The Environmental Protection Agency on Sept. 14 launched its 14th annual SepticSmart Week, a nationwide public education campaign targeting the estimated 21 million American households that rely on onsite septic systems for wastewater management.
The campaign emphasizes preventive maintenance as both a public health measure and a cost-saving strategy, the EPA said. Poorly maintained septic systems can fail catastrophically, costing homeowners tens of thousands of dollars in repairs and replacement.
Failing septic systems are a leading cause of groundwater contamination and pollution of local streams, lakes and waterways, particularly in rural and suburban areas without centralized sewer systems, according to the EPA. The contamination can render drinking water wells unsafe and create health hazards for entire communities.
SepticSmart Week includes outreach materials, social media content and resources for homeowners, communities and states on best practices for septic system care. The EPA recommends that homeowners have their systems inspected every three years and pumped every three to five years.
The 21 million affected households are concentrated in rural and suburban America, where septic systems are often the only option for wastewater treatment. States with the highest septic system density include Maine, Vermont, North Carolina and parts of the Southeast and rural West.
The annual campaign represents one of EPA’s most direct public-facing health communications efforts, addressing a largely invisible infrastructure system that, when it fails, creates immediate and serious consequences for families and communities.