The repeal of a law in Florida requiring septic tank inspections every five years has implications for groundwater quality in the Sunshine State. But it also illustrates how such issues offer liquid waste hauling professionals a chance to brand themselves as environmental stewards as well as lobby for laws that can benefit the industry.

At issue is a law Florida legislators initially passed in 2010, mandating the septic tank inspections, says Jim Stevenson, a retired senior biologist for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Stevenson currently is a volunteer for the Wakulla Springs Alliance (WSA), whose mission is to protect famous Wakulla Springs, one of the state’s largest natural springs, about 15 miles south of Tallahassee.

Prompted by citizens upset at the prospect of spending $150 to $225 every five years to get their septic tank pumped and inspected, Florida legislators repealed the law in 2012. As Stevenson notes, every septic tank is worth one or two votes, so the homeowner furor was enough to make legislators rethink the law (there are roughly 2.6 million septic tanks in Florida).

“I think it’s very selfish and irresponsible for homeowners to take that position – to fight against regulations that improve public health,” Stevenson says.

The WSA and other groups are still fighting to gain support for more rigid septic tank inspection laws. “It’s too important to give up,” he says. “We have to protect our public health and save our swimming areas and springs from contamination.”

Stevenson has more to say about the fragile Wakulla Springs, and how pumpers can help the environment – and themselves.

Pumper: Tell us a little more about Wakulla Springs and why it’s endangered.

Stevenson: The spring is important for natural, recreational and economic reasons. Every year, about 200,000 people visit Wakulla Springs State Park, which generates $22 million for the local economy, including $1.8 million in park employees’ annual salaries. It’s also one of Florida’s finest wildlife observation locations.

They’ve been running glass-bottom boat tours since 1875, but they can rarely operate them now. In fact, in 2010, they didn’t operate the entire year because the water wasn’t clear enough. Wildlife is declining, too. We’re talking about one of the largest springs in Florida and one of the largest in the United States, so big it creates an entire river (the Wakulla River).

Pumper: What is the WSA’s mission?

Stevenson: It’s two-fold. One part involves protecting the water quantity. If we pump too much water in the springshed, it will reduce or stop the spring flow. The city of Tallahassee owns 27 municipal wells that draw 29 million gallons a day, some of which is returned through wastewater treatment.

The other part of the equation is water quality. Our primary concern is nitrate from wastewater treatment plants, fertilizer, septic tanks and livestock. So our objective is to reduce nitrate because it feeds algae and invasive aquatic plants that are dominating the spring, such as hydrilla. Nitrate is fertilizing these nuisance plants and changing the ecology of the spring.

Pumper: How do septic tanks affect Wakulla Spring?

Stevenson: At present, they contribute 21 percent of the nitrates in the spring, while Tallahassee’s treatment plant, located about 10 miles away, contributes 50 percent, according to research, including a dye-trace study. When a $227 million upgrade at the treatment plant goes fully online in 2014, then the septic tanks will contribute 33 percent of the nitrate. In a dyetrace study conducted by Florida State University, dye was put in about five or six septic system drainfields. It took the effluent 70 days to travel 5 1/2 miles to the spring.

Your typical homeowner doesn’t maintain a septic tank until sewage flows onto their lawn or backs up into their bathtub. The tanks are out of sight and out of mind – many homeowners don’t have a clue where their septic tank even is located. A standard septic tank does not remove nitrates. Its purpose is to kill pathogens harmful to human health. So the one thing we’re trying to do is raise awareness with homeowners that they need to maintain their septic tanks just as they maintain the roof on their home. A homeowner would never think about not repairing a leaky roof in order to protect their home, yet they’ll ignore repairing a septic tank, even though it might be polluting their neighbor’s drinking water.

Pumper: Is passing a new law requiring septic tank inspections now a dead issue?

Stevenson: Not yet, though we don’t anticipate change in the near future because our Republican (majority) legislature is not sympathetic to environmental regulations.

At this point, we can’t do anything at the state level, so we’re instead trying to influence local governments – trying to educate and persuade county commissioners to pass ordinances that will require inspections of septic tanks.

Pumper: Why do you think people were so upset about the law mandating septic tank inspections?

Stevenson: There’s a complete disconnect (between the cost and benefits of regular inspections). It cost me about $225 to have my tank pumped. Over the course of five years, that’s $3.75 a month – about the price of a Starbucks coffee. Yet we had people screaming bloody murder because they don’t want to pay to have their septic tank pumped. It’s unbelievable… they don’t realize that there’s no such thing as free (toilet) flushes.

I think it’s just like food… the average person doesn’t have a clue where a cabbage comes from. We’re a different society today – we just don’t make these connections any more. We don’t understand our water here comes from an aquifer. As a society, we’ve lost touch with our connection to the earth. Back when your granddaddy had an outhouse, you knew it was there every day. But with a septic system, you don’t see it. You just flush and everything goes away.

Pumper: What role can professional liquid waste haulers play in Florida – and in other states where this debate may occur?

Stevenson: Nowadays, small businesses are a big deal. Politicians like to do good things for small businesses. So in the name of small businesses, pumpers need to support regulations that would include septic tank inspections. They should be talking to their customers and their legislators. Legislators listen to businessmen.

Pumper: Do you think legislators might view that as too self-serving?

Stevenson: That’s possible, but businessmen do it all the time. Farmers lobby their legislators, and so do realtors, builders and so on. So why not pumpers?