Download or read book Septic Systems in Castle Valley written by Joshua D. Hirschi and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 154 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: All culinary water in Castle Valley (Grand County, Utah) is from private wells, and increased residential development using individual septic systems has raised concerns for the long-term quality of ground water in the valley-fill aquifer. Because of the absence of protective, low-permeability confining layers, the valley-fill aquifer is unconfined, and most of the valley is classified as a primary recharge area. Septic systems are likely the largest potential source of ground water contamination in Castle Valley, and the drinking water contaminant of most concern in the valley is nitrate. A drainfield lysimeter study was used to collect data to estimate nitrate loadings to the aquifer, to determine the threat of culinary water contamination, and to develop and implement a plan to protect the ground water in Castle Valley from Septic systems contamination. The study found that there appears to be no current threat of exceeding the 10 mg/L primary drinking water quality standard for nitrate nitrogen from on-site wastewater treatment effluent. However, due to the growth that Castle Valley has been projected to have by the year 2050, current management of septic systems may need to be modified to accommodate the forecasted growth. The potential risk may be reduced by requiring new and/or replacement systems to nitrogen-reducing technologies incorporated in their designs.