Nutrient Transport from Onsite Wastewater Systems to Surface Waters in the Piedmont of NC Grant uri icon

abstract

  • The percentage of onsite wastewater treatment systems (OWS) users in North Carolina (approximately 50%) is much higher than the national average (approximately 25%). While anthropogenic nutrient contribution is one of the most common reasons for surface water impairment in North Carolina, basin management plans and TMDLs for nutrients have not typically addressed contributions from OWS. Recent advances in TMDL model development can help address this issue, but field-based, calibrated and properly-tested model inputs are needed to correctly quatify pollutant loading from decentralized wastewater infrastructure. The overall project goal is to determine the OWS delivery of nutrients to groundwater and streams in the Piedmont of North Carolina.

date/time interval

  • November 2014 - September 2015