|
In the fall of 2000 The Town of Nags Head began a
Septic Health Initiative program designed to develop strategies and
programs to improve the performance of septic systems in the Town.
Failing, or poorly maintained septic systems can adversely impact
water quality in the sounds and ocean surrounding the Town. The
programs developed were the result of several years of work from the
Town of Nags Head Septic Health Committee.
The Septic Health Committee was established in
1997.
This committee is composed of a cross-section of Town citizens sharing
a deep concern for the protection of water quality within and around
the Town. The Septic Health Committee has developed, and the elected
Board of Commissioners approved a series of programs designed to
improve the performance of septic systems while gathering information
about septic systems in the town. The Septic Health Initiative has
four separate but interrelated programs; Septic Tank Pumping Program;
Water Quality Monitoring program; an Education Program and a
Decentralized Wastewater Master Plan.
Guiding the development of the Septic Health
Initiative were the goals of the Septic Health Committee and a
companion goal in the Towns Land and Water Use Plan. The
Goal of the Septic Health Initiative is to reduce the need for central
sewage and improve the quality of the Town’s surface and groundwater
by improving the performance of individual septic systems used to
dispose of wastewater throughout the town.
The
Board of Commissioners adopted the following goal for the 2000 land
and Water Use Plan.
The
Town of Nags Head is to provide an economic and environmentally
sensitive means of sewage treatment and disposal which maintains or
improves the quality of the Town’s surface waters and groundwater,
and maintain low density development. (The Land and Water Use
Plan is a policy document guiding development in the Town for the
next ten years).
With the above goals as a guide, the Septic Health
Committee developed, and the Board of Commissioners approved the
following four programs for implementation:
Septic
Tank Pumping and Inspection Program
This program is designed to encourage homeowners
through incentives and educational resources to have their septic
systems inspected and pumped on a regular basis.
The inspection data collected during the pumping process will
be used to develop a Decentralized Wastewater Management Plan.
Water
Quality Monitoring Program
In order to measure the effectiveness of the Town's
Septic Health Initiative the Town is monitoring 31 ground and surface
water sites throughout the Town to identify problems (if any)
associated with septic systems.
Education
Program
Aimed at homeowners, guests and school children,
the education program is designed to increase awareness about water
quality and the importance of proper operation and maintenance of
septic systems.
Decentralized
Wastewater Management Plan
The long-term goal of the Septic Health Initiative
is to develop a plan that will allow the continued use of on-site
systems in the Town without impacts on water quality. This program is
a long-term strategy to protect water quality and allow the continued
use of on-site septic systems.
For
a detailed explanation of each of these programs, follow the links
in the left margin.
|
