What would the high-toned and fancy too-doo folks at the Washington Post even know about septic tanks? They rarely leave their big cities for the countryside. But, they do know how to write doomy stories as relayed by other climate cultists, and you can bet the Post’s Jim Morrison never left his cushy confines to check it out
Backed-up pipes, stinky yards: Climate change is wrecking septic tanks
Lewis Lawrence likes to refer to the coastal middle peninsula of Virginia as suffering from a “soggy socks” problem. Flooding is so persistent that people often can’t walk around without getting their feet wet.
Over two decades, Lawrence, the executive director of the Middle Peninsula Planning District, has watched the effects of that problem grow, as rising waters and intensifying rains that flood the backyard render underground septic systems ineffective. When that happens smelly, unhealthy wastewater backs up into homes.
Local companies, he said, call the Middle Peninsula the “septic repair capital of the East Coast.” “That’s all you need to know,” he added. “And it’s only going to get worse.”
As climate change intensifies, septic failures are emerging as a vexing issue for local governments. For decades, flushing a toilet and making wastewater disappear was a convenience that didn’t warrant a second thought. No longer. From Miami to Minnesota, septic systems are failing, posing threats to clean water, ecosystems and public health.
The first area mentioned in Virginia is the Saluda area, which is about 4-6 meters, at least, above sea level (it’s due east of Richmond near the Rappahonnack River). We’re worried about sea rise in Minnesota? Even with Lake Superior, ‘taint happening, cultists.
And, the screed immediately goes to the usual race baiting and inequity stuff
The issue is complex, merging common climate themes. Solutions are expensive, beyond the ability of localities to fund them. Permitting standards that were created when rainfall and sea-level rise were relatively constant have become inadequate. Low-income and disadvantaged people who settled in areas with poor soils likely to compromise systems are disproportionately affected. Maintenance requirements are piecemeal nationwide. And while it’s clear that septic failures are increasing, the full scope of the problem remains elusive because data, particularly for the most vulnerable aging systems, are difficult to compile.
Sigh. Rather shows this is politics, not science
An EPA spokesman said the agency didn’t have a report on the septic problem but noted that sea level rise, changing water tables, precipitation changes and increased temperature can cause systems to fail. The infrastructure bill passed last year provides $150 million to replace or repair systems nationwide.
Ah. That’s what this is about. Biden’s bill. I wonder how much money will actually spent to fix these systems? Which are getting hit with what is simply normal.
“Classist” mind-reader Mx Teach knows what those WAPO elites think!!
Septic tanks aren’t that sophisticated and difficult to understand.
Anyway, this has been an emerging problem in many rural areas for a long, long time. We understand that this is unlikely a 60 Minutes audience but even they ran a story on septic tanks in rural Alabama.
In some lowland areas the problem has been worsened by local flooding, water table changes and precipitation patterns.
Teach accuses the author of race-baiting but didn’t supply an example. Is he admitting that Black Americans are overrepresented in poor communities? Teach also uses his tried and untrue, “It’s politics not science!”, but it’s hard to consider climate change when shit is accumulating in your back yard. And science can help identify problems, suggest solutions and educate, but science cannot allocate funds to fix a single septic system.
But whining is all the rage.
Seems Rimjob is doing all the whining here.
#Ok,Groomer
#LGBFJB
Bwaha! Lolgfy
Actually, white Americans are probably ‘overrepresented’ in homes with septic tanks. While it is certainly true that black Americans are less productive than whites, they are more likely to live in urban areas with public sewer systems.
Now, if only there were proof that flooding or “precipitation patterns”have changed, and proof that the cause was “global warming”.
But, alas…
From the post, which you either didn’t read or understand:
Liberal idiots (BIRM) have been screaming at us for decades that melanin-enhanced people ARE disadvantaged.
No, dear child, he’s noting that liberal idiots (BIRM X2) believe it.
As he notes also 4-6 meters above sea level is way more than even liberal idiots (BIRM X3) believe.
dOwd: “Is he admitting that Black Americans are overrepresented in poor communities?”
There are millions more Whites living in what the liars in the government call poverty than blacks. Whites are therefore “overrepresented”. The poverty line for a family of 4 is around $26k in the US, making the American poor the richest poor in the world. Remember, the vast majority of the American poor do not work where in other countries they mostly do.
Also, black Americans are underrepresented in income because they frequently derive a portion of their income from crime, drugs and prostitution which are neither taxed nor counted in the figures. Sadly, that’s how the democrats keep them enslaved these days.
FJB
I’m for regularly pumping my septic tank, and term limits, for the same reason.
The referenced article said:
Since when have local governments been involved in private septic systems?
disadvantaged people who settled in areas with poor soils.
Like anyone asks about soil quality when they buy a house. Building codes have required percolation tests for houses with septic systems for decades. “Poor” soil has work arounds. But mostly, if you build a drain field in a swamp, it wont work well.
“When that happens smelly, unhealthy wastewater backs up into homes.”
A well designed system, and one that will pass code, has drain field that is adequate to absorb the water and a back flow valve that prevents sewage water from flowing backwards.
Now if the system overloads the homeowner will notice that the commodes, baths, etc, won’t empty.
That’s a clue to quit using them.
Most systems also have a drain plug on the home side of the back flow valve which can be opened to allow water to drain from the house into a designated area in the yard. This is not acceptable as a long term solution but is a helluva lot better than in the house.
Biden should declare “Septic Tank Equity” and pay people for all work done to their septic systems. Like college diplomas, birth control, abortions and sex change operations, why should septic users have to pay? It’s racist and anti-trans.
Ah, this isn’t a ‘new’ issue, it’s well over 50 years old. The issue of septic tanks and their problems is not just a rural problem, as cities grew and annexed suburban areas not served by sewer systems, they built sewers as the money and need dictated. Some areas were not served due to a variety of reasons, sparse population, grades, soil conditions, and so forth. Sewers are expensive to build, to maintain, and to operate. Here we get political, municipal revenues are distributed by politicians seeking to get re-elected and sewers aren’t glamorous. Next comes the Government and Federal regulations, districts have problems noted and are given time to make corrections and if they don’t, they are issued a ‘consent order'[fine] and told to make corrections. Money that lesser affluent areas don’t have and local pols are loathe to spend.
Rural areas are even worse in some respects, long distances between service points with the attendant issues. Ultimately more money for service. Septic systems work, sort of. If properly built and maintained. Inspection and permitting standards vary widely. A well designed and built septic system can last for many years with no issues. Most need maintenance and periodic inspection, bring money.
I can ramble on , but I’ll surrender at this point. By the way James, if you pull that clean-out plug and let sewerage spill into the yard, you’re opening yourself up for fines and so on. Call a plumber and pay him.