| Popis: |
The State of Texas contains approximately 1.5 million households that rely upon on-site sewage facility (OSSF) systems for wastewater disposal and the numbers are increasing each year. Approximately 55,052 OSSF systems were installed in Texas in 1999, and approximately 49,616 systems were installed in 2000. Unlike households connected to centralized systems, households with OSSF systems are required to have a general understanding of the operation and maintenance needs of the system in order to ensure that it functions properly. When an OSSF system is not functioning properly, it cannot only become an inconvenience for the homeowner, but it can create threats to public health and the environment. This threat to public health can reach beyond the individual household and extend to the community at large. Recent research completed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) identified a number of public health and environmental problems related to the malfunction of OSSFs. Effluent from malfunctioning OSSF systems can provide a medium for the transmission of disease. For example, the U.S. EPA estimated that approximately 169,000 viral and 34,000 bacterial illnesses occur each year as the result of drinking contaminated groundwater. Malfunctioning OSSFs have been identified as a potential source of this contamination. Within the context of the natural environment, malfunctioning OSSFs have also been considered a primary reason for reduced harvests in many shellfish growing areas. |
