Septic Stewardship and Landscaping...Septic Stewardship and Landscaping Andrew Lazur Chesapeake Well and Septic Homeowner Education University of Maryland Extension [email protected] ~

Septic Stewardship and Landscaping

Andrew LazurChesapeake Well and Septic Homeowner Education

University of Maryland Extension [email protected]

Overview

1) Water Cycle and Connectivity

2) Environmental and Public Health

3) Septic Systems and Stewardship &

Landscaping Practices

13 million homes in US are on private wells; ~ 28 % of Marylanders use wells as drinking water

Clouds FormPrecipitation

Runoff

Infiltration to Ground Water

Ground Water Accessed Through Well

Plant Uptake

Transpiration

Evaporation

Michigan Tech

Water Cycle

Piedmont Region Aquifers

Direction andRate of

GroundwaterMovement

Depending on the flowof water through theaquifers and confiningunits, water can beanywhere from a fewdays old to thousandsof years old (or more).The more rechargetime, the greater thefiltration.

Source: USGS

WaterMovement andContamination

A. The groundwatermoves too rapidlythrough the cavernouslimestone to benaturally purified.B. Groundwatermovement in thepermeable sandstoneaquifer is slow enoughto allow naturalpurification.

Remember all water is recycled including wastewater.

How Do I Protect My Drinking Water?

10 HOMEOWNER TIPS

Photo Credit: “WHOA electric fence” (https://www.flickr.com/photos/littleredelf/3742038872/in/photolist-6GEVMA) by Andrea Janda is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/legalcode)

10 Tips To Protect Your Water

1. Familiarize Yourself With Your Well And Keep It Maintained

• Get A Copy Of Your Well Completion Report (“Well Log”)

• Personally Inspect The Well Every Year

• Have A Licensed Professional Inspect The Well Every 3 Years

• Keep Up-to-date Records Of Well Installation, Repairs, Inspections, And Water Tests

Sanitary Well Cap

• Plastic or metal pieces sealed with nuts and bolts – reduces tampering

• Airtight rubber gasket seal and vented screen prevent insects, small mammals and/or surface water from entering the well – reduces bacterial contamination and debris

• Generally, $40 - $50 from local well drillers

Well Regulations - Siting

15’

30’

Not near property lines or neighbors’ wells

Not in areas that receive runoff

Including septic system


2. ROUTINELY TEST YOUR DRINKING WATER:

• ALWAYS USE A COMMERCIAL FACILITY THAT HAS BEEN CERTIFIED BY THE MD DEPT. OF THE ENVIRONMENT (HTTP://WWW.MDE.STATE.MD.US/PROGRAMS/WATER/WATER_SUPPLY/DOCUMENTS/MD_CERT_DRINK_WATER_LAB_LIST.PDF)

Every Year:

• Coliform bacteria

• Nitrates

Every 3 Years:

• pH

• Total Dissolved Solids

• Sulfates

• Other contaminants based on local land uses and naturally occurring deposits


3. Mind Your Activities Within 100’ Of Well:

• Pets

• Plantings

• Mowing

4. Pick Up After Your Pets

5. Pump And Maintain Your Septic Tank

Photo Credit: “Mower” (https://www.flickr.com/photos/tabor-roeder/14669547969) by Phil Roeder is licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode)

Septic Tank Pumping Frequency

Number of Occupants

750Gallons

1,000 Gallons

1,250Gallons

1,500 Gallons

2,000 Gallons

1 4 years 4 years 4 years 5 years 5 years

2 3 years 3 years 3 years 4 years 4 years

3 Annually 2 years 2 years 3 years 3 years

4 Annually Annually 2 years 2 years 2 years

5+ Annually Annually Annually Annually Annually


6. Use Non-toxic Cleaners

7. Minimize Fertilizer And Pesticide Use

8. Follow Product Guidelines For Storage And Disposal Of Household And Lawn Care Chemicals. Do Not Dump Waste On Ground Or In Water.

9. Regularly Check Underground Storage Tanks That Hold Home Heating Oil, Diesel, Or Gasoline

10.Wash Cars At A Commercial Facility

1. System Basics

2. Best Available Technology (BAT) systems

3. Bay Restoration Fund (BRF) Cost-share

Funding

4. Septic Stewardship Practices

5. Landscaping Practices

Source: MOPWA

Overview of Septic Systems

• In Maryland, 20% of the population, or 420,000 households are served by septic systems, also known as On-Site Disposal Systems (OSDS)

• Properly functioning OSDS are critical to basic public health and the environment.• Contribute 6% of total nitrogen loading to the Chesapeake Bay)

and can also contaminate ground water (e.g. drinking water for houses on wells)

• Source of pathogenic bacteria, e.g. E. coli• Contribute other harmful contaminants into soils and

groundwater – emerging contaminants, e.g. hormones, pharmaceuticals, and household chemicals, etc.

Onsite Wastewater Treatment(Septic Systems) In Maryland

Components of a Standard Septic System

SCUM (fats, oils, grease)

Filter

Solids

To Drainfield

Wastes from

House

Risers

Baffl

e

Lid

Waste Flow in a Septic Tank

Adapted from WERF.org

Drainfields - where treatment occurs

City of Bothwell, WA

Source: Fostersurvey.com

Conventional gravel trench

EZ Flow media tubes

Peat filter over gravel

Chambers

Nitrogen Removal Processes

Adapted from: Lusk, et. al, 2017

Tank removes ~5% of N

Drainfield removes ~20-40% of N

BAT Units can remove ~55 - 85%

of N

Clear, odorlesseffluent – Still notpotable, but close

Aerobic Treatment System –Best Available Technology (BAT)

Source: Frederick County Health Dept.

MOWPA

Maryland Approved BAT Units and Cost (MDE, July, 2017)

https://mde.maryland.gov/programs/Water/BayRestorationFund/OnsiteDisposalSystems/Documents/BAT%20Ranking%20Document.pdf

BAT Nitrogen Reduction Efficiency (MDE, July, 2017)


BAT Annual Maintenance Costs (MDE, July, 2017)


BAT Annual Electrical Costs (MDE, July, 2017)

Range of Monthly Costs: $3.24 to $18.86; Average = $10.11


• Cost-sharing program for BAT Units• Priority given to failing units within Critical Area• 100% for homes with income < $300,000; 50% otherwise

• Established through the Flush Fee• Local counties manage grant funding• Contact local permitting office for information (e.g. Dept. of• Environmental Health)• Grants awarded on fiscal year of July to June• Limits BAT options to state-certified technologies• Check MDE website for current list of approved vendors

http://www.mde.state.md.us/programs/Water/BayRestorationFund/Pages/Index.aspx

Bay Restoration Fund (BRF)

27

Protect It And Inspect It

Think At The Sink

Don’t Overload The Commode

Shield Your Field

Don’t Strain The Drain

Sam’s Do’s and Don’ts

EPA Septic Smart: https://www.epa.gov/septic

https://www.epa.gov/septic

Home Septic System Maintenance Tips

1. Conserve water – fix leaks, use water saving appliances

2. Avoid garbage disposals and draining fats, oils and grease

3. Don’t dispose of chemicals down drains4. Only flush toilet paper – no wipes, etc.5. Ensure stormwater runs away from tank and

drainfield6. Keep traffic off of drainfield7. Don’t plant trees near tank or drainfield8. Have tank pumped every 3-5 years 9. Have tank filter cleaned regularly10. Have system inspected annually

• Your septic system is the most expensive ‘appliance’ in your home• Saves you $

Conventional system - A few hundred dollars every 3-5 years for maintenance vs. ~$6K - 15K to replace.BAT system – A few hundred per year vs. $14 - 30+K to replace

• Protects your property value- Homes with malfunctioning septic systems can be more difficult to sell.

• Protects your and your neighbors’ well water - A failing septic can contaminate well water; test your well water quality (untreated to your tap).

• Protects you and your neighbors’ health- A failing septic can bring wastewater above the surface, creating a health hazard for you, children, your neighbors and animals.

Reasons to Maintain Your Septic System

Source: EPA Septic Smart

Landscaping Septic Systems

Building Advisor.com

Pinterest

Pinterest

Env. Landscape Assoc

# - Fill or additional soil

- Wildflowers and grasses

- Trees or shrubs- Lawn

Adapted fromMeyer, M. et al. 2008. MN Extension 06986:

Example Locations for Mound System in Landscape

Source: Meyer, M. et al. 2008. MN Extension 06986

Tips for LandscapingSeptic Systems

• Do not drive over the drainfield (unless it is a tracked vehicle)

• Do not cover drainfield with hard structure, fabric or plastic weed barriers or mulch (soil needs to breathe)

• Establish grass or other acceptable shallow root vegetation on drainfield quickly to reduce erosion

• Do not till drainfield before planting - lightly scarify surface only

• Avoid planting trees near tank and drainfield • Root barriers can be installed to reduce risk of root

intrusion in drainfield• Don’t mow when soil is wet to reduce/prevent compaction

Tips for LandscapingSeptic Systems (continued)

• Mowing turf regularly increases evaporation from drainfield

• Consider lower maintenance plants that do not like wet soils

• Don’t plant a vegetable garden near system (only non edible plants)

• Wear gloves when working over drainfield and near septic tank

• Avoid irrigating area near tank and the drainfield• Slope water drainage away from tank and drainfield

Grasses: Fescue Lawn Ornamental grasses -sideoats grama(Bouteloua curtipendula)blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis)little bluestem(Schizachyrium scoparium)prairie dropseed(Sporobolus heterolepis)June grass (Koeleria macrantha)

Grass-like:Sedges (Carex spp.)Sweet flag (Acorus gramineus)

Groundcovers for sun: Carpet heathers (Calluna Vulgaris) Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster) Moss Phlox (P. subulata)Groundcovers for shade: Bunchberry (Cornus) Ferns, e.g. Christmas fern Mosses Pachysandra (not P. terminalis)Sweet woodruff (Galium Odoratum) Wild ginger (Asarum) Wintergreen (Gaultheria)

Wildflower meadow mixes

Desirable Plant Species for Drainfields

Sources: EPA Septic Smart; VT Extension; WSU Extension; Photos: UM HGIC

Beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis)-WBee balm (Monarda didyma)- WBig bluestem (Andropogon gerardii)- GBlack-eyed susan (Rudbeckia hirta)- WBlazingstar (Liatris spicata)- WCanada wild rye (Elymus canadensis)- WCommon milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)- WButterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa)- WEvening primrose (Oenothera biennis)- WIndian grass (Sorghastrum nutans)- GLittle bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)- GNew England aster (Aster novae-angliae)-WNew York ironweed (Vernonia noveboracensis)-WPartridge pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata)- LPurple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)- WPurpletop (Tridens flavus)- GRoundhead bush clover- (Lespedeza capitata)- LSpotted beebalm (Monarda punctata)- WSunflowers (Helianthus annuus) -WVirginia wild rye (Elymus virginicus)- G

Plants for Dry Meadows

Source: MD DNR. https://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/Pages/ha

bitat/wawildflowers.aspx

Selecting Trees for Planting Near Your Septic Drainfield

Not Recommended for Planting Near Drainfields Beeches Fagus spp.Birches Betula spp.Elms Ulmus spp.Poplars Populus spp.Red Maple Acer rubrumSilver Maple Acer saccharinumWillows Salix spp.Oaks Quercus spp.Better Choices for Planting Near Drainfields (>30 feet)Cherries Prunus spp.Crabapples Malus spp.Dogwoods Cornus sppHemlock Tsuga spp.Pines Pinus spp.Sourwood Oxydendrum arboreum

Well and Septic Resources

UME Well and Septic Education Program: http://extension.umd.edu/well-and-septicCounty Health Dept. Contacts: http://extension.umd.edu/well-and-septic/county-contacts

Hydrology/GroundwaterMaryland Geological Survey: http://www.mgs.md.gov/

Wells and Water SupplyMaryland Dept. of Environment - Water Supply Division: http://www.mde.state.md.us/programs/Water/Water_Supply/Pages/Residential_Wells.aspxhttp://www.mde.state.md.us/programs/Water/water_supply/Documents/MD_Cert_Drink_Water_Lab_List.pdf

Septic SystemsMaryland Dept. of Environment – Onsite Systems Division: https://mde.maryland.gov/programs/Water/BayRestorationFund/OnsiteDisposalSystems/Pages/OnsiteSystems.aspx