New Hampshire reviews old septic order tied to Ossipee-area Wabanaki Campground

The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services is reviewing its files before deciding whether to release a decades-old administrative order attached to the property title of Wabanaki Campground in Ossipee.

Current owner and manager Mark Salvati asked DES to release the order. The agency said it was unclear whether every structure served by the campground’s septic systems had operational approval, making a file review necessary before the order can be released.

The development, reported July 12, 2026, involves wastewater disposal and water-quality concerns in the Ossipee Lake region. The order followed a state finding involving 80 long-term lake campsites without a means of waste disposal.

Septic systems addressed the earlier finding

Three septic systems were designed and approved in response to the waste-disposal issue. Two of the systems were built, and the campground reopened.

The administrative order nevertheless remains attached to the campground property title. Salvati’s request has led DES to revisit the approvals and the requirements connected to the order, including whether the systems cover every structure they serve.

The state review matters because the order is tied to the property and the campground’s wastewater arrangements. DES’s review could affect the campground’s legal status and continued operation while addressing how wastewater is handled at the site.

DES identified a review of its files as the next step. The agency’s statement did not announce a release of the order or a final determination about the approvals.

Separate stormwater plan is pending review

A separate July 21, 2026 agenda from the Freedom Conservation Commission listed Wabanaki Campground at 38 Dennis Drive. The agenda included a draft stormwater plan and letter report for initial discussion.

The stormwater item was listed as pending third-party review results. Its agenda context included water-quality and drainage review, creating a separate local review track from the state’s examination of the septic-related administrative order.

The stormwater plan was not presented as a final regulatory decision. The immediate state action in the septic matter remains DES’s review of its files before it determines whether the administrative order can be released.

For the campground, the two matters concern related environmental questions but involve different proceedings: DES is examining the approvals associated with the older septic order, while the local conservation agenda lists a draft stormwater plan awaiting outside review.