Tag Archives: environment

Septic systems and the environment.

Do Septic Systems Affect Water Quality?

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Studies on The Effects of Septic Systems in the Environment

septic systems

Around 25% of homes in the United States are not connected to the community sewage systems and have a separate septic system installed.  The Environmental Protection Agency has found that at least 48.5% of homes in the State of North Carolina also have a septic system installed.

According to data from a study in Atlanta, there were around 500,000 septic systems in the area during 2006 and it was predicted that the number would grow at least 12,000 more units per year.  Mussie Habteselassie, who is a researcher from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences said, “Home septic systems are still very common and not just in rural areas.  On-site septic systems drain into drain fields where the soil treats the waste water. The soils filter out the contaminants in the waste water before it reaches the ground water and the streams.”

The University of Georgia is currently leading a three-year study in order to find out if septic systems do affect water quality.  Water samples have been taken several times during a year in order to determine what septic systems can do to underwater canals and rivers.  The samples have been taken during both wet and dry seasons, which will give a much better explanation of what goes underground and how much contamination a septic system can produce, if any at all.

People are under the impression that septic systems take away water from their streams and rivers, but the recent study’s results are proving that septic systems could in fact help to increase the overall level of water in these kinds of settings.  The time of year and season seems to influence the amount of water that septic systems supply to streams and rivers, but further samples during 2014 will yield more information about this.

There is still a lot of uncertainty about the bacteria and residues that septic systems can send to rivers and streams, but the studies are proving that these systems do not affect the water in our environment and that septic water is naturally treated thanks to the soils composition and other climate factors.

At Lake Norman Septic, we worry about our environment and we are always looking to find new eco friendly methods for improving your home.  Feel free to contact us for any inquiries or to get an answer to some of your questions.   We are always ready to help you out and we want to make your home feel comfortable for you.

What is Septic?

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septic systemWhat exactly does the “septic” in “septic system” refer to?

According to Dictionary.com, “septic” means “pertaining to or of the nature of sepsis; infected” or “putrefactive.” It comes from an original Greek word meaning “rotten.” FreeThesaurus.com lists synonyms including dirty, germy, infectious and unhealthful.

Clearly, nobody would want to be around anything that is septic.

So why would anybody want a septic tank or a septic system?

The “septic” in “septic tank” or “septic system” refers to the environment in the tank, which is, yes, septic because of what goes into it from sinks, bath drains, washing machines and toilets. This septic tank environment is rich in anaerobic bacteria, meaning bacteria that do not use oxygen. These bacteria break down the nasty elements that settle to the bottom of the tank into food for other bacteria. What goes into a septic system is indeed dirty, germy, infectious and unhealthful for us, but makes a lush banquet for our single-celled friends. The leftovers remain settled on the bottom, to be cleaned out periodically by trained technicians who can haul it off from our property and dispose of it. From there, it can go to a sewage treatment plant, a cesspool, or an approved landfill.

In some areas, the sludge from septic tanks is portioned out as fertilizer. In a few areas, it’s used to generate electricity by being broken down to release methane, which is then burned as fuel for a generator.

What of the stuff that doesn’t settle to the bottom? The fluid in the septic system makes its way to a drain field, where the organic material serves as a fertilizer for whatever plants are growing there.

Thus, while what goes into the septic system is indeed septic for us, it is nutritious for bacteria and plants, and can even become a renewable source of clean energy.