PowerPoint Presentation


	Any development in an area without a municipal sewer faces the question of what to do with wastewater. This includes everything from the water leaving your toilet to the water in your dishwasher. Septic systems are the most common option. Waste separates in the septic tank and then the remaining grey water infiltrates the soil in the leachate, or drain, field where bacteria from the system and soil process the harmful waste.
	In a shoreland setting, homeowners face many challenges, since the input of wastewater that has not been properly treated increases the phosphorus loading and consequent algal bloom of the water body.
	-This diagram shows a common concern for shoreline septic systems. They are often too close to both surface water and the water table and can potentially contaminate the lake as well as a homeowner’s well with harmful viruses and bacteria, as unprocessed waste moves into saturated soil as you can see in this diagram.
	-Shoreline erosion also has a negative effect by decreasing the setback of a system from the water.
	-The conversion of many camps in the watershed to permanent homes is also a concern because the longer period of use increases the amount of waste going through the system, and decreases the time the bacteria have to work on it. All expansions and winterizations in the city of Augusta must include expansion of the septic system.
	-The final and most serious concern is the suspected age of many of the shoreline septic systems around Togus Pond. Much of the development occurred before the shoreland zoning act and many houses and their system are within 100 feet of the shoreline. Augusta only requires systems to be replaced when they are failing or being expanded. It is up to the homeowner or neighbors to report a failing system.