Part 3: "Why Me?"

by Don Audette, 14 June 2005

Imagine if microbes in your septic system could explain their situation to you. Check them out. In your septic tank, the microbes have been chowing down on all that yucky stuff from bathtubs, showers, dishwashers, toilets, and washing machines. The solids (sludge) at the bottom of the tank have been worked over. The lighter solids are floating slowly downward through the liquids above. And on the surface float some fats, soapsuds, and other scum. No new "shipment" from the house is expected. A good day in the tank so far.

This is the third in a series of articles by Don Audette exploring the characteristics and challenges of wastewater treatment systems.

Your Septic System's Viewpoint

Word has come in from the distribution box, where overflow liquids from the tank are distributed to perforated drainage tubes in your drain field. No heavy equipment has run over them, compacting or crushing them. Nor has a landscaper dug up a portion or planted a tree so its roots will eventually clog things up.

The older microbes are sitting around exchanging stories, gossip, and rumors. About the guy who opened the manhole cover in his tank, was overcome with methane gas, and fell in. The homeowner who put new "Big John" toilet seats in his bathrooms, 19" in diameter versus the usual 14." That septic tank was holding special focus group meetings. Or the person who ran four loads of laundry, one after another, causing chaos in the tank. Microbes like peace and quiet, not continuous cascades of wastewater. Or the homeowner who had never pumped out a septic tank, so solids and scum ran right out of the tank to the drainage field, clogging it. Yuk.

But, the younger microbes always became upset when hearing about the really bad things flushed down toilets. Stuff like bandages, dental floss, disposable diapers, sanitary napkins, etc., that got out into the drainage field, clogging the system, the cause of about 95 percent of the failures of septic systems according to the EPA. Same with grease, another clogger. And, they always wondered what happened in the family when it was discovered their septic tank was loaded with an excessive number of condoms. A lot of side glances around the dining room table that night. Then there were the things that totally killed off microbes and contaminated the ground: gasoline, acid, paint or paint thinner, motor oil, pesticides, etc. Big bucks spent in repairs.

The microbes were also aware of studies like, Pharmaceuticals, Hormones, and Other Organic Wastewater Contaminants in U.S. Streams, 1999-2000: A National Reconnaissance. It said, in part, "Household chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and other consumables as well as biogenic hormones are released directly to the environment after passing through wastewater treatment processes via wastewater treatment plants or domestic septic systems, which often are not designed to remove them from the effluent." Another source noted, "Only 30 to 70 per cent of the medications people take is absorbed in their bodies." The rest is excreted into the toilet bowl to be flushed away. New stuff is appearing in drainage fields with unknown impact. Some think such stuff may result in drug-resistant microbes and the creation of "super bugs."

Suddenly, there was the sound of a toilet flushing and the microbes all became quiet, wondering what the pipe was going to bring them. Bummer. Broccoli again.

The Homeowner's Viewpoint

You know, if you personally are putting about 200 pounds of excrement into your septic system each year, and using some 9,000 gallons per year of what was perfectly good drinking water in flushing your toilet, maybe you ought to pay a little attention to the system and not destroy it. It costs about $5,000 for a new septic system, or if you go for one of the new alternative/innovative treatment systems, figure about $25,000 as a start, maybe $65,000 for a high-end unit.

The homeowner's viewpoint? Most exhibit little interest in their septic system. Some do not even know they have one. If they know they have one, there's a good chance they don't know where it is. If they know where it is, they don't know when it was last pumped out, or in what condition the system is in. And with the rapid turnover of homes, improper septic system evaluations on the transfer of properties may result in problems being passed to the next owner.

Not only that, if a homeowner is supposed to be responsible for his or her septic system, how is he or she going to make sure family, visiting relatives or friends, strangers, etc., use drains properly and not send bizarre objects, some fatal to a septic system, down a pipe? What if the homeowner rents out the property? Still responsible if renters foul things up? How about customers using bathrooms of a business, institution, or public building? Are they off the hook?

EPA's ManagementViewpoint

For the management of wastewater treatment in rural and suburban areas, EPA has five Management Models. The simplest and most basic is called Management Model 1, "Homeowner Awareness." It applies to "areas of low environmental sensitivity, where conventional onsite systems [septic systems] are adequate to protect water quality and public health." That fits in well with Rappahannock County. EPA recommends the following for Management Model 1:

Make sure onsite/decentralized systems are installed properly in accordance with State/local regulations and codes.
Make sure they are periodically inspected, maintained, and repaired as necessary.
Know the location of the systems.
Periodically provide owners with operation and maintenance information

EPA also notes some possible limitations to Management Model 1: No mechanism to ensure operating compliance of systems; no mechanism to identify problems before failures occur; limitations on building sites to those meeting prescriptive requirements, e.g., perc test, drain field size, safe distances from ground or surface water, etc.

In Virginia, the regulatory program for onsite systems is implemented at the county level by the local health department. How well is Rappahannock County doing in satisfying EPA's guidance for Management Model 1? See Part 4 of this series.

Read Part 4: Rappahannock County's current situation

Related article: Wastewater treatment goes high tech

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