Knowledge about the nature of contaminants like N in septic systems is a necessary first step to protect groundwater quality. Statewide, septic systems discharge more than 426 million gallons of wastewater per day into the subsurface soil environment (Meeroff et al. Nearly 40% of Florida's septic systems are located in coastal areas, where the wet season water table is likely to be shallow and where porous sandy soils allow rapid transport of contaminants to groundwater. In Florida, groundwater is vulnerable to N pollution in many areas because of limited confining layers, shallow water tables, and numerous sinkholes and caves that can rapidly transport N and other contaminants to groundwater (Arthur et al. Septic systems are recognized as one source of N pollution (Hossain et al. In the United States, about 4,800 water bodies are impaired due to excess N (U.S.

Introduction and PurposeĬharacterizing the behavior and transport of nitrogen (N) in onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems (hereafter referred to as septic systems) is important because N present in wastewater can result in groundwater and surface water pollution. This series is intended to give state and local government officials, soil scientists, consulting engineers, Extension agents, and citizens a basic understanding of onsite wastewater treatment and the behavior of different wastewater-borne contaminants coming from septic systems. This publication is part of a series titled Onsite Sewage Treatment and Disposal Systems, commonly referred to as septic systems.

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