Causes of Water Pollution

Failing septic systems are one of the major causes of water pollution. Did you know that 31 states list failing septic systems as the second greatest potential cause of ground water pollution? (after leaking underground storage tanks) For more information on this EPA report, you can go to http://www.laundry-alternative.com/failingseptic-national4.html.  Failing septic systems represent a major public health threat. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), as many as 900,000 people get sick and 900 die each year from waterborne microbial infections. Much of the contamination comes from pumping human waste into rivers and oceans, or letting it filter into groundwater. A small drop of fecal matter can contain millions of microorganisms. There are approximately 25 million septic tanks in the United States, receiving 175 billion gallons of wastewater that could contaminate ground and surface waters with viruses and other pathogens.  Some of the dangerous organisms found in wastewater include E. Coli O157, cryptosporidium, giardia, hepatitis A & pfiesteria. E. Coli bacteria can kill, as can legionella, which causes Legionnaires disease, a respiratory illness. Parasites such as giardia cause diarrhea and can lead to lactose intolerance and severe joint pain.  Failing septic systems also cause significant environmental problems. Failing septic systems are one of the main reasons why one-fifth of Puget Sound's commercial shellfish beds have seen harvest restrictions since 1980. Excess nutrients from failing septic systems can also fuel algal blooms and growth of other types of vegetation, which can in turn lower oxygen levels and reduce fish populations. Nitrogen has been entering the Chesapeake Bay, the nation's largest estuary, to such a degree that 150 square mile "dead zones", oxygen-starved swathes that cause massive fish and shellfish kills, are occurring with alarming regularity.  Very few people that failing septic systems are one of the leading causes of water pollution. When they do hear about the problem, most of them automatically assume that septic systems are bad and should simply be replaced with sewer systems. This thinking is wrong on three counts: 1. The real reason for most septic system failures has do with lack of information and maintenance. For most people, septic systems are out of sight, out of mind. As long as the toilet still flushes, they consider that they are "working fine." 2. Sewer systems are not foolproof by any means. In 2004 E-Coli in the Walkerton (Canada) sewer system killed 6 people and sickened 2,000. In 1993, a cryptosporidium outbreak in Milwaukee killed over 100 people and sickened over 400,000.   3. Extending sewer systems is simply not economically viable in many cases. Why do Septic Systems Fail? According to the EPA, approximately 95% of septic system failures occur because the leach fields get plugged with solids. For more information on how to prevent this from occurring, you can go to our septic system maintenance article.  One of the problems is that most septic system owners don't understand how well their systems are working and whether or not they are failing. Most think that their system is working unless it fails completely and they can't even flush their toilet. However, the system can start failing much earlier than this. Septic systems are supposed to work by filtering out the larger solids in the septic tank. The wastewater that exits the tank, which is called effluent, is then distributed through a distribution box, then it drains out into the leach field via perforated pipes. Bacteria in the soil then break down harmful microorganisms in the waste water, rendering the waste water safe before it enters the ground water or any other water source. However, if the drain field is failing, the waste water may simply pond up on the surface, where it can enter rivers etc. Alternatively, the "good" bacteria in the drain field could be killed off in a failing system, and the harmful microorganisms can get into the ground water. As you may know from researching this topic, failing Septic Tanks are a major financial and environmental problem in this country. Expensive septic repairs can often run from $5,000 to $20,000 or more and a large number of systems are failing throughout the country. For news stories related to failing Septic Tanks and tightening regulations you can go to: http://www.laundry-alternative.com/failingseptic.htm You also can't sell your home if it has a failing system. For more information on how to properly maintain your Septic Tank, go to: http://www.laundry-alternative.com/septic_system_maintenance.htm