Join us and all your neighbors this Thursday, Nov. 18 at 5 p.m. at the Brown County 4-H Fairgrounds building to learn about the Brown County Regional Sewer District’s activities and ways to keep your septic systems operating.
At the Septic Summit 2.0, you can explore options and get correct answers to your own wastewater treatment needs. Experts, suppliers, service providers, soil scientists and neighbors will be at your “disposal” in one convenient place and time.
Well over 20 years ago, many people in Brown County began steps to develop long range plans to preserve the natural qualities of Brown County, including developing effective and healthy water and sewage systems.
In 1996 the Helmsburg Sewer District was formed. In 1998 the expansion of the Brown County Water Utility was underway and by 2000 the Gnaw Bone Sewer District was operating.
Nearly 20 years ago, several residents and business owners in the Bean Blossom area, along with the Brown County Health Department, recognized that septic systems that no longer operated properly were going to require a better solution than just trying to rebuild them. The Brown County Regional Sewer District (BCRSD) was formed to provide sanitary sewage collection and treatment service to areas of Brown County not already being serviced by other sewer districts.
The BCRSD is a nonprofit organization as outlined by statute with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.
In areas where on-site septic systems are not working properly or are non-existent, community-wide sewage collection and treatment will help reduce untreated human waste from entering the soil, groundwater and surface water streams. Septic systems that are not working properly pose serious public health problems, including the potential spread of disease from high E. coli or other bacteria that can harm individuals, their families and the water in the area.
There are many pathways by which E. coli enter our waters. Septic systems falling into disrepair and straight pipes from residential wastewater discharging directly to creeks and ponds are known sources of human E. coli contamination in Brown County. Also, wastes from wildlife and from farm animals are known sources for animal E. coli contamination. The stream sampling program conducted by BCRSD and the Lochmueller Group was designed to determine E. coli levels in the streams and to differentiate between human versus animal E. coli contamination.
A community-wide sewer system is often the best solution for local soil conditions, like the clay and shallow to bedrock soils and steep slopes, that are found in Brown County. These conditions are not well suited for properly operating septic lateral fields.
When homes and businesses are close together and numerous have older septic systems needing repair or replacement, they often do not have the room or conditions to complete septic system repairs under the current guidelines of the Indiana State Department of Health. This situation usually means that a central sewer system is more economically feasible with a much healthier outcome.
Onsite septic systems fail for a variety of reasons. Most septic systems, however, fail because of inappropriate design or poor maintenance. Soil-based systems that have drain fields — fingers or lateral fields — may have been installed at home sites with inadequate soils, excessive slopes or high groundwater tables. These conditions can cause hydraulic failures and contamination of nearby water sources.
Another cause might be failure to perform routine maintenance, such as pumping the septic tank generally every three to five years. This lack of maintenance can cause solids to build up in the tank, migrate into the drainage field and clog the system.
Symptoms of failure may or may not be easily identified. If there is a strong septic odor around the septic tank or the lateral field that’s a dead giveaway. Other obvious issues include pooling muddy, smelly water around the septic system, bright green and spongy grass over the lateral field especially during dry weather or wastewater backing up into household drains.
According to soil scientists, biologists, engineers and other environmental professionals at Purdue University’s Extension Service, it is important to note that older failing septic systems in Indiana are not “grandfathered” as safe. They are a hazard to the public and must be dealt a solution.
The Indiana State Department of Health is the regulating body that is responsible for the framing of the rules pertaining to home sewage disposal. Based on these regulations, the county health department, headed by the county health officer, is in charge of administering the rules and regulations and issuing permits for the testing, installation and repairs of septic systems.
Before construction of any new home, the homeowner or their authorized agent must apply for, and obtain, a permit for installation of a sewage disposal system. This same requirement applies to reconstruction or repairs of an existing system. The application has to be made on a prescribed form and contain all necessary information as required by the county health officer.
By regulation, before issuing a permit, an on-site soil evaluation test must be performed to determine if the soil is suitable for construction and operation of a septic system. Soil classification is determined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation System.
The importance of proper soil classification should not be underestimated. If the soil is inaccurately classified, it could cause unnecessary delays and expense to the homeowner.
One of the main advantages of a professional soil evaluation over the older percolation test, which is no longer an accepted method of testing septic field areas, is that layers within the soil that severely limit the function of septic systems can be defined. These limiting layers include bedrock, the seasonal high water table, dense soils with slow permeability and sandy or gravelly soil with very rapid permeability.
Importantly, Indiana Code specifies that at least two feet of separation should exist between the bottom of the septic field and groundwater. Installation of curtain drains, importation of fill material or use of alternative sewage disposal systems are options that can be used where limiting layers occur at shallow depths.
Poor soil conditions with limitations such as slow permeability, shallow till and seasonal high water tables combined with density of development, small lot sizes and configurations and the use of private individual water wells are critical concerns. Public health is also at stake as well as decreased property values.
Information and help about the physical limitations of lot size, slope of your property, soil issues and other concerns will be available at the upcoming Septic Summit 2.0.
Food and prizes will make the Septic Summit 2.0 the place to be on Thursday evening, Nov. 18 beginning at 5 p.m. at the Brown County Fairgrounds.
Clint Studabaker of Brown County is a retired professional engineer and a volunteer member of the Brown County Regional Sewer District board. He holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and an executive MBA, and has extensive experience with Fortune 500 companies in environmental engineering, project management, business integration, strategic planning and regulatory affairs.
