Governor Mills has signed into law H.P. 179 - L.D. 216 An Act To Protect Water Quality by Standardizing the Law Concerning Septic Inspection in the Shoreland Zone. Effective January 1, 2020, septic systems in the shoreland zone around lakes must be inspected prior to sale of the property and repaired or replaced if found to be malfunctioning. This is a great step forward towards protecting water quality in Maine Lakes. While most septic systems around Cold Stream Pond meet modern standards, there are still a few old systems that have the potential to pollute our lake. This law will require that they be brought up to code before lakefront property can be transferred to a new owner.