Many of the septic systems on St. Margaret’s Bay are in poor condition.  The situation is made worse by ever-increasing population density, in-fill, and increasing development.  The result has been a dramatic rise in contaminants leeching into the Bay, in particular fecal coliform, conditions fatal to living aquatic organisms, shellfish closures, and the general deterioration of the Bay and the rivers and streams which feed into it.

 
Position and proposed Solutions:

(1) Demand effective enforcement and amend existing laws to prohibit bad practices.  Times have changed - there is no room on St. Margaret’s Bay for polluters.

(2) Promote the use of effective, proven technology by putting in place levers and inducements to help homeowners upgrade their septic systems.

(3) Develop a sewage and waste water strategy which starts with public education and delivers a broad-based buy-in to good practices like universal regular septic system inspection and maintenance and an awareness of what to flush and what not to flush.

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