Suitability of Ohio Soils for Treating Wastewater

Bulletin 896

Authors

Karen Mancl,
Professor and Extension Water Quality Specialist
Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering

Brian Slater,
Assistant Professor and Extension Soil Scientist
School of Natural Resources

Contents

• Suitability of Ohio Soils for Treating Wastewater
• How does soil treat wastewater?
• Which soil series are suited to septic system leach fields?
• What if the soil is too shallow for a leach field?
• Which soil series are suited to mound systems?
• What if the soil is too shallow for a mound system?
• Which soil series are suited to soil dispersal of treated wastewater?
• What if the soil is too shallow for soil dispersal of treated wastewater?
• Which soil series are wet, seasonally saturated?
• Finding information on soil characteristics
• For more information

Figures

• Figure 1. Range of removal depths of pollutants in wastewater as infiltrating through unsaturated soil. Removal depth is influenced by soil permeability.
• Figure 2. Soil depth needed to site septic system leach field.
• Figure 3. Percent of soils by county suited to traditional leach lines or mound systems in Ohio.
• Figure 4. Soil suitable for traditional leach line system—Wheeling Series
• Figure 5. Cross section of mound system.
• Figure 6. Percent of soils by county suited to mound systems only in Ohio.
• Figure 7. Soil suitable for mound systems—Miamian Series
• Figure 8. Watertight basin for sand bioreactor followed by disinfection system.
• Figure 9. Soil suitable for dispersal—Crosby Series
• Figure 10. Soil suitable for dispersal—Fairmount Series
• Figure 11. Soil unsuitable for waste application—Kokomo Series

Table

• Table 1. Soil series suited for traditional leach line systems or mound systems.
• Table 2. Soil series suited for mound systems only.
• Table 3. Soil series not suited for soil-based wastewater treatment, but may be suited for irrigation of treated wastewater.
• Table 4. Wet, seasonally saturated (hydric) soils that are not suited to onsite wastewater treatment.

Appendix

• Appendix 1. Percent of soils in onsite wastewater treatment suitability categories for all 88 Ohio counties.

This publication was financed in part through a grant from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and the United States Environmental Protection Agency, under the provisions of Sections 319(h) of the Clean Water Act.

Copyright © 2002, Ohio State University Extension