Between 20 and 25 percent of all American homes use septic systems to treat household waste, and it’s important for those septic systems to operate properly in order to protect the health of people living in those homes and their neighbors, as well as to protect the water quality of our surface water and groundwater.

September 19-23 has been designated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency as SepticSmart Week, a time to evaluate your septic system (or have an expert do it for you) and to determine whether everything is working properly. Taking this important step can help prevent the spread of waterborne illnesses caused by leaking systems.

Septic systems that are correctly planned, designed, located, installed, operated and maintained can provide excellent wastewater treatment. However, systems that exceed the treatment capacity of the area’s soil or systems that are poorly designed, installed, operated or maintained can cause problems.

The most serious documented problems involve contamination of surface waters and groundwater with disease-causing organisms. Other problems include excessive nitrogen discharges to sensitive coastal waters and phosphorus pollution of inland surface waters, which increases algae blooms, in turn causing low dissolved oxygen concentrations. Contamination of important shellfish beds and swimming beaches by pathogens is a concern in some coastal regions.

In the Brazos River basin, the Brazos River Authority has partnered with state and local stakeholders to help reduce the level of contaminates in the water from sources that include faulty septic systems. These efforts include the Lake Granbury Watershed Protection Plan and the Leon River Watershed Protection Plan. These plans are coordinated efforts involving the BRA and other interested parties to address pollution concerns.

The Lake Granbury Watershed Protection Plan was created to address concerns about levels of E. coli bacteria found in some of the man-made coves of Lake Granbury. E. coli, which is normally found in the intestines of people and warm-blooded animals, can present health risks for those involved in recreational activities at the lake and at elevated levels, can indicate fecal contamination.

Over the last several decades, Hood County has experienced tremendous growth, with a substantial portion of the growth being located on man-made canals and coves. These are shallow, dead-end bodies of water with little mixing or interaction with the main part of the reservoir.

Much of the development along the reservoir is in unincorporated subdivisions that do not have municipal sewage collection services, and instead rely on septic systems to manage household waste. There are about 9,000 septic systems located in the immediate vicinity of Lake Granbury.

The Lake Granbury Watershed Protection Plan was funded by a federal grant to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The TCEQ worked with the BRA to develop the plan, which provided an assessment of existing and potential water quality threats within the Lake Granbury watershed and developed a strategy to improve and protect the water quality.  Though the program is now completed, great strides were taken by the plan to move forward with changes that will ensure the water quality of the reservoir. 

The Leon River watershed, which is part of the Brazos basin, encompasses about 2,600 square miles in Bell, Hamilton, Coryell, Comanche and Eastland counties. The entire Leon River below Lake Proctor (in Comanche County) is listed as an impaired watershed for having higher levels of bacteria than is recommended by state water quality standards.

To address this concern, as required by the federal Clean Water Act, the Leon River Watershed Protection Plan was developed to identify sources of bacteria and to develop management strategies to reduce bacteria in the river.

The BRA is a partner in the Leon River Watershed Protection Plan, and has received funding from the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board through the U.S. EPA.

Like the Lake Granbury watershed, E. coli is a primary concern, and EPA studies show that this bacteria is a good indicator of fecal contamination of the water. Frequent sources of E. coli are sewerage overflows, malfunctioning septic systems, runoff from rainfall and the presence of wildlife and livestock in or near the water.

As part of the Leon River Watershed Protection Plan, goals are to use a locally-driven stakeholder process to develop management strategies to improve water quality; to enhance data collection and implement water improvement strategies; and to provide an overall water quality assessment of the Leon River Watershed above Lake Belton.

The Leon River Watershed Coordinator and the Texas A&M Institute of Renewable Natural Resources, with the input of local residents, are among those implementing the watershed protection efforts.

Those who have septic systems can play a key role in helping to keep the watershed clean.

The biggest thing you can do if you have a septic system is to ensure it is working properly. The EPA has a list of 10 things you can do to ensure your septic system is working right.

• Have your system inspected every three years by a qualified professional, or according to your state and local health department’s recommendations.
• Have your septic tank pumped, when necessary, every three to five years.
• Avoid pouring items such as oils, grease, chemicals, paint or medicine down the drain.
• Keep cars and other heavy vehicles parked away from the drainfield and the tank.
• Follow the system manufacturer’s directions when using septic tank cleaners and additives.
• Repair leaks and use water efficient fixtures to avoid overloading the system.
• Maintain plants and vegetation near the system to ensure roots do not block drains.
• Use soaps and detergents that are low suds, biodegradable and low phosphate or phosphate-free.
• Prevent system freezing during cold weather by inspecting and insulating vulnerable system parts such as the inspection pipe and the soil treatment area.

The TCEQ, is the governing authority on septic systems (also known as on-site sewage facilities) in the state of Texas. Information for homeowners, including local permit authorities, is available here.