Source: AgriLife Today | March 30, 2021
The Lampasas River Watershed Partnership is coordinating a septic systems repair and replacement program for residents in the Lampasas River watershed to help improve and protect water quality.
Funding is available to homeowners to repair or replace septic systems within the watershed, said Lisa Prcin, Texas A&M AgriLife Research associate, Temple, as part of implementation of the Lampasas River Watershed Protection Plan. The Lampasas River watershed encompasses parts of Mills, Hamilton, Lampasas, Coryell, Burnet, Bell and Williamson counties.
Home septic systems, also known as on-site sewage facilities, OSSF, are used to treat wastewater before it is dispersed on the property. Systems not functioning properly can contaminate waterways with bacteria and other pollutants and pose a threat to human health.
The Lampasas River Watershed Protection Plan was accepted in 2013 and efforts have been underway to secure technical and financial assistance to implement portions of the plan and improve water quality across the watershed, Prcin said. This effort includes helping homeowners repair and/or update their systems.
“During creation of the plan, stakeholders identified failing septic systems as a major contributor of bacteria in the watershed,” she said. “A goal of the partnership was to reduce the number of failing septic systems.”
Funding to replace failing septic systems
The partnership secured federal grant funds, which are available to offset the costs of repairing or replacing approximately 15 septic systems within the watershed, Prcin said. Up to 100% of funding, with a maximum of $8,000, is available to residents to repair or replace systems.
More information about this grant program can be found at www.lampasasriver.org, including the general eligibility, needs assessment criteria for participation and an interactive map of the watershed boundaries. The application can also be downloaded from the website.
For questions regarding the grant program, contact Prcin at 254-774-6008 or by email at [email protected]. For information about septic systems in Texas, visit http://ossf.tamu.edu/.
The protection plan was developed and implemented by the Lampasas River Watershed Partnership, a collaborative effort by local stakeholders, AgriLife Research, and Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to address water quality concerns within the Lampasas River watershed.
Funding and support for the Lampasas Watershed Protection Plan is provided through Clean Water Act nonpoint source grants from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation board and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.