Implementing Innovative/Alternative Septic Systems in Your Watershed

A Neighborhood-Scale Demonstration of Septic Systems in Cape Cod

EPA is partnering with the U.S. Geological Survey, the Barnstable Clean Water Coalition (BCWC), the Massachusetts Alternative Septic System Test Center, and others to implement a neighborhood-scale demonstration of enhanced innovative/alternative (IA) septic systems, which are designed to prevent excess nutrients, such as nitrogen, from entering estuaries and freshwater ponds in the Cape Cod region.

Enhanced IA septic system designs have shown promise for removing much of the nitrogen in wastewater before it enters surrounding groundwater, estuaries and ponds, but only a limited number have been field-tested. More installations and testing are needed to evaluate perfor­mance of the latest enhanced IA septic systems before they’re considered for broader use. Acceptance of these systems by homeowners can depend on social factors, cost, aesthetics, perceived risks, and local ordinances.

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https://www.epa.gov/water-research/innovativealternative-septic-systems