Funding options sought for failing septic systems

With nearly a quarter of private septic systems in the Fredonia-Newburg watershed area potentially in danger of failing, officials are looking for ways to help replace those systems.    

Ozaukee County Land and Water Management Director Andy Holschbach recently told the county’s Natural Resources Committee that 22% of the systems, known collectively as private on-site water treatment systems, or POWTS, were installed prior to 1970 when permitting standards were established.

“A lot of those are potentially failing,” Holschbach said.

Although Holschbach’s office has no authority to police the systems, the state  has a maintenance program that requires landowners to have their systems tested every three years.

When problems, such as a cracked tank, are discovered, soil tests are done to see whether pollution is occurring, Holschbach said.

“On occasion, we find some of these older systems in heavy clay soils hooked up to field drain tiles that discharge directly into ditches or streams,” he said.

An inventory of older systems was included in the Fredonia-Newburg Area Watershed-Based Plan approved earlier this year by local governments and the county.

The 276-page plan, which was developed to meet requirements of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, was spearheaded by the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District.

“The EPA plan provides some opportunities for us to apply for some federal funds for replacement systems,” Holschbach said.

“We’d like to provide some incentive through grants or loans,” he added, noting it can cost $15,000 to $20,000 to replace a system.

The percentage of aging systems in the Fredonia area exceeds percentages elsewhere in the county, Holschbach said. Countywide, about 20% of systems are older.

“To me it’s a lot. It’s almost a quarter of the systems that potentially aren’t doing a good job, and you have the potential to degrade our drinking water and surface water,” he said.

He and supervisors said replacing aging systems should be made a priority in coming years.