Analysis of septic-tank density for three areas in Cedar Valley, Iron County, Utah - a case study for evaluations or proposed subdivisions in Cedar Valley (WRB-27)

By: M. Lowe, J. Wallace, and C. E. Bishop, editors Cedar Valley, Iron County, is experiencing an increase in residential development, much of which uses septic tank soil-absorption systems for wastewater disposal. Septic tank soil-absorption systems are considered one of the major potential sources of water-quality degradation, and public officials would like to have a scientific basis for determining recommended densities/lot sizes for septic-tank systems as a land-use planning tool. We performed site-specific mass balance-approach evaluations for three areas in Cedar Valley, situated on unconsolidated deposits of the principal valley-fill aquifer, as part of a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Regional Geographic Initiative grant; these evaluations can be used as models for evaluations of proposed subdivisions in Cedar Valley. The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of septic tank soil-absorption systems on ground-water quality for three areas in Cedar Valley where septi