Speaker – Michael O’Driscoll, East Carolina University (hosted by A. Schnetzer)
Seminar Title – Rising Groundwater Levels in Dare County, North Carolina: Implications for Onsite Wastewater Management for Coastal Communities
Abstract – Sea level rise and coastal storms can impact the resilience of coastal communities due to their effects on increased flooding and land loss, saltwater intrusion, wetland loss/change, and impacts to local infrastructure. This talk will focus on the influences of rising groundwater levels on decentralized wastewater infrastructure. Onsite wastewater treatment systems (OWTSs or septic systems) rely on unsaturated soils to treat waste and reduce the water quality impacts to surrounding waters. Rising groundwater tables can reduce a system’s capability to effectively treat waste. Groundwater level data from surficial aquifer wells in Dare County, NC were analyzed to evaluate the temporal variations in groundwater levels. The results revealed that groundwater level rise is occurring and positively correlated with sea level rise. This change has resulted in a decline in the unsaturated soils available for onsite wastewater treatment. Future regulatory approaches in coastal communities should consider rising groundwater tables and their effects on septic systems to ensure adequate wastewater treatment and protection of public health.