If you live in a rural community or if you have a cottage, you probably have an on-site sewage disposal system, also called a septic system. An onsite sewage system consists of a septic tank for settling and treatment as well as a sub-surface disposal field. About 45 per cent of homes in Nova Scotia have an on-site sewage disposal system. On-site systems must be properly designed, installed, used, and maintained to protect human health and the environment.
An on-site sewage disposal system uses natural processes to treat and dispose of the sewage or wastewater from buildings, such as private homes, where central wastewater collection is not available. A typical onsite system includes a septic tank and a disposal field that work together to treat the wastewater. Disposal fields are also called soil absorption areas or leach fields. Figure 1 shows an example of an on-site system. When properly designed, installed, used, and maintained, on-site systems are economical, effective, reliable, and safe, and can last for many years. However, a system that is poorly designed, installed, used, or maintained could:
- contaminate a water supply
- contaminate a watercourse, wetland, or marine water body
- harm human health
- cost a great deal to repair
This section will provide information on the following: