Work To Get Rid Of Cesspools And Promote Advanced Technology For Onsite Wastewater Systems

When the government and those opposing mandated onsite system upgrades do battle, installers should let their expert voices be heard.

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Why do we still find regional areas where antiquated cesspools are still allowed as a decentralized wastewater solution a generation or more after they were prohibited in other areas? In the case of Warwick, R.I., like many communities before it that have wrestled with the need to update onsite system technologies, you can follow the money to get your answer.

It’s an example of environmental and public health concerns taking a backseat to special interests concerned with profits over effective wastewater treatment. And the battle to stall mandated modernizing of septic systems will inevitably give the onsite industry a black eye and could shake the public’s confidence in small-scale private wastewater treatment.

UPGRADES NEEDED

In Warwick, lobbyists for the Rhode Island Association of Realtors beat back a proposed act that would phase out cesspools serving homes located within 200 feet of a shoreline or water supply. Under the proposed regulations, cesspools would have to be updated with modern septic systems or hook up to a municipal sewer system within 12 months of a real estate sale.

According to the Warwick Beacon newspaper, about 3,000 homes in the city and 25,000 homes in the state are still using cesspools. Proponents of the act, including the state Department of Environmental Management (DEM), argued that the pits do not adequately filter waste and are a hazard.

“Cesspools have not met state standards for wastewater treatment for over 40 years. How long will we tolerate the damage done to our groundwater and drinking water by these antiquated systems?” Jonathan Stone, executive director of the environmental group, Save the Bay, asked in urging lawmakers to pass the point-of-sale upgrades.

A DEM spokesman said the longer cesspools are allowed, the more difficult it will be to reverse the contamination. At the same time, he said homeowners face the threat of sewage backups or potentially dangerous collapse of the deteriorating pits buried in their backyards.

Not so fast, the Realtors group responded. The association said the point-of-sale triggers would dampen an already sluggish home-selling market. They said Realtors believe in clean water and agree that cesspools need to be replaced, but that this move would hinder “a delicate market.’’

PAY THE PIPER

“We worked diligently to defeat this bill,’’ Robert Martin, president of the association, told the paper. “As presented, the bill was bad legislation for the blue-collar individual buying a home with a cesspool. It would just compound the hardship on any buyer and the market as a whole.’’

My response: What about the economic hardship buyers will face after the sale in the potential of a costly backup, tank collapse or the inevitable forced replacement of the system? Isn’t point-of-sale the perfect time for buyers and sellers to get together and hash out how the cesspool should be replaced and who should pay?

In my estimation, the function of every major component in a house should be addressed during a property sale. Today’s buyers invariably hire a home inspector to look at the furnace, roof and siding, and basement foundation, and then negotiate with the sellers over the cost of necessary upgrades. Why should the wastewater system be any different? Just because it’s buried in the backyard doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be top of mind for both parties.

Cesspools aren’t just a threat to pollute; they are an economic ticking time bomb for homeowners. The Realtors know this, yet they called this delay in addressing cesspool replacement “a win for us and for our clients.’’ I’m not so sure ignoring a substandard wastewater system is a “win” for buyers and sellers. Turning your back on this sort of issue is almost sure to lead to disagreements later, or maybe even the courtroom.

ONSITE REPUTATION AT STAKE

It took a long time for the onsite industry to gain respect for ever-advancing technologies that provide effective decentralized wastewater treatment. Now, thanks to the work of many in the industry, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency considers new onsite systems a viable option to sewer pipe in many situations.

Everyone who reads Onsite Installer, from the backhoe operator in Kansas to the companies developing new and better systems, can take a bow for this. You’re serious about improving technology and work hard to learn how to install the latest equipment and help consumers find the best fit for their wastewater treatment needs. This has happened, in some cases, without government intervention. In fact, installers and product developers often push state and county health departments to understand and accept advanced technologies.

You are environmental leaders … and that’s precisely why lobbying and wrangling in Rhode Island, at the expense of clean-water progress, should concern you as a group. What might seem like an insignificant regional battle to some is really emblematic of a continuing widespread lack of understanding about the serious ramifications of not treating wastewater properly.

Indifference to backward thinking like that exhibited in Rhode Island can further delay improvements in the national wastewater infrastructure. Allowing the voices of a small group of self-interested parties to dominate the discussion diminishes the many exciting advances the onsite industry has made. When it comes to issues like replacing outdated cesspools, onsite installers should join in the debate for the sake of the industry … and the environment.

MAKING THE POINT

The Rhode Island Realtors group made one last argument to delay the replacement of cesspools during real estate transactions. Their questions can be turned around to serve the onsite industry.

“If this was a public health issue, why doesn’t everyone have to do it? Why are the people in the market for a new home being singled out?’’ said the group’s legal representative Monica Staaf.

As you all know, this is a public health issue and all of these cesspools should have been replaced long ago. 



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