Bellingham Board of Health orders well tests near failing septic system

BELLINGHAM -- May 19, 2026, Bellingham Board of Health votes to test two private wells and ban septic contractor after illegal RV hookup. The board voted unanimously at its May 19 meeting to spend up to $1,000 on comprehensive water quality testing at a residential property and a neighboring well after Health Agent Dylan Labonte confirmed a failing leaching field and a professionally installed, and unpermitted, RV connection to the septic system. Labonte told the board he plans to identify the unnamed contractor and bring them before the board, saying the board could bar them from working in Bellingham if they hold a state license. The board also heard that septic hauler Michael Marstian was found guilty on all 12 counts of fraudulent manifest submission, he had claimed to deposit roughly 9,000 gallons at a Maine facility that recorded only about 3,000, and that his sentencing was held the same day. In a separate action, the board voted unanimously to redirect all proceeds from the town's Planet Aid textile donation bins to the senior center rather than the general fund.