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Do septic tank systems pose a hidden threat to water quality?
Author(s) -
Withers Paul JA,
Jordan Philip,
May Linda,
Jarvie Helen P,
Deal Nancy E
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
frontiers in ecology and the environment
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.918
H-Index - 164
eISSN - 1540-9309
pISSN - 1540-9295
DOI - 10.1890/130131
Subject(s) - watershed , environmental science , water quality , septic tank , aquatic ecosystem , pollutant , environmental planning , pollution , environmental resource management , quality (philosophy) , scale (ratio) , water resource management , business , environmental engineering , computer science , ecology , geography , philosophy , cartography , epistemology , machine learning , biology
Aquatic ecosystems are being degraded by anthropogenic pollution on a global scale. Septic tank systems (STS), which are widely distributed in rural and peri‐urban areas, are one potential source of water pollution. Although generally regarded as the most efficient method for onsite treatment of domestic wastewater, we question whether current regulation and management of these systems is sufficient to guarantee that they function effectively. Here, we present watershed‐specific examples that illustrate some of the problems that arise when many years of inadequate regulation and management result in a legacy of failing STS that can become long‐term, chronic sources of nutrient pollution. Our data suggest that more accurate accounting of the location, performance, and degree of failure of STS, and more research into their impacts on water quality, would improve source attribution of pollutants within rural watersheds. This would ensure that education of homeowners, mitigation, interdisciplinary research, and technological innovation could be targeted in a cost‐effective way.