 |
|
|
|||
|
|||
|
|||
|
 
|
|
the upper altamaha initiative:
fall 2005
Abstract As communities develop and grow, they are seeking ways to manage that growth wisely. One pressing area for this wise management is on-site septic systems. With an estimated 25% of American homes using such systems, communities around the country and in Georgia have begun knocking on the door of sound septic management with increasing urgency. Why? Because failing septic systems can lead to contaminated ground water, pollution of rivers and streams, as well as expensive repairs or re-siting of septic systems. Indeed, the fecal coliform non-point source pollution of several water bodies in the Upper Atlamaha Watershed provides much of the impetus for our project. This project aims to take a closer look at how Georgia state and county governments, as well as other local officials and organizations, can play a larger role in improving water quality through more effective septic system management. Several areas, including Gwinnett County, Athens-Clarke County and the Etowah watershed, have specifically requested help from the Upper Altamaha Pilot Project on these matters. At present, there is a great deal of uncertainty among homeowners about the current condition of their septic tanks, often not addressed until some physical evidence of failure - such as backing up of toilets or above ground sewage seepage - manifests itself. At this late point, unfortunately, there is already a good chance that some sort of repair measures need to be taken. This project aims to eliminate much of that uncertainty and provide homeowners and local governments with the structure and information to begin fixing the problems that plague the use of septic systems in our state. Our goals for this project are twofold. Our primary goal is to create a model ordinance for communities in Georgia to use in managing on-site septic systems. We plan to approach the problem from a broad stance, examining current state and local legislation for current practices in septic management and enforcement. As it stands currently, Georgia only provides legislation at the state level for the siting of septic systems. Through the production of the model ordinance and accompanying white paper, we hope to provide recommendations to these local governments for ways in which they might more effectively manage septic systems in their area. Secondly, we plan to develop a system to detect specific septic system failures on a localized scale. Communities are looking for ways to determine where these failures are and how to help homeowners find ways to finance their clean-up and repair, if necessary. One area of suspected septic tank failure is on a section of Turkey Creek in Gwinnett County. By researching methods used in other communities with suspected failures and the options available for addressing these failures, we hope to provide stakeholders with the tools they need - inspection, maintenance, and repair incentives - to successfully address a growing threat to public health. To accomplish these goals, we will focus our attention both on the factors and situations unique to the specific areas that have requested our assistance, and also on prior studies conducted throughout the country, paying particular attention to what worked well, and what didn't work at all. We will examine legislature and ordinances from these various areas as a guide in constructing our own model ordinance, and we will also examine how these communities either uncovered or created more effective means of enforcement for those whose septic systems were malfunctioning, outdated, or improperly constructed or maintained. We hope that our study of proven management and accountability options used in other communities will result in a workable septic ordinance that can be adapted for communities throughout Georgia. A day-long seminar and educational materials on septic maintenance for requesting communities will help jump-start and reinforce this ordinance. Gwinnett County, Athens-Clarke County and other requesting communities will receive our completed model ordinance and community education packet. In the long run, we hope that these efforts will help to bring about more effective management of on-site septic systems by Georgia home-owners and local governments, alike.
|
||||||||
|
Visit Our Partners:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
