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1 <br />1 <br />The State Department of Environmental Health enforces Chapter 1OD-6 of the <br />Florida DHRS "Standards for Individual Sewage Disposal Facilities." This <br />' department is responsible for setting the standards which septic tank <br />installations must meet, and inspects the septic tanks and issues <br />construction permits. <br />' <br />Although Chapter 1OD-6 does not set specific criteria for septic tank <br />effluent quality, it requires that they be installed so that with <br />reasonable maintenance they will function in a sanitary manner, not create <br />' <br />nuisance, health hazard, or endanger the safety of any domestic water <br />supply (10D-6.47). <br />The poor treatment from septic tanks and their potential for contamination <br />' <br />of the groundwater are problems that are difficult to quantify or control <br />in developed areas of Indian River County. Therefore, septic tank permit <br />evaluations are based on proper size and construction of the installation. <br />This is the most that can be achieved in the absence of sewers even though <br />existing conditions in the area (e.g. poorly drained soil, the shallow rock <br />' <br />layer and high water table) are less than ideal for onsite disposal. <br />' <br />Section 4 will discuss some of the location conditions limiting proper <br />onsite wastewater treatment and disposal. <br />3.4 REVIEW OF EXISTING WATER QUALITY REPORTS <br />' 3.4.1 BACKGROUND <br />' There are more onsite disposal systems in the State of Florida than in any <br />other southeastern state. For example, Broward and Dade Counties are two <br />of the top five counties in the southeastern U.S. in numbers of onsite <br />disposal systems. Since these two counties are totally dependent upon the <br />groundwater contained in the Biscayne Aquifer for their drinking water, <br />great precautions must be taken to ensure that septic tank effluent does <br />not contaminate the aquifer. <br />IRC.VB4 <br />