After a year of waiting, residents of the neighborhood surrounding East Boulevard Beach in Onset say they are thrilled to see that something has been done to mitigate problems caused by a storm drain pipe that cuts through the middle of the beach. But, they say  that it is only the first step to restoring the beach.

The pipe was installed by the town last June as a solution to long-standing flooding problems at the Onset Mobile Home Park. Neighbors say the pipe quickly created its own set of problems.

On Thursday, July 14, the Municipal Maintenance Department covered a large dry well located steps away from the sand, rectifying what residents called a serious safety hazard.

The dry well is essentially a pit filled with gravel used to dispose of unwanted storm water runoff. It receives water from the drain pipe at its top and dissipates runoff into the ground.

“If there is someone walking during the evening and they don’t see it, they could have gotten seriously hurt,” pointed out East Boulevard resident Tania Laongi. “It’s a danger.”

The dry well is now blanketed with hay bales and netting to cover the hole. Municipal Maintenance director Mark Gifford explained said the netting will eventually biodegrade, allowing grass to grow and for the area to blend in with its surrounding.

After waiting a year for a response, Paul Delauries, a resident of Eleventh Street adjacent to the beach, addressed the Board of Selectmen on July 12 asking again that action be taken by the town. Delauries first brought the concern to the Selectmen in July 2010, shortly after the pipe was installed, he said.

While residents say they understand the need for the pipe, they are upset neighbors weren’t informed it would be installed prior to construction. They are concerned that fixing the flooding issue has created a number of unforeseen problems for East Boulevard Beach.

“It’s nice that they fixed it, but that is only one part" of the problem, said Kay Delauries.

Neighbors said there has been significant erosion since the pipe was installed. They said deep trenches have been developing in the sand since last year. Furthermore, residents said the pipe is an eyesore and deters people from using the beach.

“[The pipe sticks out] right where we swim. It’s in the middle of the beach!” said Laongi.

Town Administrator Mark Andrews said he is looking into the feasibility of extending the drain pipe to stretch further away from the shoreline.

As for the erosion, Andrews said it's a natural occurrence at the beach. However, Municipal Maintenance will be working to smooth out the sand in coming weeks, he added.

Residents said that covering the dry well is the first step in restoring the beach. A group of 11 neighbors are now in the process of forming a homeowners’ association to address concerns regarding the beach.

“All this started to come together after I attended [the Board of Selectmen] meeting,” explained Paul Delauries. “It is still in its early stages.”

Paul Delauries said the homeowners’ association would monitor the beach’s boat ramp, step up beach clean-up efforts, maintain the grass, and continue to work with the town on drain pipe concerns.

"The beach used to be so nice. We want it back," said Laongi. "If we need to form a homeowners' association to get it done, we will."