Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz and the Lake Erie Watershed Protection Alliance (“LEWPA”) have announced a free public septic system maintenance workshop for Erie County residents to learn how to properly maintain their septic systems to avoid costly repairs and protect water quality for future generations. This event correlates with New York State’s Celebrate Water Week from May 7 through May 13.

Septic systems, or on-site wastewater treatment systems, are designed to manage wastewater from homes or properties that are not connected to a public sewer system. Approximately one in five households in the United States depend on septic systems to treat their wastewater, including more than 47,000 properties in Erie County. These systems treat wastewater from sinks, toilets, laundry and showers through biological and mechanical processes that typically involve solids settling in an underground tank. The processes end with the wastewater portion being treated in a soil drain field (also called a leach field) and sometimes a sand filter in the yard. Malfunctioning septic systems can leach contaminated wastewater to streams and drinking water sources.

Details on the Septic System Workshop are below:

• Tuesday, May 9, 2023
• 6:00 PM – 7:45 PM
• Newstead Cultural Center, 33 Main Street, lower level
• Akron, NY 14001

The Septic Smart for Lake Erie Program is funded by a grant from the New York State Pollution Prevention Institute (“NYSP2I”).  Each year, NYSP2I awards funding to support community-based projects that promote public awareness, understanding, and implementation of pollution-prevention practices. The goal of the Community Grants Program is to support communities at the grassroots level across the Empire State by providing much-needed financial and technical support for projects and initiatives. Workshop attendees who live in the Watershed are eligible for a $30 rebate off a septic tank pump-out to encourage acting upon what they learn in the workshop.

“This program provides critical education on the importance of maintaining septic systems in order to protect water quality throughout Erie County,” said Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz. “During the Pandemic, many residents were staying home and their septic systems were being used more than ever.  This program will help provide residents with the resources needed to make sure those systems continue to operate as designed.”

The LEWPA Coordinator and an Erie County Department of Health (ECDOH) public health engineer will explain how septic systems work, how they impact water quality and what to do to keep them maintained and working properly.

“The rivers and streams that flow into Lake Erie get their start in the backyards of homes with septic systems,” said ECDOH Environmental Health Director Jennifer Delaney. “Working with homeowners, we can make sure to preserve freshwater sources and protect public health by preventing water contamination. “

All participants should register in advance at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/septic-smart-for-lake-erie-town-of-newstead-tickets-617345265307  

For more information:

About the Septic Smart for Lake Erie Program, visit www.erie.gov/septicsmart

About the Erie County Department of Health (ECDOH), Onsite Wastewater Treatment System: https://www2.erie.gov/health/index.php?q=onsite-wastewater-treatment-system

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