By Will Atwater
Last month, Tropical Storm Debby brought soaking rains to North Carolina that overwhelmed some wastewater treatment infrastructure in the eastern part of the state.
For instance, Brunswick County posted public notices on Aug. 8 and Aug. 10 estimating that a total of about 1.5 million gallons of treated and partially treated wastewater overflowed a stormwater pond and drained into a tributary of the Lockwood Folly River. A county news release noted both spills were related to the inundation created by Debby.
Aging water and wastewater infrastructure is an issue in North Carolina. According to the 2021 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure, the state’s wastewater infrastructure needs about $5.3 billion in upgrades.
Recently, state leaders have rolled out funding initiatives to address that glaring need.
In July, Gov. Roy Cooper’s office announced $253 million that will, in part, support “drinking water and wastewater infrastructure funding and stormwater construction grants,” according to a release. The funds would support “70 projects in 30 counties statewide, including 51 construction projects.”
“Strong water and wastewater systems are vital for safe drinking water and economic development,” Cooper said. “Thanks to federal funding from the Biden-Harris administration and state appropriations, we’ve made historic investments to rebuild and replace aging systems, especially in rural communities, which will make our state stronger.”
That’s on top of close to $2 billion that the legislature appropriated in the state budget in 2023 for at least 241 water and sewer projects paid for by federal dollars that flowed to the state for coronavirus relief.
Missing, however, from the billions dedicated to shoring up the state’s water infrastructure is funding to help owners of properties that have septic tanks.
Septic vs. municipal wastewater systems
Septic systems provide wastewater treatment to homes in areas without municipal treatment facilities, such as rural and unincorporated communities. Roughly half of all North Carolina households rely on septic or decentralized wastewater systems, according to information provided by North Carolina State University’s Crop and Soil Sciences program.
Septic tank owners bear sole responsibility for their systems’ upkeep. What’s more, if a system is not properly maintained, it could seep sewage into ground and surface water and pose a threat to public health.
The EPA notes that one-in-five households in the U.S. is on a septic system. In North Carolina, that number is more like one-in-two households, and the vast majority of the households in coastal areas (close to 80 percent). Credit: EPA
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s annual SepticSmart week falls this month, an effort to bring attention to the needs of septic systems and the importance of maintaining them.
The agency notes that one-in-five households in the U.S. is on a septic system. In North Carolina, that number is more like one-in-two households, and the vast majority of the households in coastal areas (close to 80 percent).
And those systems are not always in optimal conditions, said N.C. State University Extension Specialist Erik Severson in an article on the extension’s website.
““Across the state, we have enormously different soils, some of which are challenging to drain,” he said.
Rachel Noble, a researcher at the UNC Chapel Hill Institute of Marine Sciences, said residents who are connected to municipal wastewater treatment systems enjoy a peace of mind not afforded to septic system owners.
“[Municipal] sewage systems have a level of preventive maintenance, making sure that when you live in a city or town [and] you flush the toilet, you don’t see it again,” Noble said.
“You know [the sewage] is going somewhere, and it’s being treated and discharged in a responsible manner that adheres to the EPA recommendations,” she added. “With septic systems […] you flush the toilet, you hope you don’t see it again, but there’s no structure for that kind of preventive maintenance.”
Septic systems at a glance:
While there are several types, a septic system consists of four basic components: the source (home), the septic tank, the drainfield or leach field, and the soil beneath the drainfield.
The type of system used is based on the lot’s soil and site conditions. The conventional system (consisting of a tank and drainfield that often contains between two and six gravel trenches) is the most commonly used in the state, according to information provided by North Carolina State Extension.
A septic system consists of four basic components: the source (home), the septic tank, the drainfield or leach field, and the soil beneath the drainfield (Hoover, 2004; Figure 1). Several different septic system designs are used in North Carolina. The type of system used is based on the lot’s soil and site conditions; however, the conventional system (as illustrated in Figure 1) is the most commonly used in the state. Credit: NC State Extension
North Carolina is roughly halfway through the Atlantic hurricane season, which the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration has predicted to be an above-average one for named storms. If Tropical Storm Debby is any indication, more frequent and intense storms generated by climate change have the potential to stress storm drains and wastewater systems, experts say.
Communities are looking for better ways to ensure the health of septic systems.
When asked why septic systems were not addressed in the latest round of water and wastewater infrastructure funding, a North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality spokesperson said that failing septic systems are a “high priority.”
The department has a pilot program for “decentralized” wastewater treatment systems that could provide funding for “qualified applicants,” including septic tank owners whose systems are in need of repair.
Recipients could receive as much as $500,000 under the program to do the work. The deadline for local governments to apply during the 2024 funding cycle is Monday, September 30, at 5 pm.
A preventative model
The Town of Nags Head, where nearly 80 percent of properties use septic systems to process waste, has a program to help its residents maintain healthy decentralized wastewater systems.
The Town of Nags Head, where nearly 80 percent of properties use septic systems to process waste, has a program to help its residents maintain healthy decentralized wastewater systems. Credit: Town of Nags Head
In 2000, Nags Head launched the Todd D. Krafft Septic Health Initiative Program. Under the program, the town will provide free septic tank inspections and financial assistance to residents whose systems are in need of maintenance, repair or replacement.
“We’re definitely the only ones here on the Outer Banks that offers [a program] like this, as far as I know,” said Conner Twiddy, environmental planner for the Town of Nags Head.
Twiddy said a range of issues can present problems for septic tanks, including “root intrusion in the drain fields” and issues arising from tanks operating at near capacity for extended periods.
Additionally, Twiddy said that sometimes he finds odd items during inspections.
“[I’ve] found a variety of different things in tanks that shouldn’t be in tanks, like ping pong balls, kid’s toys [and] different things that could cause damage to the drain field.”
Towns work to help residents
According to information on its website, the Town of Nags Head provides nonemergency septic system inspections at no cost to homeowners with conventional septic systems for residences generating fewer than 3,000 gallons of outflow per day.
Free services from town staff include locating the system, discussing concerns about installation and maintenance, inspections to detect problems early and a follow-up report outlining the system’s location and whether it needs pumping or repair. The town also offers low-interest loans for those who need to make repairs.
More information about the program, including contact information, is on the Town of Nags Head’s website: https://nagsheadnc.gov/280/Septic-Health-Initiative-Water-Quality
Twiddy said that monitoring septic systems is beneficial for the individual owner and the broader community, as it can help reduce costs down the road.
“You’re making sure your drain field is taking the water properly,” he said. If needed, property owners can “have the tank pumped or get the filter clean so you’re not dealing with that backup.”
In addition to the Town of Nags Head, Wake and Buncombe counties also provide financial assistance to septic owners, according to the Environmental Finance System Network, a national nonprofit organization that works to find creative funding solutions to environmental issues.
“If you’re being more proactive […] if there’s a problem, you can go ahead and address it,” Twiddy said.
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