What is a septic system?
A septic system is an individual wastewater treatment system for homes not connected to a city sewer system. It is an underground construct that, if routinely maintained, efficiently manages the wastewater produced in a house. There are various types of septic systems, which are typically chosen based on factors such as household size,
location, and proximity to water bodies. The most common setups include septic tanks, conventional systems, and chamber systems.
When you flush a toilet, take a shower, or run the dishwasher, all that dirty water and waste goes into a large underground tank buried in the yard. Solid waste sinks to the bottom of the tank, while bacteria break down the remaining waste in the liquid. The treated wastewater, also known as effluent, flows out of the tank into a drain field, where it soaks into the ground to get naturally filtered by the soil.
What is at stake?
Michigan is currently the only state in the Nation without a statewide septic code to establish minimum construction, maintenance, and inspection standards. For over the past two decades, efforts to enact regulations to address this issue have been unsuccessful. As legislators grapple with finding a resolution, Michigan’s waters remain threatened.
Many homeowners struggle to afford the costs associated with replacing, repairing, or maintaining their septic systems. Unaddressed failing systems can lead to various issues that impact public health, water quality, property values, and long-term expenses. Additionally, if your neighbor cannot replace or fix their failing septic system, it could negatively impact your property.
Human wastes are not the only pollutants that failing septic tanks are releasing to groundwater and surface water. So-called emerging contaminants are found in household wastes, whether they discharge to publicly owned sewage systems or septic tanks.
Twenty different studies on septic systems have identified 45 contaminants in septic effluent, including pharmaceuticals, personal care product ingredients, chemicals in cleaning products, flame retardants, hormones (both natural and synthetic), and other common substances such as caffeine.
Septic systems are somewhat effective at removing chemicals such as acetaminophen, caffeine, and alkylphenols, a common group of ingredients used in cleaning products. But some chemicals remain largely untreated, including the carcinogenic flame retardant TCEP, an anti-epilepsy drug called carbamazepine, and the antibiotic sulfamethoxazole.
Why does FLOW care?
FLOW has been working with a coalition of groups, including SEMCOG, the Michigan Municipal League, local government organizations, and the environmental community to propose solutions that reconcile conflicting opinions on current septic legislation, ensure its implementation, and address the urgent need for septic legislation. FLOW believes that the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), a crucial advisor to EGLE, should be empowered to determine the frequency and implementation of a time-based evaluation requirement. Once an evaluative threshold of 75% is met, the TAC, with its extensive expertise, programmatic experience, and data, will be well-equipped to make an informed decision about transitioning to a time-based system. However, further research is necessary to establish the procedure for such a determination and how the TAC can facilitate this programmatic change. Additionally, after reaching a 75% evaluation threshold, whether through risk-based criteria or TOST, the household would be subject to a periodic inspection regimen of 5 or 10 years for counties served by a public health department.
