You can make a difference as an individual or by joining or forming a community stewardship group which cares for a local waterbody. All provide tips that people can follow to reduce or prevent nonpoint source pollution. This brochure focuses on onsite sewage systems and water quality. Onsite sewage systems are effective at treating household sewage if designed properly and maintained regularly. In typical onsite sewage systems, the wastewater from toilets and other drains flows from your house into a tank that separates the solids and scum from the liquid.
Bacteria help break down the solids into sludge.
The liquid flows out of the tank into a network of pipes buried in a drainfield of gravel and soil. Holes in the pipes allow the water to be released into the drainfield. The soil, gravel and naturally occurring bacteria in the soil filter and cleanse the wastewater. Onsite sewage systems can fail and untreated wastewater can be carried to nearby water bodies threatening human health, causing excessive algal growth and harming aquatic life. If your onsite sewage system is not properly located on your property or in an appropriate depth of suitable soil, the system may not fully treat the wastewater.