16 Nov

Is my septic system contaminating my drinking water?

Is your septic system contaminating your drinking water?? A study conducted by the University of Waterloo has demonstrated artificial sweeteners making their way into groundwater through septic system discharge.

Artificial sweeteners are approved for human consumption and in a wide variety of prepared, packaged, and processed foods. Artificial sweeteners also pass through the human body and leave the wastewater treatment processes unchanged. Therefore, they are very good indicators of the presence of septic system effluent because they are pervasive in human wastewater. The study analyzed samples from both private wells and from groundwater recharge entering streams.

For private wells, 30% of the samples analyzed from 59 wells showed detectable levels of at least 1 of 4 artificial sweeteners and estimates reveal that between 3-13% of these wells contain at least 1 percent of septic effluent. 32% of the samples collected from groundwater recharge into the Nottawasaga River tested positive for artificial sweeteners which indicates that septic system effluent has affected the groundwater recharging the river. Other studies found levels of artificial sweetener treated drinking water following the processes.

The results show that septic system effluent is making it to groundwater (private wells and groundwater recharge into bodies of water), and that artificial sweeteners have the potential to be reliable indicator for various investigative purposes.

It is still not known how the presence of artificial sweeteners effect the environment including their interactions with other contaminants and organisms. These interactions create a potential for synergistic effects. Other contaminants include detergents, surfactants, pharmaceuticals, E. Coli, viruses, and nitrogen/ammonia. Effects of artificial sweeteners on aquatic organisms is largely unknown.

For now, artificial sweeteners can be a potential investigative tool for the presence of septic system discharge in groundwater. If there is a presence of artificial sweeteners, that means there is a presence of septic system discharge and potential for the presence of other contaminants associated with septic water.

What can you do to improve the performance of your septic system??

If you want to improve the existing septic system infrastructure, you can utilize the existing septic tank by adding an aerobic treatment unit improve your overall system performance. ClearPod is a drop-in, fixed film aerobic treatment provides onsite wastewater treatment utilizing existing infrastructure. It reduces the organic solids by 85%, increases system performance and the longevity of the system. If there is a flash load of solids because you are entertaining a large crowd, an aerobic treatment unit can help with treating the organic load and reduce the impact on the overall system.

ClearPod is a low-cost, drop-in solution that cleans the wastewater in the septic tank!

Clean water leaving your septic tank means clean groundwater and drinking water.

The study referenced can be found here:

https://dl.sciencesocieties.org/publications/jeq/pdfs/0/0/jeq2017.06.0233

Sources:

Enhanced Septic System Treatment

Is my septic system contaminating my drinking water?