Septic Systems in Rural Georgia: Efforts of the Upper Tallapoosa Watershed Group to Elevate Home Owner Awareness of Improvements Needed to Improve Surface Water Quality in the Little Tallapoosa River, Carroll County Georgia

The Lake Wedowee Property Owners Association in 2007 reported high bacteria levels in the Little Tallapoosa River flowing into Alabama. Groups in Georgia responded by developing projects to lower the bacteria in the Little Tallapoosa River. One of these projects was conducted during the spring and summer of 2008 by the Upper Tallapoosa Watershed Group (UTWG). The UTWG is a nonprofit interested in protecting, preserving, and using the Tallapoosa watershed in Georgia. Using funds from a grant provided by the Georgia River Network, UTWG targeted their efforts on reducing the amount of bacteria in the watershed from failing septic systems. This area in Georgia is largely rural, with many unincorporated areas utilizing septic systems. There has been no effort in the past to educate homeowners on the proper use of septic systems.

Using information from the local Environmental Health office, 664 homes (homes with new or failing systems within the past 2 years) were contacted and invited to informational meetings regarding proper septic system maintenance and were also sent an informational brochure. Two public meetings were held, with hundreds attending. Speakers from the Environmental Health office gave presentations and a good question/answer session followed. Efforts were also made to garner more information about the septic systems in known problem areas. A survey was performed in these critical areas within the watershed, those designated as having older septic systems or none at all (pipes draining into buried barrels). Homeowners in these areas were questioned about the details of their current septic system and were given educational information. The UTWG is currently working on securing grant opportunities to further this study and assist in correcting some of the most serious problems. Through local monitoring of fecal coliform bacteria levels, we hope to see a reduction in bacteria due to our educational efforts.