When conditions allow, restoration of rain-soaked and flooded systems will be one of many priorities for Registered Environmental Health Specialists (REHS) at local health Departments. If your system is affected, you can find helpful information on post-storm recovery at https://ehs.ncpublichealth.com/emprepresp.htm.

Nearly 50% of households in North Carolina rely on septic systems to collect, treat, and disperse their wastewater. There are 86 Local Health Departments serving 100 counties with approximately 535 REHSs authorized as agents of the state who oversee the design, siting, permitting, compliance, and repair of subsurface on-site wastewater systems.

Regardless of the season or the weather, it is important for all NC citizens served by septic systems to be aware of and practice proper care and maintenance of this important component of their home infrastructure. That is why Governor Cooper has declared September 17-21, 2018, as SepticSmart Week in North Carolina. SepticSmart Week is an annual event focused on educating homeowners and communities on the proper care and maintenance of their septic systems.

Keep in mind that performing regular maintenance protects your system and ensures that it can serve your needs for decades to come. Proper system care not only protects public health, it preserves our highly valued groundwater (the source of drinking water for over 3 million of our citizens), as well as our lakes, streams and waterways.

I encourage public health leaders and others to acknowledge and promote the Governor’s proclamation. Resources for doing so are available at: https://www.epa.gov/septic/septicsmart-week.