Laurel Lake Development Residents in Bartonsville either need to drain their lake or replace the dam.

It’s required by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection because the dam isn’t in compliance with current codes.

Today all parties involved met with the state agency to try to come up with a solution.

This affects more than just the residents keeping their lake or not.  The township tells us its a life and health safety issue to have the lake drained.

Pocono Township Commissioners Vice President Jerrod Belvin says, "The nearest lake to draw water from is up in Birchwood so about 10 minutes for an apparatus additionally and as we know fires grow in size every 30 seconds."

Pocono Township’s Fire Department relies on Laurel Lake. That’s why township officials were alarmed when they received notice from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection that they had ordered a full breach of the dam.

Belvin says, "Every dam has their main spillway and emergency spillway. A full breach is draining it below the emergency spillway."

It’s a result of the dam not being in compliance. We’re told it was put in place before DEP required permits for one of that size. The residents tell us they were given two options.

Laurel Lake Resident Blaine Fardella says, "Initial estimates was about $120,000 to drain it and have a swamp for the residents, which they’re not going to accept or up to a million dollars to replace the dam."

Since the dam is private, residents have to pay out of pocket but there’s only 180 homes. That's why they all met today at the lake.

Fardella says, "We’re trying to get together, work with the township, they’ve been great. The DEP’s come and telling us what they need, it’s a little unreasonable at this point. But hopefully the engineers we hired can come to an agreement with them and get to a category we need to get to so we can afford to replace this dam."

DEP has it listed as a Category 3 Dam. The goal is to change it to a Category 4 so the spillway requirements change to a 50 Year Storm Flood Designation from a 100 Year Storm which we’re told costs a lot more money.

Fardella says, "It drains into wet lands anyway so there’s no chance of loss of life or heavy property damage so it has to make sense."

The residents are hoping their engineers can get them to fall within that regulation. And the township is on board for that plan.

Belvin says, "We’ve had tons of rain and many storms and there’s never been an issue with the dam. We know the pipe is corroding."

The township is willing to work with the home owners association to help save them money. Last night they voted to take care of the surveying work which will run about 25 hundred dollars. But it all comes down to DEP.

Belvin says, "We have to have all the plans submitted by June and that will really determine everything."

We reached out to DEP for comment but have not yet heard back.