What are the issues around failing septic systems?
Failing septic systems result in significant public health risks and environmental degradation. Specifically, they cause contamination of groundwater and local streams, rivers and lakes as well as contamination of shellfish beds and nutrient enrichment of sensitive water bodies. Failing septic systems are one of the top five causes of non-point source pollution of water bodies in BC. Non-point source pollution is subtle and gradual, caused by the release of pollutants from many different and diffuse sources. It is difficult to manage because it is hard to identify and control the many sources of pollution over a large area.
