septic leaching

The single Greatest Threat to Lake Health

Incomplete treatment of sewage and wastewater from your shoreline property, due to a poorly functioning septic system, is a threat to you and your family, as well as the entire ecosystem.

When sewage is not properly treated and filtered through an optimally-functioning septic system, it causes excess nutrients to reach our lakes, degrading our water quality, promoting algae or weed growth, and harming wildlife. The leakage can cause serious risks to human and pet health, as well as decrease our property values. This diagram shows how:

The most serious concern related to failing septic systems is human health risks including hepatitis, dysentery and other diseases spread by bacteria, viruses, and parasites in wastewater. These disease-causing organisms, called pathogens, could make near-shore water unsafe for recreation.

Learn more about how an improperly functioning septic system contributes to pollution of our waterways in this informative video from the Coalition of Haliburton Property Owners Associations.

Then jump to our Good Practices page to learn more about maintaining your cottage septic system.

Poop Talk - It's All About The Water from Sticks and Stones Productions on Vimeo.

Thanks to KLA member Rob Horsburgh for his photograph of Wallace Island used as the background photo throughout this site