Kerhonkson, NY – An Ulster County summer camp has been ordered closed by local officials amid complaints from neighbors about an unbearable sewage smell that was indicative of a larger issue that posed a health risk to campers and local residents.
Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
The Daily Freeman reported that Camp Rav Tov in Kerhonkson was shut down by the Ulster County Health Department on Thursday, with all operations at the camp terminated by 5 PM on Monday.
Approximately 1,000 girls attend the Cherrywood Road camp, one of four Rav Tov Satmar summer camps in Ulster County.
Ulster County Health Commissioner Dr. Carol Smith said that the camp’s septic system was malfunctioning, causing raw sewage to overflow onto the ground.
“Reports from the town are that it kind of trickled down into the roadway,” said Smith, who noted that the camp’s aging septic system was probably not capable of accommodating the large number of campers at the facility.
Smith said that she had been in touch with the camp on several occasions about the issue, but that steps taken to remedy the problem were inadequate.
According to News 12, the sewage problem began at Camp Rav Tov several years ago when the camp installed solar panels atop their leach field, an integral part of the facility’s septic system.
Problems that were identified with the camp’s private sewer system last year have yet to be corrected, with officials blaming inadequate maintenance for the foul smell.
“It takes your breath away sometimes its so bad,” said one neighbor.
Neighbor Tom Felter told the Shawangunk Journal that his property’s well had been tainted by the camp’s sewage. A test on Felter’s water supply came back with “not satisfactory” results and Felter said he would need to shock his own water system with chlorine to fix the problem.
Multiple pump and panel trucks have made their way to the camp over the past week, said Felter, who noted that he has yet to see any signs of anyone vacating the camp.
“We’ll see what happens by Monday,” said Felter.
Neighbors have also complained about excessive noise from the camp’s loudspeakers at all hours of the day and night, buses and trucks blocking area roadways, campers marching loudly on local roads and excessive litter.
“I go out every day with gloves and a bucket and pick up garbage,” said one neighbor. “It’s not there in the rest of the year. I’m a garbage collector from June until August. I deliver it to their driveway.”
Officials from Camp Rav Tov were not immediately available to comment on the matter.
Hatzna leches im elokechu – lifnim meshuras hadin applies to interpersonal interactions as well, particularly because of loved shemayim. While I am certain that the truth is nowhere as one sided as this article suggests, this is something that can and should have been avoided or remedied.
Once again living in a world where nobody else exists
Sounds like a terrible situation for everyone in the vicinity. If it’s indeed as reported in this article, no time should be wasted (pun unintended) in effectively fixing the problem and campers should’ve immediately been sent packing.
Seriously, only in connection with the Chassidishe velt do we hear such stories. Why!
Big Chillul Hashem, but no-one there cares because Goyim are there to be used in most Harrison’s eyes.
Why is it that the haredi community is clueless about zoning and overburdening systems ? This includes shul, yeshiva and home expansions ,too . It’s as if no one else exists , and they don’t respect civil laws.
Move the camp to Israel ,the Medina will take good care .
They probably wanted to save money for another year and it did not work. Now they will have fines and penalties on top of everything!!
Sewage smell yes but the other complaints. Loud speaker, rubbish. Is it true or is it just anti-semetism. Must check it out
For a sec forget the neighbors. Forget the money needed to fix the system. Forget the shanda. Think of the 1000 GIRLS IN THE CAMP! Their health and safety is jeopardized by the ‘machers’ running the camp! You’d think they’d care about their own kids, their own community. BUT THEY DON’T. Same w every charedi zoning, health & safety issue in the Catskills. I know. I live here all year. Its why folks HATE frum people and Jews like me. I have to try to explain the behavior. AND I CAN’T!.
It’s conveniently shut down after rosh chodesh elul when the new zman for yeshivas start.
Kudos dept of health