Private well system in Florida. Image: UF/IFAS, C. Wofford
UF/IFAS Extension and Mississippi State University are offering a workshop about the fundamentals of private well and onsite wastewater systems (septic systems) on October 24, 2024 from 6-8:30 pm CST. Join us virtually or in-person at the UF/IFAS Walton County Extension Office for an informative session that will cover everything you need to know about these essential systems. Whether you’re a homeowner, realtor, or simply interested in the topic, this event is perfect for gaining valuable insights. Don’t miss out on this chance to expand your knowledge!
One of the top concerns with residents in our communities is water quality. Surveys I have conducted with the public support this statement. One of the top concerns with water quality in the coastal areas is health advisories. These are issued when concentrations of selected fecal bacteria are too high.
In coastal areas, the selected bacteria are Enterococcus. It is important to note that Enterococcus bacteria are found in the digestive systems of birds and mammals. So, its presence does not automatically mean there is human waste in the water. However, there are pathogens associated with bird and mammal waste humans should be concerned about. And very high concentrations are most likely due to human waste. Science is working on additional methods to confirm high levels of Enterococcus are human. It is assumed that these will one day be used.
Enterococcus bacteria are used in coastal waters due to their ability to tolerate higher salinity. Some species, such as E. coli, that are used in freshwater systems die in saline ones. This suggests that the waste is not there, when in fact it is. It is also important to know that Enterococcus bacteria in themselves are not health concern for us. They are in our digestive tracts. But their presence in the water indicates that waste is present and there are pathogens in this waste that are of concern – hence the advisories issued.
In this series we will look at three methods we can use to help reduce human waste from entering our local waterways. Those are (1) maintaining your septic system, (2) converting your septic system to sewer, and (3) maintaining your sewer lines. We will begin with maintaining your septic system.
Septic systems have been used in rural and suburban communities where sewer systems have not been available for decades. Even today, the growth of new neighborhoods is outpacing the sewer infrastructure to support them. Many of these new communities are using septic systems. If properly placed and maintained, septic systems can work well. But many are not placed in good locations, and most are not maintained.
A conventional septic system is composed of a septic tank and a drainfield, where most of the wastewater treatment takes place. Image: US EPA
The system begins with the water leaving your home and entering a large tank made of concrete, fiberglass, or polyethylene buried in the yard. The average size of these tanks is 1000 gallons, but – depending on the number of bedrooms and bathrooms in the house, they could be larger. Here the sewage sits. Over time the solid waste will settle on the bottom (sludge) while the fats, oils, and grease float to the surface. The liquid layer in the middle (effluent) will flow from the tank into a series of smaller perforated drainpipes that slowly discharge into a drain field. A properly designed drain field will have a layer of sand that will allow draining of the effluent to occur.
Let’s talk about how to maintain this system.
Do not overload the system with too much water. The tank is designed for a specific number of bedrooms/bathrooms. Overusing water can fill the tank and initiate leaking before the sewage has had time to settle. Watch your water use.
Watch what you are flushing down the drain. Fats, oils, grease, and even milk will solidify and clog the lines. There are many products that describe themselves as “flushable”. They are, but they are not biodegradable. These two will cause clogs and backups in the system. Some harsh cleaning products can harm the bacteria within the tank who are breaking down the waste – these should be avoided. Also avoid using the garbage disposal. Septic systems were designed for water and sewage, not garbage and food. Compost your food waste instead.
Periodically have your tank pumped and inspected. This is a step that many do not follow and can lead to leaking of untreated sewage into local waterways. It is recommended that you have your septic tank pumped and inspected once every 3-5 years. There are several businesses in your area who do this type of work. They can also provide advice on how to better maintain your specific system.
Protect your drain field. Do not drive over this area of your lawn. Vehicles can compact the porous soil needed for efficient percolation and possible crack pipes. Planting trees and shrubs in this area can introduce roots into the lines, plant shallow root plants only. Design your landscape so that rainwater does not flow over the drain field during storms. The draining of your system is designed to be a slow process, allowing both physical and biological treatment of the waste to occur before reaching any water source. Rain and flooding conditions impede this from happening.
Developing a septic maintenance plan for your property can help reduce the number of health advisories your community will see. For more information contact your county health department or extension office.
Flooding due to heavy rains can cause septic systems to fail. Image: B. White NASA. Public Domain
About 30% of households in Florida rely on septic systems to treat and dispose of household wastewater. This includes all water from bathrooms and kitchens, and laundry machines.
Conventional septic systems are made up of a septic tank (a watertight container buried in the ground) and a drain field, or leach field. The septic tank’s job is to separate out solids (which settle on the bottom as sludge), from oils and grease, which float to the top and form a scum layer. Bacteria break down the solids (the organic matter) in the tank. The liquid wastewater or effluent, which is in the middle layer of the tank, flows out through pipes into the drain field and underlying soil, where most of the treatment takes placeDuring floods or heavy rains, the soil around the septic tank and in the drainfield become saturated, or water-logged, and the effluent from the septic tank can’t properly drain though the soil. Special care needs to be taken with your septic system during and after a flood or heavy rains.
Diagram of a conventional septic system. Courtesy of the Leon County Public Works Department.
What should you do after flooding occurs?
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) offers these guidelines:
If your water supply comes from a private well, have it tested for bacteria (total coliform bacteria and E. coli) to make sure it’s safe for consumption, which includes drinking, brushing teeth and cooking. Contact your local County Health Department for testing information. Use an alternate water source or boil your water (bring it to a rolling boil for at least 1 minute) before using it.
Relieve pressure on the septic system by using it less or not at all until floodwaters recede and the soil has drained. For your septic system to work properly, water needs to drain freely in the drainfield. Under flooded conditions, water can’t drain properly and can back up in your system. Remember that in most homes all water sent down the pipes goes into the septic system. Clean up floodwater in the house without dumping it into the sinks or toilet.
Avoid digging around the septic tank and drainfield while the soil is water logged. Don’t drive heavy vehicles or equipment over the drainfield. By using heavy equipment or working under water-logged conditions, you can compact the soil in your drainfield, and water won’t be able to drain properly.
Don’t open or pump out the septic tank if the soil is still saturated. Silt and mud can get into the tank if it is opened and can end up in the drainfield, reducing its drainage capability. Pumping under these conditions can cause a tank to pop out of the ground.
If you suspect your system has been damage, have the tank inspected and serviced by a professional. How can you tell if your system is damaged? Signs include: settling, wastewater backs up into household drains, the soil in the drain field remains soggy and never fully drains, a foul odor persists around the tank and drain field.
Keep rainwater drainage systems away from the septic drainfield. As a preventive measure, make sure that water from roof gutters doesn’t drain into your septic drainfield – this adds an additional source of water that the drainfield has to manage.
Join us for our upcoming multi-county private well and water quality workshop. As a private well user, you are responsible for ensuring that your water is safe to drink. We will cover how private wells and septic systems work, proper maintenance, steps to help ensure your drinking water is safe to consume and disaster preparedness for this upcoming hurricane season. We will also offer facilitated water testing for bacteria, lead and nitrate.
The workshop will be offered on Thursday, April 11, 2024, from 9:00 am – 11:30 am CST at the Calhoun County Extension Offices, 20816 Central Ave. E, Blountstown. You can also attend virtually via Zoom. Registration is $5.00 per person. Facilitated water screening for total coliform and E. coli bacteria is available at a reduced cost. Please register on Eventbrite, https://JacksonCountyFCS.Eventbrite.com/ or you can also register by visiting the Calhoun County Extension Office, (850-674-8323). This workshop is being presented by UF/IFAS Extension Bay, Calhoun, Holmes, Jackson, and Washington Counties.
For lead and nitrate testing prices and additional details, visit our Eventbrite page or call the Calhoun County Extension Office at 850-674-8323. Pre-registration is encouraged as seating is limited, but as mentioned previously, a virtual option is also available. For persons with disabilities requiring special accommodations, please contact the Extension Office (TDD, via Florida Relay Service, 1-800-955-8771) at least ten working days prior to the class so that proper consideration may be given to the request. UF/IFAS Extension is an Equal Opportunity Institution.
Health advisories issued by the Department of Health (DOH) due to high levels of fecal bacteria have been a problem for some parts of the Pensacola Bay system for decades. Though most of the samples collected near our beaches rarely require them (usually between 0-5%) the bayous near downtown have been at, or above, 30% of the samples. Bayou Chico is often between 50-60% of the samples. Fecal bacteria have been such a problem in Bayou Chico that it was required to adopt a state Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP) to rectify the problem.
Closed due to bacteria.
Photo: Rick O’Connor
I began following the health advisory reports provided by DOH’s Healthy Beaches Program in 2012. As mentioned above, swimming beaches near our islands rarely have health advisories issued. The problem was with the three bayous near downtown. In 2012 all three consistently reported 30%, or more, of their samples required an advisory to be issued.
To rectify the problem the city and county have been doing a lot of work replacing old infrastructure that allowed sewage to leak from pipes or reach surface waters through sanitary sewage overflows. Many communities around these bayous are converting from old septic systems to sewer, the communities around Bayou Texar are now all on sewer. These same efforts are occurring along the north shore of Bayou Grande, and in neighborhoods around Bayou Chico. Between 2012 and the present, I have seen the frequency of health advisories decline some. Bayou Texar hovers around 30%, some years they are below, others above the mark. In recent years Bayou Grande has consistently been between 25-30%. Bayou Chico has declined some but is usually at or above 30%.
In 2023, for the first time since I began following this, all 13 sites monitored in Escambia County were below 30%.
2023
Body of Water
Number of samples taken
Percent of samples requiring an advisory
Bayou Texar
45
22
Bayou Grande
18
22
Bayou Chico
19
21
Bruce Beach
46
9
Big Lagoon State Park
19
5
Sanders Beach
46
4
Casino Beach
18
0
Park East
18
0
Park West
18
0
Quietwater Beach
18
0
Ft. Pickens
7
0
Johnson’s Beach
7
0
Opal Beach
7
0
It is worth noting that our rainfall was low this year as well. Historically, Pensacola received 60-61 inches of rain a year. Over the last decade this has increased to 70-71 inches. The current rainfall total for 2023 is 58 inches. Many studies show a strong correlation between rainfall and the number of advisories issued. It may very well be that the reduction in rainfall played a large part in the reduction of health advisories. Despite a lot of progress repairing infrastructure, and this effort needs to continue, there are still some issues.
Along with the city and county retrofitting old infrastructure, there are things area residents can do as well.
Many of these are related to poorly maintained septic systems throughout the area. If you are a septic system owner and would like to learn more on how to properly maintain your septic system, contact your county extension office.
If you are a septic system owner and are interested in converting to sewer to reduce the need for maintenance, contact our county extension office. For some communities in the Pensacola area, there is a cost share program with DOH to help make this conversion.
If you are on a sewer system in one of the older parts of town, the pipe leaving your house and connecting to the line under the street is your responsibility and may need repairing or replacing. Many plumbing companies have a television scope that can examine this line and provide you feedback.
For everyone, be careful what your pour down the drain. Fats, Oils, Grease, and even milk can clog the pipes and cause sanitary sewage overflows or backups in the system. Heavy rains only make this worse. In the Pensacola area the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (ECUA) provides free plastic gallon jugs to place your cooking oil and grease in and, when full, can be swapped for another at several locations around town. To find the closest disposal site to you visit https://ecua.fl.gov/live-green/fats-oils-grease.
The FOG gallon containers are found in these metal cabinets placed around the county.
Photo: Rick O’Connor
Despite low rainfall this year, it is still good that all 13 sites were below 30% this year. With the help of the local governments, agencies, and residents, hopefully it will remain so.
The information provided here can be used by communities all along the Florida panhandle. High fecal bacteria count, and health advisories are not limited to the Pensacola Bay System. Contact your county extension office for more information on how you can help to reduce health advisories in your area.
Private well system. Image: C. Wofford, UF/IFAS Photography
Tuesday, September 26, 2023, 9:00 am – 11:30 am, at the Washington County Agriculture Center, 1424 Jackson Avenue, Chipley and virtually via Zoom.
As a private well owner, you are responsible for making sure that your water is safe to drink. Do you know where your well water comes from and what can contaminate it? If you want to learn how to help ensure your drinking water is safe and what you can do to help protect groundwater quality, join us at our upcoming workshop. We will cover how private wells and septic systems work, their maintenance, what to have your water tested for, and how to protect your drinking water quality.
This workshop is being presented by UF/IFAS Extension Bay, Calhoun, Holmes, Jackson, and Washington Counties. Registration is $5.00 per person. Facilitated water testing is available; water testing rates will vary depending on the test requested. For testing prices, additional details and to register, please visit our Eventbrite page at https://JacksonCountyFCS.Eventbrite.com/ or call 850-482-9620. Pre-registration is encouraged as seating is limited; virtual options are also available. For persons with disabilities requiring special accommodations, please contact the Extension Office (TDD, via Florida Relay Service, 1-800-955-8771) at least ten working days prior to the class so that proper consideration may be given to the request. UF/IFAS Extension is an Equal Opportunity Institution.
