ABSTRACT
In nature, all living things use resources and produce wastes. The wastes of each group of organisms represent resources for another group of organisms, so that materials are recycled and reassimilated. In many areas of the country, septic wastes from rural onsite liquid waste disposal systems constitute a major source of ground water recharge. The goal of proper onsite liquid waste disposal practices is both to prevent disease and to provide future generations with ground water that can be used without extensive and expensive treatment. People tend to dispose of their wastes into their neighbor's drinking water supply, whether surface or subsurface. Onsite disposal is a viable alternative to sewerage. It often provides a greater degree of protection to public and environmental health than a public facility, and at far less expense to the homeowner and the taxpayer. Onsite disposal systems can provide adequate ground and surface water protection for present and future generations.
