Water table dynamics beneath onsite wastewater systems in eastern North Carolina in response to Hurricane Florence

Onsite wastewater treatment systems (OWTSs) are commonly used in eastern North Carolina. A vadose zone or vertical separation distance (VSD) between the OWTS drainfield trenches and groundwater is required for effective aerobic wastewater treatment. Extreme weather events, including hurricanes, can...

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Autores principales:	Charles Humphrey Jr., Danielle Dillane, Guy Iverson, Michael O'Driscoll
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	IWA Publishing 2021
Materias:	climate change groundwater hurricane onsite wastewater vadose zone Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering TD1-1066 Environmental sciences GE1-350
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/430c997e7e974bcbae6fca31ed157065
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:430c997e7e974bcbae6fca31ed1570652021-11-05T19:02:34ZWater table dynamics beneath onsite wastewater systems in eastern North Carolina in response to Hurricane Florence2040-22442408-935410.2166/wcc.2021.303https://doaj.org/article/430c997e7e974bcbae6fca31ed1570652021-08-01T00:00:00Zhttp://jwcc.iwaponline.com/content/12/5/2136https://doaj.org/toc/2040-2244https://doaj.org/toc/2408-9354Onsite wastewater treatment systems (OWTSs) are commonly used in eastern North Carolina. A vadose zone or vertical separation distance (VSD) between the OWTS drainfield trenches and groundwater is required for effective aerobic wastewater treatment. Extreme weather events, including hurricanes, can deliver significant rainfall that influences groundwater levels and reduces the VSD, thus also influencing the treatment of wastewater by the OWTS. Few studies have quantified the effects of storms on the VSD. Groundwater levels at three sites with the OWTS were monitored before, during, and after Hurricane Florence. Groundwater rose over 1.5 m within 9 h at the sites in response to rain from the hurricane but took more than 3.5 weeks to return to prestorm levels. Groundwater inundated the drainfield trenches for several days at two sites leading to direct discharge of wastewater to groundwater. The hydraulic gradient and the groundwater velocity increased during the storm and the groundwater flow direction shifted, leading to greater dispersion of wastewater impacted groundwater. The wastewater treatment efficiency of the soil-based OWTS in coastal areas may lessen over time because of rising water tables and reduced VSD. Individual pretreatment OWTSs, elevated drainfields, or centralized sewage treatment may be required in regions with shrinking VSDs. HIGHLIGHTS Groundwater levels directly beneath three onsite wastewater systems were monitored during Hurricane Florence.; A vertical separation distance decreased by more than 1.5 m at each site in response to rain from the hurricane.; Direct discharge of wastewater to groundwater occurred at two of three sites.; The onsite wastewater treatment efficiency may diminish in coastal areas in response to more frequent intense storms.;Charles Humphrey Jr.Danielle DillaneGuy IversonMichael O'DriscollIWA Publishingarticleclimate changegroundwaterhurricaneonsite wastewatervadose zoneEnvironmental technology. Sanitary engineeringTD1-1066Environmental sciencesGE1-350ENJournal of Water and Climate Change, Vol 12, Iss 5, Pp 2136-2146 (2021)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	climate change groundwater hurricane onsite wastewater vadose zone Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering TD1-1066 Environmental sciences GE1-350
spellingShingle	climate change groundwater hurricane onsite wastewater vadose zone Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering TD1-1066 Environmental sciences GE1-350 Charles Humphrey Jr. Danielle Dillane Guy Iverson Michael O'Driscoll Water table dynamics beneath onsite wastewater systems in eastern North Carolina in response to Hurricane Florence
description	Onsite wastewater treatment systems (OWTSs) are commonly used in eastern North Carolina. A vadose zone or vertical separation distance (VSD) between the OWTS drainfield trenches and groundwater is required for effective aerobic wastewater treatment. Extreme weather events, including hurricanes, can deliver significant rainfall that influences groundwater levels and reduces the VSD, thus also influencing the treatment of wastewater by the OWTS. Few studies have quantified the effects of storms on the VSD. Groundwater levels at three sites with the OWTS were monitored before, during, and after Hurricane Florence. Groundwater rose over 1.5 m within 9 h at the sites in response to rain from the hurricane but took more than 3.5 weeks to return to prestorm levels. Groundwater inundated the drainfield trenches for several days at two sites leading to direct discharge of wastewater to groundwater. The hydraulic gradient and the groundwater velocity increased during the storm and the groundwater flow direction shifted, leading to greater dispersion of wastewater impacted groundwater. The wastewater treatment efficiency of the soil-based OWTS in coastal areas may lessen over time because of rising water tables and reduced VSD. Individual pretreatment OWTSs, elevated drainfields, or centralized sewage treatment may be required in regions with shrinking VSDs. HIGHLIGHTS Groundwater levels directly beneath three onsite wastewater systems were monitored during Hurricane Florence.; A vertical separation distance decreased by more than 1.5 m at each site in response to rain from the hurricane.; Direct discharge of wastewater to groundwater occurred at two of three sites.; The onsite wastewater treatment efficiency may diminish in coastal areas in response to more frequent intense storms.;
format	article
author	Charles Humphrey Jr. Danielle Dillane Guy Iverson Michael O'Driscoll
author_facet	Charles Humphrey Jr. Danielle Dillane Guy Iverson Michael O'Driscoll
author_sort	Charles Humphrey Jr.
title	Water table dynamics beneath onsite wastewater systems in eastern North Carolina in response to Hurricane Florence
title_short	Water table dynamics beneath onsite wastewater systems in eastern North Carolina in response to Hurricane Florence
title_full	Water table dynamics beneath onsite wastewater systems in eastern North Carolina in response to Hurricane Florence
title_fullStr	Water table dynamics beneath onsite wastewater systems in eastern North Carolina in response to Hurricane Florence
title_full_unstemmed	Water table dynamics beneath onsite wastewater systems in eastern North Carolina in response to Hurricane Florence
title_sort	water table dynamics beneath onsite wastewater systems in eastern north carolina in response to hurricane florence
publisher	IWA Publishing
publishDate	2021
url	https://doaj.org/article/430c997e7e974bcbae6fca31ed157065
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Water table dynamics beneath onsite wastewater systems in eastern North Carolina in response to Hurricane Florence

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