Transcript After the Flush - Westchester County

After the Flush . . .
Westchester’s Wastewater
and the Environment
March 27, 2009
After the Flush . . .
Where does it go?
7 County-operated wastewater treatment
plants
 30+ other wastewater treatment plants
 40,000 On-Site Wastewater Treatment
Systems (Septic Systems)
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After the Flush . . .
How much do we flush?
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7 County WWTPs
30+ other WWTPs
40,000 Septic Systems
180 MGD
5 MGD
7 MGD
After the Flush . . .
How is it treated?
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90% treated at County WWTPs
5-7% by septic systems
3-5% at 30 small WWTPs
13 County
Sewer
Districts
7 County
Sewage
Treatment
Plants
County Sewer Districts
Westchester County Department of Planning
Non-sewered
Areas
Focus Areas
Peach Lake
Typical System Layout
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Septic tank and
absorption field
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Wastewater flows to
septic tank
 Heavy solids settle
 Partial decomposition
by bacteria
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Light solids and grease
float and form scum layer
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Discharge to absorption
field
Source of Picture: http://www.thenaturalhome.com/septic.html
Why Septic Systems Fail
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Useful life reached and absorption field clogs
Pipes block by roots
Soil saturated by high water tables
Crushed distribution pipes
Poor original design or installation
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Most common reason for early failure is
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improper maintenance
Septic System Maintenance
DOs
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Inspect
Keep records
Pump out
Conserve water
Maintain lawn
Clean drains
mechanically
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DON’Ts
Use additives
Add clean water
Garbage disposal
Chemical disposal
Plant trees
Drive vehicles
Dispose of grease
Groundwater Study
Septic systems release:
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800,000 pounds of nitrate
Bacteria and viruses
Caffeine
Pharmaceuticals
Detergent byproducts
Groundwater Connection
Well
Home
Septic tank
Soil drain field
Soil absorption
Soil layers
Purification
Groundwater
To streams and lakes
WWTP Connection
Hawthorne Receiving Facility
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Westchester County waste
15 million gallons annually
42,000 gal/day
2,000 lbs/day loading to
Yonkers treatment plant
HRF closed when flow at
North Yonkers Pumping
Station reaches 50 mgd
www.inspect-ny.com
Westchester County
Department of Health
PURPOSE
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To ensure that sewage generated from
residential dwellings and other buildings that is
discharged into the approximately 40,000
septic systems located in Westchester County
is collected, treated and disposed of in a
manner which protects public health, preserves
the safety of drinking water, and protects the
water quality within the County.
Septic System Management
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Approval for new construction
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Licensing of septic system service providers and
haulers
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Complaint investigation
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Enforcement Actions upon evidence of septic
system failures
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Delegation within the Croton/Kensico watershed
CODE AUTHORITY
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Chapter 873, Article VIII of the Westchester
County Sanitary Code
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10NYCRR, Part 75, Appendix 75A of the New
York State Sanitary Code
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NYC Memorandum of Agreement
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www.westchestergov.com/health
Licensing Program
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Purpose
Ensure the health and safety of drinking water
and natural resources of Westchester County
 Ensure efficient, safe collection, transportation
and disposal of septage
 County-wide reporting
 Contractor and hauler training
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Failing Septic
Westchester County
Reimbursement Program
Property owners in a County-sewer district
served by a septic system are entitled to
reimbursement for work performed
between 9/2008 and 9/2014
1 Pumpout every 3 years/$300
 1 Inspection every 6 years/$600
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NYSDEC
MS4 Permit Requirements
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Municipalities in the East of Hudson
Watershed must ensure that septic
systems are inspected once every 3 years
and, where necessary, maintained or
rehabilitated
Program must be in place by May 1, 2011
Westchester County
Septic Database
Development
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Confirm parcels utilizing septic systems
Create database with mailing addresses
Link all septic information to database
(construction, repairs, pumpouts)
Data sharing with municipalities and
NYCDEP
Gina D’Agrosa
Westchester County WaterMaster
914 995 4425
[email protected]