crossing the Intracoastal Waterway, to Horseshoe Road at a total cost of almost $2.7 million. The county has procured a $649,000 Rural Economic Development Center grant and is awaiting word on its application for a $2 million Clean Water Management Trust Fund grant. Tripp anticipates a decision on the grant in the next couple of months. Because of the state’s tight budget, the project could be funded in phases, he said. Clean Water grants focus on protecting water quality and the environment.

The county does not provide sewer services to residences except in the case of failing systems. Repair of existing septic systems in South Mills Village is especially difficult because of lot sizes, says Tripp. In many cases, new drain fields cannot be added to repair failing systems because the lots are too small. In addition, many of the septic systems were built years ago and no longer meet modern standards.

“Many of the existing systems are antiquated, and were installed on lots that do not meet current lot size requirements. Problems with septic system failures are enhanced due to the lack of available space for a repair,” Parks said.

Enlarging septic drain fields also poses a problem for residents who still have private wells, said Parks.

“Some areas continue to relay on private wells for potable water, creating problems maintaining the required minimum distances between wells and septic systems.”

In addition to limited space, the age of some septic systems compounds the problem.

Paul Hoffman from Hoffman Septic Tank Pumping in Pasquotank County, said many of the septic systems he examines in the area are old and are not working properly. He recently removed an old metal Sears and Roebuck tank, probably 40 years old. Another old system he examined was a hand-dug clay pipe and cinder block septic system at the South Mills Post Office. He said that some of the old systems were not built to handle “gray water” from sinks and washing machines, because long ago it was allowed to drain into ditches.

Both Hoffman and Tripp said the South Mills Village area is not the only neighborhood experiencing problems. Even some of the newer subdivisions with larger lots have septic problems, Hoffman said. Hoffman said calls to pump out or replace septic systems in South Mills village were no greater than in other areas he services.