Rural Studio in Newbern serving as demo site for septic improvement project

Rural Studio in Newbern is serving as a demonstration site for a septic improvement project that is hoped to address wastewater issues in the Black Belt. 

A blog entry on Rural Studio's website said that they are working with a consortium involving engineers from the University of South Alabama, University of Alabama, and the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering at Auburn. 

The project will demonstrate establishing a cluster-design sanitary sewer to a rural area, which includes retrofitting local homes that have septic systems that are malfunctioning.

According to the blog entry, 50% of Black Belt residents use on-site septic systems but as much as 90% of these systems are failing. 

"The reason for this startling number is that soils with high clay content hold wastewater on the ground surface, creating contaminated pools or soggy areas in yards," said the blog.

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"Soil that’s good for catfish ponds is terrible for on-site wastewater treatment. Engineered mound systems that work in these soils can cost up to $20,000—too expensive for most people. Both problems demand new ways of thinking about rural wastewater management."

The cluster system will supposedly take waste liquids and treat it to a "high level amount" of purification. 

The first phase will take place on Rural Studio’s campus, Red Barn, Newbern Library, and businesses on the west side of Alabama Highway 61. It will be open to the public. 

"If these cluster systems are fully used across the Black Belt, another 25% of residents could have access to a managed and affordable sanitary sewer system," said the blog.

The project is said to be completed in the coming months.