Water Quality and Septic Systems in Indiana

Water quality concerns

Water quality concerns

Water quality concerns

Wastewater concerns

Slide 6

Slide 7

How much waste?

Are septic systems treating the waste adequately?

Outline of presentation

Potential contaminants from septic systems

Contaminants in septic systems: Pathogens

Contaminants in septic systems: Pathogens

Contaminants in septic systems: Pathogens

Contaminants in septic systems: Pathogens

Fate of contaminants in septic systems: Phosphorus

On-site wastewater treatment

Contaminants in septic systems: Nitrogen

Slide 19

Slide 20

The new ground water standard for nitrate

ISDH proposed rule to meet ground water standards

"What spacing is needed to..."

Assumptions about the effluent: Volume (Ve) and Ne

Assumptions about ground water recharge (Vr and Nr)

Area needed to keep long-term nitrate concentrations below 10 mg/l

This method is conservative

Comparison to other studies

Outline of presentation

Slide 30

Incomplete system

Incomplete system

How many
“septic non-systems”?

Housing survey can help define septic system needs

Failed systems

Causes of failure

Many soils are not suitable for conventional systems

Soil limitations (NRCS)

Severe limitations by county
% of area with “severe limitations” according to NRCS criteria.

Soil suitability - Online maps using “Internet Map Server”

Slide 41

Information available

Slide 43

What we can do

What we can do

What we can do - failed and incomplete systems

What we can do

Wellhead protection

Watershed management

Conclusions

Conclusions

For more information