Laserfiche WebLink
Comprehensive Plan Sanitary Sewer Sub -Element <br />expansion. Even when a development project does not meet the above criteria, the project must <br />connect to the regional sanitary sewer system if the project is deemed unacceptable for septic <br />tank system use due to increased health and groundwater contamination risks. <br />There are several reasons for requiring nearly all new development to connect to the regional <br />system. Those reasons are listed below. <br />• Regional systems are less likely to fail. <br />• Regional systems are better regulated and inspected. <br />• Regional systems provide a higher level of treatment. That higher level of treatment <br />allows the effluent to be reused, rather than injected into the ground where the effluent <br />increases the risk of groundwater contamination. <br />• Regional systems are economically more efficient to build and operate, but only if all <br />new development connects to the system. <br />Septic sSystems <br />Between X99-5-2007 and 20016, 7,239-1,217 new septics sy tems (average of 65.8121 per <br />year) were permitted. Additionally, during that time period 5,919 septic systems were repaired <br />typically requiring a drainfield replacement. within the eetffity. <br />Generally, septic *"�systems are a potential source of groundwater and surface water <br />contamination, especially in areas where they are densely concentrated, and the water table is <br />high and waterbody setbacks are less than 75 feet. According to the IRC14DDOH-Indian River, <br />there have been afe-many -cases of en reeer- of ^ - "'^ ;.*ater s^�wells and surface waters <br />being contaminatedheeefning polluted due e septic tank --diseha ges from septic system <br />discharges. As indicated in Table 3.A.5, septic �anlE, sy tem effluent is of poor quality by today's <br />wastewater treatment standards. Consequently, effluent discharges can cause detrimental <br />increases in nitrogen, chloride, sodium, other ions, total dissolved solids, and the microbiological <br />levels of the local groundwater. <br />Community Development Department Indian River County 30 <br />App32ngdix A <br />