U.N. looking at septic tanks as source of cholera outbreak in Haiti

Investigators from the U.N. are looking for the source of the Haiti cholera outbreak and that search has led them to septic tanks. Cholera, a bacterial infection which is often transmitted through contaminated food or water, hasn't been recorded in Haiti since the early 20th century, yet has recently spread throughout the country. So far, over 4,000 people have been sickened, and the source of the outbreak is under investigation. The search thus far, has led to septic tanks as a possible source.

AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa

Currently, the U.N. is investigating a Nepalese peacekeeping base as a possible source of the outbreak. Associated Press (AP) reports broken and overflowing septic tanks on the base and septage following from the tanks down to a nearby river, where people regularly bathe, drink and wash clothes. The U.N. has taken samples from the broken septic tanks to test for cholera. To read the full AP story click here.

While it remains to be seen whether the Nepalese base is the source of the cholera outbreak, this story highlights the, sometimes extreme, dangers that poorly functioning septic systems can have on human health. The impact of a malfunctioning septic system can be large and wide-spread if untreated waste is allowed to enter groundwater or surface water. To prevent contamination of groundwater and surface water resources, and protect your health and the health of your neighbours, make sure your septic system is in good working order; have regular pump-outs, get your tank inspected, conserve water and don't abuse your system.

Septic Systems Gone Bad!

The horror! Click the picture below to view a larger version of these septic systems gone bad.

Conserving Water

It’s important to save water, as it is a valuable resource that needs to shared; however conserving water in the household also benefits your septic system!

Why conserve?

• Conserving water in the house means less wastewater needs to be treated by your on site septic system.
• Limiting the amount of water entering the system allows the leaching field to disperse and absorb the wastewater effectively.
• Too much water can overload the system!
• Water conservation is the key to a healthy septic system as well as an important part of septic system maintenance.
• If there is excessive water use in the house, the water will move too quickly through the system and the solids may not have time to settle out, therefore flowing into the leaching field.
• Solids in the leaching bed can clog pipes and damage the overall system. 

Water Conservation Tips

An average Canadian uses close to 329 litres of water a day (that makes us the second highest consumers of water in the world!). There are many ways you as a homeowner can reduce the amount of water being used in your house.

Fix leaky faucets: Leaking taps or toilets have been known to waste over 50 liters a day allowing excess water to go through the septic system.

Install efficient toilets: Anywhere from 16 to 23 liters of water is used every time the toilet is flushed. Low flush or high efficiency toilets reduce the amount of water being used by 50%. For example, a dual toilet uses 3 liters of water for liquid waste and only 6 liters for solid waste.

Install energy efficient appliances: Not only do these appliances such as washing machines and dishwashers save energy, but they use up to 20% less water.

Use appropriate water level or load size selection: Only wash full loads of laundry to reduce the number of cycles, and spread these cycles out throughout the week.

Change the water flow: Installing an aerator on faucets will reduce the flow by twenty five to fifty percent and a low flow showerhead will reduce about half the amount of water used in the shower.

Kitchen Tips: When getting a glass of water, keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator instead of waiting for the water to run cold from the tap. Also never leave the tap running when cooking or washing dishes!

Phosphorus and phosphor-you

Phosphorus is usually present in bodies of water as phosphates. In moderate amounts, phosphorus is an essential nutrient for the healthy growth of aquatic plants and animals. Proper levels yield more food for fish and other wildlife.

However, excess amounts of phosphorus in the form of phosphates in bodies of water can negatively affect aquatic environments. When phosphorus is found at levels greater than 0.04 mg/L, it can over stimulate plant growth, causing rapid growth of plants including algae. As the nutrient levels increase there is more plants growing. These plants use up mass amounts of oxygen, thus decreasing the amount of oxygen available for other organisms to use. Fish and other aquatic species can die due to the lack of oxygen. As these plants die and begin to decompose via aerobic bacteria, oxygen concentrations within the water decrease making it hard for other species to live or grow there. After the algae dies, the decomposing algae can wash up along the shore, resulting in a dark, smelly substance coating the shoreline.

From lawns to lakes
Phosphorus occurs naturally in rocks and other mineral deposits; however human activity and weather are other sources of phosphorus. For example, phosphorus levels can become high in aquatic environments following heavy rainfall. This is because rain creates runoff from lawns or agricultural land that has been sprayed with fertilizers containing phosphates. When it rains, varying amounts of phosphates wash away from lawns or farmlands and into nearby waterways. Also, malfunctioning or faulty septic systems can cause high levels of nitrates and phosphates to flow directly into bodies of water. Overflowing systems will result in raw sewage pooling over top of the system and rainfall can easily wash this nutrient rich effluent into waterways. Your leaching bed is designed to filter out harmful nutrients and other contaminants, if it’s not functioning properly, these nutrients will reach aquatic environments. Many household products contain phosphates too, which adds excess phosphates to your septic system that could reach waterways.

Keeping phosphorus out of our waterways
Excess phosphorus causes odors, aesthetic issues, and beach closures. Luckily, homeowners can reduce the chance of excess nutrients reaching our waterways.   Be sure to always maintain your septic system by getting it inspected and pumped out regularly so your system can properly filter out excess nutrients. Also, when purchasing household cleaners, look for phosphate free products to keep our waterways looking beautiful.

Septic System Anatomy