Alternative Septic Systems Draw Criticism

By Michael Wilmeth
This article was originally published in BuildingGreen.com

The board of supervisors of Loudoun County, Virginia, declared a five-year moratorium on non-conventional, or alternative, septic systems in November 2008, but three months later the state assembly passed bills prohibiting localities from banning the systems. Governor Tim Kaine has not yet taken a position on the matter.

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In areas with poor soils and without public sewage systems, alternative septic systems make development possible—which some say is why they were targeted by a Loudoun County, Virginia, moratorium.

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Alternative septic systems, used in areas lacking public sewage systems where soil conditions preclude typical tank-and-leachfield systems, can be more complex than conventional systems and are prone to failure without adequate maintenance, say their critics. On the other hand, alternative systems are equipped with alarms to alert owners of system failures, and, according to contractors, they result in cleaner effluent when working properly.

An article published by the Center for Public Integrity cited the opinion of a Loudoun County real estate agent that the attempt to impose a moratorium on alternative septic systems is actually a tactic to slow development, a claim Loudoun County Supervisor Jim Burton denies.

Copyright 2009 by BuildingGreen LLC

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