Wastewater
"Greywater (graywater, gray water) is wastewater generated from domestic
activities such as dish washing, laundry and bathing. Greywater comprises
50-80% of
residential
wastewater generated from all of the house's sanitation equipment except
for the toilets. Water from the toilets is designated sewage or blackwater."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greywater
Wastewater:
Septic, sewer, sandfilter, & pressure sewer systems
Alternative Treatment Technologies (ATTs) | Sandfilter | Septic | Sewer | Pressure
Sewer
The issue is complex and costly.
Lincoln City - Lincoln City's Code of Ordinances are online at www.lincolncity.org,
or www.amlegal.com/lincoln_city_or.
City Hall is located at 801 SW Hwy 101, Lincoln City, OR 97367, Planning 541-996-2153,
Public Works 541-996-2154. In 2003, Lincoln City's
Wastewater Facility Master Plan and Collection System Master Plan were updated.
Check them out of the Driftwood Library. See below.
Lincoln County - Public Works can be reached at 541-265-5747. Planning
can be reached at 541-265-4192 in Newport. Bill Zekan is the environmental
manager (sanitarian). The Lincoln County website is at www.co.lincoln.or.us.
 Lincoln
City's wastewater consultant is Dale Richwine. If you have questions or input
contact Richwine Environmental at 503-617-1721.
Richwine has said that each septic system at a home around the lake
puts on average the equivalent of one bag of phosphate fertilizer (total nitrates)
into the lake each year. It is nutrients along with the right temperatures that
can cause algal blooms that affect water quality.
The 1998 statistics of the 700 lots around the lake showed that of
the 450 with homes, 125 are on sewer, 325 are on septic tanks with drainfields
putting effluent into the groundwater.
On
the other side of the sewer issue is that development follows the sewer
line. With development comes other issues - loss of habitat for birds
and wildlife, polluting fertilizer and pesticide runoff from lawns and
the planting of non-native species that lack food value for animals,
impervious surfaces such as cement driveways that do not allow rainwater
to soak into the ground - making an area susceptible to flooding, sediment
flowing into the lake, erosion from improper shoreline stabilization
and new development; the construction of seawalls, docks and boathouses
add to the mix. Sewer service brings added fees for the property owner.
Residents outside the city limits pay a higher rate for water than residents
within the city. A sewer cost would be added to the water bill. To receive
city water, new property owners outside the city sign an agreement that
they will not contest annexation should the city decide to annex. City
taxes are higher than county taxes.
Sewage leaks out even with a sewer system, through pumps and/or
pipes. Holmes Road and D River pumping stations were spill sites in the past.
Even the alarm can fail. The City of Lincoln City has upgraded the pump stations
to prevent sewer spills and is working to replace pipes.
ATTs | Sandfilter | Septic | Sewer | Pressure
Sewer
Sandfilter
Systems
Lincoln County currently allows the use of sandfilter systems. This system
was designed because many properties were too small to install a conventional
septic system. This system has a septic tank which is pumped into a huge
concrete box that must hold a minimum of 360 cu. ft. of sand. The gray
water is filtered through the sand and comes out into a drainfield of
approximately 90 lineal ft/per bedroom. At this point it may be necessary
to have another pump to move this water to the drainfield, depending
on how the property lies, the slope, etc.
Properties around Devils Lake are now becoming buildable because
of this system, and there are installations of it for new home construction and
for replacement of faulty systems. The system is costly; an estimated $10,000
to $15,000. The huge concrete box is unsightly in many instances, and as any
system, some seepage will still enter the lake. The system needs to be maintained
at a cost to the homeowner.
PADL appreciates that folks are now able to use a system that
will allow property owners to make use of their land, and that failed systems
are being addressed with its use. But, this does not alleviate the problem for
properties (of which many exist) that are too small to put this type of system
in or change the fact that when a sewer system is eventually put in place, all
these Sandfilter Systems will have to be removed at no small expense and the
property connected to the Sewer System at additional cost. Therefore, we feel
that a sewer system surrounding Devils Lake at the nearest possible time is the
real answer. The PADL board has been working very hard to help with various problems
with this project, including design, costs, legal issues, and financial aid
The PADL board asks for your support in the undertaking of
a sewer system not only because it is an inevitable improvement that our lake
requires for its preservation, but also because in the long run the cost of a
sewer system may be less than the cost of ongoing maintenance of septic or alternative
on site systems.
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Pharmaceuticals
and health care products down the toilet and sink
Scientists have begun to study wastewater for pollution from pharmaceutical
and health care product chemicals. Fish and wildlife habitat downstream from
septic and sandfilter drainfields, and sewer plants are at risk for contamination.
Most current sewer systems do not remove chemicals that could be harmful to the
environment. Removing chemicals would require an additional treatment step and
cost. An example would be prozac chemicals discharged from a sewer plant into
a nearby stream where fish live. It could make for happy fish, or cause serious
problems. Antibiotics from wastewater in septic tanks can kill the bacteria that
are needed to make septic systems work.
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Septic
Drainfield
Maintain septic systems properly. Monitoring and cleaning your system when needed
protects your groundwater and surface water, and saves money by prolonging the
life of the system. Map out your drainfield. Help stem the tide of water pollution.
Graphics:
Septic system (Environmental Protection Agency)
Home
Blue
Green Thumb Watershed Education Program -
A
program of the Preservation Association of Devils Lake (PADL)
Copyright © 2003-2010 Preservation Association of Devils Lake (PADL)
All
rights reserved.
P.O. Box 36
Lincoln City, OR 97367
PADLsteward@wcn.net
www.devilslakeor.us
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