Idaho officials are working on rules to provide for septic system setbacks from surface water. The draft model was based on the ability to limit the discharge of phosphorus. According to the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality’s synopsis of the draft regulations, it will use a software tool to account for effluent and groundwater quality, and characteristics of the drainfield, aquifer and surface water bodies to calculate the appropriate setback. The new regulations do not address nitrogen, which continues to be governed by existing rules because systems that reduce nitrogen do nothing to reduce the amount of phosphorus.

New Mexico

New state liquid waste regulations went into effect Sept. 1. The changes include:

• Revised calculations to determine if a system will be permitted under the Liquid Waste Regulations or require a Groundwater Discharge Permit.
• Changes in drainfield sizing.
• Recalculations of sidewall credits and drainfield product credits.
• Changes in maintenance and monitoring requirements for advanced treatment systems.
• Recalculations for design flows for both residential and commercial systems.

Pennsylvania

The state Department of Transportation has decided to add or increase weight restrictions for about 1,000 bridges in the Commonwealth. The move could affect septic service companies and others carrying heavy loads. The move affects eight bridges in Erie County and 20 bridges in Crawford County, each of which has been classified as “structurally deficient.”

Utah

The state has clarified and rewritten its Onsite Wastewater System administrative code (R317-4). Details of the code are available at www.waterquality.utah.gov/Onsite/index.htm. The rewrite was designed to make the code easier to read and understand, and quicker to navigate to specific sections. The changes were effective Sept. 1.

Wisconsin

Some residents in central Wisconsin will soon see costs double to empty holding and septic tanks. According to officials in the Marshfield area, the cost increase is due to the need to treat the septage before applying on agricultural fields. Septic service contractors are currently charged a fee at the city wastewater plant for disposal. To apply the waste to an agricultural field, the septic company must pay for additional labor and treatment supplies such as lime, testing equipment and increased truck maintenance, according to the state Department of Natural Resources, which enforces the regulations related to septage disposal.

The DNR is working to educate licensed businesses and certified haulers about the regulations.

Connecticut

Contain your bamboo or run afoul of the law! One species of the popular plant is beginning to cause problems such as ruined septic systems and damaged foundations, so the Connecticut General Assembly has passed a law holding those with running (yellow grove) bamboo responsible for any damage it does. The plant can grow 40 feet tall and its roots can spread 20 feet a year; it’s been known to grow up through asphalt streets. The law requires running bamboo to be contained to prevent spreading, or it must be planted at least 100 feet from a public right of way or other properties. Those who sell it are also required to educate consumers about the plant and how to control it. Besides the civil liability, violators are subject to a $100 fine. Several communities in New York have reportedly passed local ordinances to deal with the bamboo problem.