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Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 48F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph..

Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 48F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.

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INDEPENDENCE – Chad Beatty, Buchanan County Zoning, Floodplain, and Environmental Health Administrator, is reminding the public to be Septic Smart.

Septic Smart Week is an annual event that occurs the third week of September. This year Septic Smart Week is celebrating its 10th Anniversary.

According to the Iowa DNR, many Iowans live in homes that do not have access to public wastewater treatment systems. Instead, they must rely on their own on-site wastewater system, whether it is a traditional septic tank and drainfield, or other system specifically engineered for the site. Success

or failure of a system depends on the site, design, installation, operation and maintenance.

In Iowa, domestic wastewater is defined as the liquid and waterborne wastes that result from ordinary living processes. It consists of blackwater, which are wastes carried off by toilets, urinals and kitchen drains; and graywater, from baths, lavatories, laundries and sinks. Both blackwater and graywater must be collected and treated. Restaurant wastewater is considered domestic waste. Water from roof and footing drainages and swimming pools does not require treatment, and should not be directed to an on-site wastewater treatment system.

The State of Iowa requires a homeowner to have a permit to construct an on-site wastewater treatment system. This permit is normally issued by the local county board of health or its agent. This agent is the county environmental health office or county sanitarian.

Every system must meet all provisions for design and separation distances required in Chapter 69. A site evaluation by the local administrative authority and a soil or a percolation test must be conducted to determine the capability of the soil to handle the treatment function. Information about the final system including the contractor/designer must be kept for future reference by both the County and homeowner. The primary goal is that on-site wastewater treatment systems must not endanger human health and must not cause environmental pollution. Realistically, all wastewater treatment systems may cause some increase in pollutant concentrations in ground and surface water. The intent is to minimize pollution and the risk associated with it as much as humanly and technologically possible.

Selecting the most appropriate on-site wastewater treatment system depends on the residential site and water usage. Choosing a good site and appropriate system can save time, money and problems in the future. The right site and system also will protect human health and the environment.

One of the first things to do is hire a professional designer, contractor or installer. Iowa currently has no statewide certification system for these professionals, although some counties do. Training is available, but not required, except in counties with certification systems. When contacting potential designers/ contractors, ask about their experience, if they attend on-site wastewater treatment training sessions or receive professional publications to keep informed

of new technology, and references for systems they have installed. The local health or zoning department may have a list of professionals who have attended training sessions. Hiring an untrained, inexperienced person with a backhoe to install a system may save money on installation, but most likely will cost more later when the poorly designed or poorly installed system doesn’t function properly and requires costly repairs or replacement. In addition, a malfunctioning system may endanger human health and the environment.

- Lot Size and Configuration (Setback Distances)

- Water Usage and Wastewater Quality

This and more information is available from the Iowa DNR in a “Residential On-site Wastewater Treatment: An Overview” booklet. Visit www.iowadnr.gov or www.buchanancounty.iowa.gov under Environmental Health Services for more information.

Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 48F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.

Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 48F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.

Intervals of clouds and sunshine. High 72F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph.

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