Indian River Lagoon Septic Tank Report 2013 presented by Rob Bolton - Director of Water & Sewer for the city of Vero Beach

1. HEALTH OF THE INDIAN
RIVER LAGOON

2. Why are estuaries special?
More than 70% of Florida recreationally
and commercially important fishes,
crustaceans, and shellfish spend part of
their lives in estuaries, usually when they
are young. The shallow water, salt,
marshes, seagrasses, and mangrove roots
provide excellent hiding places from larger,
open-water predators.

3. Did you know?
Estuaries are home to more than 2/3 of
fish and shellfish consumed by humans.

4. Recent discussions of the effects of
humans on the lagoon:
• Loss of seagrass;
• Elevated nitrogen levels;
• Unexplained deaths of manatee
and dolphins.

5. Pollution of the lagoon is through
discharges of nitrogen,
phosphorous and bacteria from
multiple sources;
Appears that the public has a
fixation on nitrogen; however,
phosphorous and bacteria are still
important contributors.

6. 1) Atmosphere (nitrogen fixation & lightning);
2) Precipitation & dust fall;
3) Plant and animal residue compost;
4) Wastewater & wastewater effluent (reuse);
5) Mineral fertilizers;
6) Septic tanks (typically covered under Item
No. 4).
What are the sources of nitrogen
contributions to the Lagoon?
We have no immediate control over Item
Nos. 1 and 2.

7. How does nitrogen enter the Lagoon?
• Stormwater runoff;
• Grass clippings and other natural
debris;
• Reclaimed water;
• Septic tank effluent.

8. How does phosphorus enter the Lagoon?
• Stormwater runoff;
• Reclaimed water (low levels);
• Septic tank effluent.

9. How does bacteria enter the Lagoon?
• Septic tank effluent
• Discharge through groundwater
• Discharge through stormwater
• Discharge through irrigation
• Stormwater runoff
• carries animal waste

10. FDEP Secretary Vineyard stated, at the Senate
Select Committee on the Indian River Lagoon
and Lake Okeechobee Basin Workshop last
month, in Stuart:
“If you woke up this morning and flushed the
toilet, and you have a septic system, you
contributed to the problem.”
“Septic systems work fine for properties that
are 1 to 5 acres in size. It is not the septic
system that is the problem. It is the density and
proximity to surface water.”

11. What variables are areas of concern for
Septic Systems?
• Density (lot size);
• Proximity to lagoon;
• Elevation of the water table;
• Distance from the septic tank to the
water’s edge;
• Year house was built;
• Flow direction of ground water;
• Irrigation systems that use shallow wells.

12. Locations of Septic Tanks in
Indian River County
(hyperlink)
Click for information

14. As you can see, from the previous
map and table, the City is not the
problem just part of it.

15. SEWER SERVICE TYPE
(hyperlink)
Click for information

16. What do we know about Septic
Systems?
Conventional Septic System
• Average level of nitrogen removal
(28%);
• Level of phosphorus removal (57%);
• Contains elevated levels of bacteria
(E. coli, salmonella, etc.);
• Contains viruses.

17. Nitrogen loading from a single family residence on a one-third acre
lot with a septic system:
N Percentage
Source lbs/Year By Source
Atmosphere 5 6.0%
Fertilizer* 43 51.0%
Septic Tank** 36 43.0%
84 lbs 100.00%
* Assumes 75% of lot is landscape area. Fertilizer application rate
of 4 lbs/1,000 sf/year.
**Assumes four (4) people per home (IFAS, “Onsite Sewage
Treatment and Disposal Systems: Nitrogen”).

18. 1) Reduce fertilizer concentration in stormwater;
2) Reduce plant decomposition (grass clippings);
3) Reduce animal decomposition (pick it up);
4) Educate reuse users to cut back on fertilization
and to ensure irrigation overspray does not
enter the lagoon;
5) Reduce septic tank effluent from entering the
water table.
What can we do to reduce nitrogen levels to
the lagoon?

19. • Item Nos. 1 and 2 are under discussion
by City Council at this time;
• Item No. 3 has been addressed by
providing collection stations at dog parks
and at the base of both bridges;
• Item No. 4 can be addressed via mail
stuffers and through our annual reuse
reporting;
• Item No. 5 is the topic of today’s
discussion.

20. What does a Septic System
installation look like?
(hyperlink)
Click for information

21. 1) Conventional Gravity Sewer System:
• Most popular;
• Lowest maintenance;
• Affordable at time of construction of subdivision;
• Costly as a retrofit.
2) Vacuum System:
• Gaining popularity;
• Higher maintenance costs than Gravity Sewer System;
• Normally not installed for new subdivisions;
• Retrofit cost approximately 70 – 80% of gravity sewer system;
• Less construction disruption of neighborhoods during construction.
3) Grinder Systems:
• Less popular than the Gravity Sewer System; however, used more often than the
Vacuum or STEP Systems;
• Highest maintenance costs (pump replacements);
• Common retrofit because of low upfront cost;
• Total cost similar to vacuum and gravity sewers.
4) STEP Systems (Septic Tank Effluent Pump):
• Gaining popularity, existed in Florida for 40 years;
• Similar maintenance cost to gravity sewer;
• Least cost for retrofit;
• Lowest up front cost for sewer availability;
• Popular in areas that do not have a Central Sewer System.
There are four (4) types of sewer systems:

22. Why a STEP System?
• Low maintenance;
• Competitive pricing with septic
system replacement;
• Lowest upfront cost for availability.

23. Communities with STEP Systems
•City of Palm Bay, FL
•City of Port St. Lucie, FL
•Charlotte County Utilities, FL
•City of Olympia, WA
•City of Camas, WA
•Clark Regional Wastewater District, WA
•Washington County, AL
•South Alabama Utilities, AL (3,000+)
•Fulton County, AL
•Grand Bay, AL
•Pearl County, MS
•South Alabama Utilities, AL
•Bethel Heights, AR
•Mt. Union, IA
•Truesdale, IA
•Amesville, OH
•Elkton, OR
•Victoria, PEI
•Diamond Lake, WA
•Lacey, WA
•Starbuck, WA
•Yelm, WA
•Consolidated Utility District of TN (4,000+)

29. • STEP Equipment $3,000
• Installation of STEP $2,500
• Electrical Connection $ 500
• Building Permits:
•Electric $ 80
•Plumbing $ 80
• Service Line (1”) $ 500
• Availability Cost (2” Main) $ 600
•Subtotal $7,260
• Impact Fee $2,290
Grand Total* $9,550
Estimated Total Cost for Connection
* Additional costs may occur depending upon the structural
integrity of the septic tank.

30. CONSTRUCTION NECESSARY TO
INSTALL A STEP SYSTEM IN THE CITY
OF VERO BEACH SERVICE AREA
(hyperlink)
Click for information

32. Availability (2 Years of Construction)
• Equipment $160,000
• Pipe (City) $175,000
• Valves & Fittings $250,000
• Other (sod, concrete, etc.)$100,000
• Labor $200,000
$885,000/1,484=$597/Lot
Impact on resident (1-2 weeks)
City installs small force mains:

33. REFERENCES

34. UF IFAS EXTENSION
ON-SITE SEWAGE TREATMENT
AND DISPOSAL SYSTEMS:
BACTERIA AND PROTOZA
(hyperlink)
Click for information

35. UF IFAS EXTENSION
ON-SITE SEWAGE
TREATMENT AND DISPOSAL
SYSTEMS: NITROGEN
(hyperlink)
Click for information

36. NATIONAL POLLUTANT
DISCHARGE ELIMINATION
SYSTEM (NPDES): Preventing
Septic System Failure
(hyperlink)
Click for information

37. ALTERNATIVE SEWERS
(hyperlink)
Click for information

38. End of Presentation