Disparities between the Demand for On-Site Wastewater Treatment Systems and Treatment Options for Septage

On-site
wastewater treatment systems (OWTS) are essential parts
of wastewater treatment infrastructure throughout the world. In the
United States, OWTS serve between 20% and 25% of homes in the country.
Though access to septage treatment appears to be a ubiquitous problem
in the United States, this issue has received relatively little attention.
Here, we examined county-level estimates of the number of OWTS and
treatment options in the state of Georgia in the United States. We
also used municipal and regional data collected from wastewater treatment
facilities to highlight relationships among treatment options for
septage disposal, the cost of septage treatment, and the amount of
septage delivered to receiving plants. We conservatively estimate
the state should generate at least 932000 gallons per day (GPD) but
has the capacity to treat only 500000–650000 GPD. More than
70% of counties in the state do not support municipal treatment options
for septage. The data we report at the municipal and regional levels
highlight negative relationships between the amount of septage delivered
to treatment facilities and the price of treatment. Local and state
agencies must develop policies and generate the funding needed to
manage the entire life cycle of wastewater generated within their
jurisdictional boundaries.