Study On Septic System Impact On Lake Lanier To Last Three Years
A lot of homes around Lake Lanier have septic tanks. And Gwinnett County has found water quality in the lake needs improvement.
David Goldman / Associated Press
Gwinnett County’s Department of Water Resources and Georgia Tech Research Corporation are teaming up to study the effects of septic systems on Lake Lanier.
A lot of homes around Lake Lanier have septic tanks. And Gwinnett County has found water quality in the lake needs improvement.
Juliet Cohen, executive director of the Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, said Lanier does have some water issues.
“The lake is not meeting water quality standards for nutrients,” Cohen said. “It’s important to get to the bottom of how septic tanks are performing and what their contribution to the nutrient level in the lake is.”
The Chattahoochee River flows out of Lake Lanier. Cohen said too many nutrients are problematic.
“The threat to having too many nutrients in the lake is potential algae blooms, fish kills, poor water quality, and odor in drinking water supplies,”
Cohen said waste from septic tanks mixes with storm-water runoff and ends up in Lake Lanier.
Tech has a three-year contract worth $2.4 million to look at water quality and make recommendations along the way.
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