On-Site Sewage Systems (Septic Systems)
Effects of On-Site Sewage Systems (OSS) on the Lake Whatcom Watershed
Currently there are approximately 650 permitted OSS in the Lake Whatcom Watershed.
Living in the watershed that provides your drinking water means that proper care and maintenance of your OSS is critical not just to you and your family, but also to quality of the water in the Lake Whatcom watershed. A failing OSS has implications that are bigger than just the cost of repairs. Sewage leaking from a failing OSS can result in greater algae and plant growth and lower levels of dissolved oxygen for fish as a result of added nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen.
Additionally, a failing OSS may allow potentially harmful bacteria, protozoa, or viruses to contaminate our groundwater, streams, and lake as well as create the potential for direct contact between sewage and the public.
