The Iowa Environmental Protection Commission has approved an update of rules on septic systems. Eric Wiklund of the DNR’s Water Quality Bureau says the change involves aerobic treatment units or ATU’s, which are an alternative to the normal septic tank systems.
Wiklund says the update drops the requirement that A-T-U’s run its water through a soil absorption system or a sand filter as a third step before discharging treated water.
There were some people who spoke out against the change, saying the water from the aerobic units could lead to pollution. The majority of people who spoke at the Environmental Protection Commission meeting said they supported the change as studies show the treated water meets the same standards of other methods. Wiklund says the rules are now the same for whatever is used.
The change came after the governor mandated agencies review their rules to cut burdensome regulations. Wiklund says the change allows for the use of new ideas.
Those who spoke out against the rule change also say the aerobic systems require more maintenance and if that is not done there can be polluted water released. Wiklund says the extra maintenance is figured into the rule change.
Wiklund estimates there are more than 10,000 septic systems in Iowa, though he says it’s hard to get a count. He says there can be individual homes, or groups of homes that share one system together. The new rules will go into effect in August.
