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SUMMER 2008 Vol. 19, No. 1

Small Community Issues Explained to the Public Septic Systems and Source Water Protection Homeowners Can Help Improve Community

f your home has a septic system, you are no doubt I aware that this is a common way to treat residentialB wastewater. In fact, septic systems and related forms of treatment that experts call decentral- ized systems (septic systems, private systems, onsite sewage disposal sys- tems) are some of the most common waste dispersal Septic Systems 101 methods in the country. Septic systems are wastewater treatment systems that collect, treat, and disperse of wastewater generated by your home According to the U.S. Envi- ronmental Protection or business. The wastewater is treated onsite, rather than collected and trans- Agency (EPA), decentral- ported to a centralized community wastewater treatment . ized wastewater treatment A typical septic system consists of two main parts: a septic tank and a systems collect, treat, and absorption system, also known as a drainfield, leachfield, or disposal field. release about four billion Underground pipes connect the entire system. gallons of per day from an estimated 26 mil- The septic tank is a buried, watertight container usually made of , fiber- lion homes and businesses. glass, or . It holds the wastewater long enough to allow the solids The percentage of homes to settle out and the fats, oil, and grease to float to the surface. It also allows and businesses served by partial decomposition of the solid materials. Effluent from the middle layer flows these systems varies from out to the drainfield for further treatment in the soil. state to state, from a high Septic systems can contribute to source water contamination for various rea- of about 55 percent in Ver- sons including improper location of the system, poor design, faulty construc- mont to a low of about 10 tion, incorrect operation, and poor or no maintenance of the system. percent in California. Nationwide, approximate- By following the basic recommendations previously mentioned, you can help ly 40 percent of the new ensure that your system continues to function properly. homes being built will rely As many of us migrate further from central cities and occupy homes served by on some kind of onsite sys- decentralized treatment systems, septic system care is more important than tem to treat wastewater. ever. By keeping your onsite system in top working condition, you can save (Ground Water Report to the Nation: A Call to money, increase the value of your home, and also feel good that you’ve helped Action, 2007) your community both now and for future generations. Septic Systems and Source Water Protection

As the owner of an onsite we need to consider the • Conserve water to avoid wastewater system, you may activities that take place in hydraulic overloading of not be aware that you play the source water area and the system. Repair leaky an important role in protect- make sure that their envi- faucets and . Use low- ing your community’s water ronmental impacts on near- flow fixtures. quality. Source water— by waterways are minimal. • Use cleaners and streams, lakes, rivers, or Unfortunately, EPA research laundry detergent in mod- —is, as the shows that one of the eration. (Find recommend- name suggests, the source of biggest causes of ed cleaning products in the our drinking water, whether to our waterways is septic NESC brochure titled we get it from a local water systems that are not work- “Alternative Household district treatment plant or ing as they should. Cleaners.” Find how to from a privately owned . order info on page 8.) To maintain the most pris- When a septic system is not tine water quality possible, properly maintained or fails, • Your septic system is not a untreated domestic waste- trash can. Do not flush dis- water can reach the source posable diapers, tampons, water. Bacteria and viruses , paper towels, cat from can , or into the cause dysentery, hepatitis, system. These items quick- Pipeline is published by the and typhoid fever and the ly fill your septic tank with National Environmental Services Center cumulative effect of numer- solids, decrease the sys- at West Virginia University, ous failing septic systems can tem’s efficiency, and will P.O. Box 6064, Morgantown, WV 26506-6064 become a major source of require it to be more fre- Pipeline is funded by a $3 million grant from the U.S. pollution. And, the more pol- quently pumped. Trash Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), SMART About luted the source water, the flushed down the can Water is being orchestrated by West Virginia University's National Environmental Services Center (NESC) in part- more costly it is to clean for also clog the pipelines, nership with the Rural Community Assistance human consumption. causing wastewater to Partnership (RCAP).The program is designed to provide back up into your home. training and technical assistance about source water and Maintenance Pays wellhead protection planning to small and rural commu- • Avoid dumping grease or nities during 2008 and 2009, and will focus on untreated Of course, the best way to wastewater from failing septic and sewer systems, the deal with a broken septic sys- fats down the kitchen largest contributor to water quality degradation. tem is to not let it get broken drain. They solidify and in the first place. Since it can the accumulation may be difficult for homeowners to contribute to know if their systems are and system blockages. slowly failing (as defined by • Keep paint, varnish, thin- William (Bill) Hasselkus — Project Officer Municipal Support Division, each state), you can greatly ners, oil, photographic Office of Wastewater Management reduce that likelihood, and solutions, and National Small Flows Clearinghouse gain peace of mind, simply other hazardous chemicals West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV by having your system regu- out of your system. Even Dr. Gerald Iwan — Executive Director larly pumped and inspected. in small amounts, these Mark Kemp-Rye — Int. Communications Director Marilyn Noah — Writer/Editor This preventative measure items can destroy the bio- Jennifer Hause — Technical Advisor costs thousands less than does logical digestion taking Zane Satterfield — Technical Advisor the cost of repairing or replac- place in your septic sys- John Fekete — Senior Project Coordinator Jamie Bouquot — Graphic Designer ing a non-functioning system. tem. Do not flush unused (See the sidebar on the next medicines. Check with Permission to quote from or reproduce articles in this publication is granted when due acknowledgement is given. page for a suggested pumping your local health depart- Please send a copy of the publication in which information schedule.) ment for disposal recom- was used to the Pipeline editor at the address above. Some images in this issue © 2005-2008, The following tips will also mendations for your area. www.clipart.com and www.photos.com. help maintain a healthy sep- • The use of dispos- tic system: als is discouraged. If you an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution ISSN 1060-0043 • Do not use caustic drain have a garbage disposal, The contents of this newsletter do not necessarily reflect the Printed on use it sparingly. Garbage recycled views and policies of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, cleaners on clogged pipes. paper nor does the mention of trade names or commercial products disposals add unnecessary constitute endorsement or recommendation for use. Instead, use boiling water or a drain snake to open clogs. solids and nutrients to the system. 2

PIPELINE – Summer 2008; Vol. 19, No. 1 National Environmental Services Center (800) 624-8301 or (304) 293-4191 Septic Systems and Source Water Protection

A Healthy Septic System is Estimated Septic Tank an Investment Your home represents a sig- Pumping Frequencies nificant investment. For most of us, our house is the single In Years* biggest item we’ll ever pur- chase and, consequently, * These figures assume there is no garbage disposal unit in use. If one is in use, pumping frequency may represents a significant pro- need to be increased. portion of our net worth. Simply put: a failing septic system will lower your prop- Tank Household Size (number of people) erty value and may even Size make selling your home a (gals.) 1 2 3 4 5 6 problem. No one wants to buy a house with a stinky, 500 5.8 2.6 1.5 1.0 0.7 0.4 soggy yard. Functioning onsite systems, 750 9.1 4.2 2.6 1.8 1.3 1.0 on the other hand, can add value to your home and 900 11.0 5.2 3.3 2.3 1.7 1.3 good water quality will bene- fit your property value. This 1000 12.4 5.9 3.7 2.6 2.0 1.5 fact was borne out in a study conducted by Bemidji State 1250 15.6 7.5 4.8 3.4 2.6 2.0 University in Minnesota, where homes on lakes with good water quality were 1500 18.9 9.1 5.9 4.2 3.3 2.6 more valuable and had seen their value rise more quickly 1750 22.1 10.7 6.9 5.0 3.9 3.1 than those on lakes with marginal or poor water qual- 2000 25.4 12.4 8.0 5.9 4.5 3.7 ity. (See the sidebar on page 4 for more information 2250 28.6 14.0 9.1 6.7 5.2 4.2 about water quality and land value in Minnesota.) 2500 31.9 15.6 10.2 7.5 5.9 4.8 As you would expect, people pay more for building sites (Source: Pennsylvania State University Cooperative Extension Service.) and homes along clean stretches of water. • Do not drive over the system Most typical septic systems or the drainfield. This can should be inspected every Another economic benefit of compact the soil and break two to three years but, maintaining your onsite the piping of the system. depending on the system size system is that it helps and the number of people in ensure the clean, safe drink- • Redirect flow ing water, which is an away from your system. the home, this frequency could change. Any system essential ingredient of a • Plant a ‘green belt’ or with mechanical parts, such healthy and viable commu- grassy strip between the as and filters, should nity. Contamination of drainfield and the shore- be inspected annually. If drinking water sources can line if near a water body. your tank has never been cause a community signifi- cant expense and affect • Periodically check for signs pumped, or is not accessible, once it is uncovered, put a public health. Remember, it of system failure: areas in will cost you less in the long the yard that remain moist watertight riser on it for future accessibility. run if you can prevent con- during dry weather or tamination of your drinking patches of lush grass or If your system is already fail- water source rather than plant growth. If you see ing, have it inspected by a incur the high cost of treat- signs of failure, schedule professional and repaired or an inspection immediately. replaced as soon as possible. 3

PIPELINE – Summer 2008; Vol. 19, No 1. National Environmental Services Center (800) 624-8301 or (304) 293-4191 Septic Systems and Source Water Protection

crawfish. Imagine launching your boat onto a sea of green, foamy algae caused by excess in the water from a leaking septic tank. And you probably wouldn’t want the kids splashing around in that creek if the water was murky from untreated sewage. The following example describe how inadequate sep- tic system maintenance can change the whole picture. Shelburne Beach, Vermont, is a local swimming beach on a central portion of Lake Champlain in the town of Shelburne, Vermont. Bacteria leaking from residential sep- tic systems caused excess E. coli in a nearby tributary, Water Quality Adds Value to Lakefront Property resulting in occasional beach closures. As a result, state officials placed the offending Minnesota’s 10,000 fresh water lakes are essential to the econom- one-mile unnamed tributary ic well-being of the state – culturally, economically, and ecologi- on its section 303(d) list for cally. They are assets worthy of environmental protection. The E. coli in 1998. (Section challenge is determining the best way to protect the lake water 303(d) of the Clean Water quality with the high rate of development along their shores. Good Act requires states to develop environmental policies are more effective and less expensive than a list of waters not meeting restoration efforts. water quality standards or having impaired uses. Listed While the overall quality of Minnesota lakes may be good, lakeshore waters must be prioritized, development continues to degrade lake quality. A 2003 study, con- and a management strategy ducted by the Mississippi Headwaters Board and the Bemidji State or total maximum daily load University, investigated the effect of water quality on property values must subsequently be devel- to help legislators formulate the best public policies. The quality of oped for all listed.) the surrounding water was shown to play a significant role in the The town identified six resi- price of property. Water quality was determined to have a positive dential septic systems along relationship with property prices. In other words, the more pristine the stream as the most likely the water, the more potential homeowners were willing to pay to live sources and local officials there. The economic benefits of water quality were shown to be a encouraged the homeowners good incentive for promoting effective protection policies. to correct the deficiencies in their septic systems. Between 1998 and 2001, all six home- owners rebuilt their systems ing the water or locating Quality of Life by installing new tanks and and developing alternate A non-working septic system drainfields. Subsequent mon- water sources. Reducing can pollute your own yard itoring data showed that the contamination to ground- and surrounding waters— stream and beach consistent- water reduces the cost of like the lake where you like ly met water quality stan- drinking water. to put in your bass boat on a dards, and the tributary was pretty Saturday morning or removed from the state’s that rocky little creek where 303(d) list in 2004. your grandkids like to catch 4

PIPELINE – Summer 2008; Vol. 19, No. 1 National Environmental Services Center (800) 624-8301 or (304) 293-4191 IEIE–Sme 08 o.19,No 1. Vol. PIPELINE –Summer2008;

Safe Drinking Water Act – Protecting America’s Public Health

Deforestation/Soil Erosion Local, State and National Public Health Protection Programs

Municipal Wastewater Protected Treatment Plant Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation Watershed

Mining Livestock Waste Lagoon

Pesticide/Fertilizer Application Crop Dusting

Construction/Urban Sprawl Fertilizer/Manure Spreading

Septic System Local Land Use Decisions

Protected Wetland Septic SystemsandSourceWater Protection

Deep Injection ellW Water Table Industrial Releases Saturated oneZ To Air & Water Industrial Wastewater Discharge Spills Shallow Onsitey Sstem

Drinking Water Storage owerT

Future Source of Drinking Water Confining ayerL National Environmental Services Center (800)624-8301 or (304) 293-4191 National Environmental Services Private Drinking Waterell W Ground Water Treatment Plant Ground Water Flow Abandoned Well

Light Industry

Infrastructure Repair, Roads & Parking Lot Runoff Source Water Protectionr eaA Gas Station/Underground Storageank T

Multiple Risks Require Multiple Barriers Fresh Water

Safe drinking water is essential to the health of American citizens and the Vehicle Service Station economic health of our communities. However, drinking water is vulnerable Sediment to contamination from many potential threats. There are programs and activi- Surface Water Treatment Plant ties that when operated effectively from a protective web of multiple barriers Boat Marina Debris to ensure the safety of our drinking water. The success of these barriers relies on the involvement and vigilance of local, state and federal officials, the private sector, public interest groups and individual citizens. Drinking Water Intake This poster identifies examples of: 1. Surface and groundwater sources of drinking water

2. Potential threats to these drinking water essourc Environmental Protection Agency Safe Drinking Water Hotline - (800) 426-4791 Safewater Web Site - www.epa/gov/safewater EPA 816-H-02-003 3. The multiple barriers that together protect our January 2002 nation’s public health.

Adapted by the NESC from the Poster. 5 Safe Drinking Water Act – Protecting America’s Public Health The original full-color poster an be downloaded or ordered from www.epa.gov/safewater/publicoutreach/landscapeposter.html Septic Systems and Source Water Protection

Conserving Water Prolongs Septic System Life Related Pipeline Issues Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products: An Overview, Overloading a septic system can cause it to Winter 2007 malfunction. Here are some steps to reduce Septic Systems–A Practical Alter- water consumption in the home: native for Small Communities, Summer 2004 Use dishwashers and clothes washers only 1 when fully loaded. How to Keep Your Water ‘Well,’ Summer 2002 Take short showers instead of baths and Watershed Management, 2 avoid letting faucets run unnecessarily. Fall 2006 Maintaining Your Septic System- Replace old water fixtures with new water- A Guide for Homeowners, 3 efficient showerheads, faucets, and toilets. Fall 2004 Look for the new WaterSense rating given Archived issues of Pipeline by the EPA. This rating system helps con- can be downloaded at sumers identify high-performance, water- www.nesc.wvu.edu/pipeline.cfm efficient products that can reduce water use or ordered from NESC. See in the home and help preserve the nation's back cover for details. water resources. You can find EPA’s Additional Resources WaterSense rated products at www.epa.gov/watersense/index.htm. “Protecting Your Groundwa- ter Source,” On Tap, Spring 06 www.nesc.wvu.edu/pdf/dw/- 4 Repair and replace any leaking fixtures groundwater/OT_SP06_PRO- immediately. (Nearly 14 percent of the TECT.pdf water a typical homeowner pays for is “Making an Impact: The never even used—it leaks down the drain.) Watershed Approach” by Caigan M. McKenzie, Small Flows Quarterly, Fall Untreated flow from your The negligent homeowner 2006, www.nesc.wvu.edu/pdf/- septic system has the poten- who allows his or her onsite ww/publications/smallflows/ma tial to contaminate ground- system to contaminate the gazine/SFQ_FA06.pdf water, too. Chris Swann, a local environment can affect Groundwater Remediation Sav- watershed planner with the the entire community. ing the Source Center for Watershed Protec- Increased bacteria levels in by Kathy Jesperson, NESC tion, warns, “Septic system groundwater, lakes and Editor, On Tap, Fall 2003, failure delivers a significant streams can present a public www.nesc.wvu.edu/pdf/dw/gro amount of to local safety issue. Any contact undwater/remediation_OT_FA water bodies, especially in with untreated human waste 03.pdf coastal and lake shoreline can pose a significant risk to areas. The threat of bacterial public health. Untreated “Ground Water Report to the contamination becomes very effluent from failing systems Nation: A Call to important. Many reports of in local water bodies Action,” Ground disease outbreaks are linked adversely impacts wildlife Water Protection to groundwater contamina- and aquatic populations. Council, 2007, Reprint www.gwpc.org/- tion by septic system efflu- Everyone deserves to live in a Info ent.” Swann stresses that CallToAction/ healthy environment and Readers are encouraged to improved management pro- reprint Pipeline articles in local having your septic tank rou- newspapers or include them in flyers, tocols and tougher perform- tinely pumped and inspected newsletters, or educational presenta- ance standards for new tions. Please include the name and phone can help achieve the goal of number of the National Environmental development are critical to Service Center (NESC) on the reprinted a clean community. information and send us a copy for our reducing the negative effects files. If you have any questions about reprinting articles or about any of the top- of onsite systems. ics discussed in this newsletter, please contact the NESC at (800) 624-8301. 6

PIPELINE – Summer 2008; Vol. 19, No. 1 National Environmental Services Center (800) 624-8301 or (304) 293-4191 Septic Systems and Source Water Protection

NESC’s Newest Project Helps Small Communities Protect Water

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” Benjamin Franklin famously stated more than 250 years ago. This simple philosophy describes a new environmental project—SMART About Water—designed to protect drinking water quality. Funded by a $3 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), SMART About Water is being orches- trated by West Virginia University's National Environmental Services Center (NESC) in partnership with the Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP). The program is designed to pro- vide training and technical assistance about source water and wellhead protection planning to small and rural communities during 2008 and 2009 and will focus on untreated wastewater from failing septic and sewer systems, the largest contributor to water quality degradation. According to EPA, communities derive several important benefits when they protect their source water: • If source water is contaminated, it threatens public health. • The better the water is when it reaches the treatment plant, the easier and cheaper it is to treat. • The cost of dealing with contaminated groundwater ranges from 30 to more than 200 times the cost of wellhead protection. • Clean water and healthy ecosystems are vital in terms of quality of life for both humans and animals. Although water quality has improved in the three decades since passage of the Clean Water and Safe Drinking Water Acts, pollu- tion problems linger. Previous efforts concentrated on reducing point source pollution, such as from industrial sites. Water quality issues now are related to the cumulative effect of nonpoint source pollution—untreated wastewater, agricultural fertilizers and pesti- cides, stormwater runoff, and roadway pollutants—that impact the physical, chemical, and biological health of nearby waters. Visit the SMART About Water Web site at: www.nesc.wvu.edu/- SMART/ for more information about this project. 7

PIPELINE – Summer 2008; Vol. 19, No 1. National Environmental Services Center (800) 624-8301 or (304) 293-4191 National Environmental Services Center NONPROFIT WVU Research Corporation ORGANIZATION West Virginia University U.S. POSTAGE PAID P.O. Box 6064 PERMIT NO. 34

Morgantown, WV 26505-6064 MORGANTOWN, WV

wish to order to wish . Shipping charges will apply. will charges Shipping .

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addresses, and certification numbers of your systems designer, systems your of numbers certification and addresses, How to Order NESC Products NESC Order to How

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