North Carolina National Estuarine Research Reserve
Technical Paper Series:
Septic Systems in Coastal North Carolina:
Basics for a Healthy Environment
No. 4
Why should you be concerned about septic systems?
When septic systems are
designed, constructed, and
maintained properly, they are an
effective method of treating and
disposing of household wastewater
in coastal North Carolina. In
contrast, poorly planned and
maintained systems can fail and
contribute to nonpoint source
pollution and public health concerns.
In coastal North Carolina,
failures may result in nutrient loading
of our coastal and estuarine waters,
shellfish closures due to fecal
coliform inputs, groundwater
contamination, and health problems.
Even properly functioning systems
may release potentially harmful
levels of nitrogen and synthetic
chemicals into the soil and
groundwater if septic systems are
misused. It is critical for local
governments and citizens to
consider the consequences of
malfunctioning and misused septic
systems and take action to prevent
negative impacts.
According to 1 990 census data,
approximately 60% of homes in the
20 Coastal Area Management Act
(САМА)
counties in North Carolina
rely upon septic systems for
wastewater disposal (see Table 1).
This is compared to an average of
about 50% statewide, indicating that
the communities with the most direct
link to our estuarine waters have the
greatest potential to negatively
impact the environment.
Reliable data regarding the
number of failing systems in these
counties is not available. However,
it is likely that in addition to
homeowners who are aware of
problems with their systems and
undertake repairs, there are others
who do not know how to recognize
and repair failures. Some impacts
of improperly functioning systems
are not visible and may occur without
homeowners’ knowledge. It is
essential that people are educated
about the appropriate use and
maintenance of septic systems.
When septic systems fail,
untreated wastewater can seep up
and puddle on the land surface rather
than percolate down through the soil
fortreatment. This untreated effluent
may contain disease-causing
organisms and nutrients that
contribute to nonpoint source
pollution.
Rains can flush the polluted
standing water from lawn surfaces
to nearby waters. Along much of
North Carolina's coast, estuaries are
the receiving waters, where shellfish
populations can be adversely
affected by (continued on page 4)
Table 1. Wastewater disposal in the 20
САМА
Coastal Counties
County
Population
Wastewater Disposal
(Housing Units)
Sewer Septic Other
Sewer
Usage
(%)
Septic
Usage
(%)
Beaufort
47,173
5,620
15,479
789
25.68
70.72
Bertie
28,700
2,682
8,143
727
23.22
70.49
Brunswick
55.240
6.277
32.929
531
15.80
82.87
Camden
5,904
26
2,296
144
1.05
93.11
Carteret
60,501
11,614
26,141
443
30.40
68.44
Chowan
17,435
2,869
4,592
146
37.72
60.37
Craven
83,808
18,175
14,586
458
54.71
43.91
Currituck
13,736
1,037
6,196
134
14.08
84.10
Dare
26,740
4,173
20,637
50
16.79
83.01
Gates
12.159
94
4,226
492
1.95
87.82
Hertford
22,523
3,639
4,799
432
41.03
54.10
Hyde
12,787
1,144
3,650
352
22.23
70.93
New Hanover
120,284
40,657
16,075
344
71.23
28.16
Onslow
159,202
28,182
24,071
517
53.41
45.61
Pamlico
14,099
702
6,200
200
9.88
87.30
Pasquotank
31,298
6,574
5,540
184
53.46
45.05
Pender
28,855
2,802
12,200
435
18.15
79.03
Perquimans
10,447
1,109
3,691
172
22.30
74.24
Tyrrell
3,856
467
4,391
173
9.28
87.28
Washinqton
18.050
2,750
2,213
187
53.40
42.97
Total
772,797
140,593 218,055
6,910
38.46
59.65
