Septic Tanks GPS/GIS Mapping in Brown County, Ohio

Abstract

High contaminant levels from domestic wastewater transported to groundwater through cesspools and conventional septic systems can be a major source of contamination to aquifers utilized for drinking water and coastal waters. Locating and maintaining wastewater system components is an essential precaution for preventing pollution and keeping septic systems running effectively. Therefore, the aim of this capstone project was to develop guidelines that enable environmental health professionals to gather locations of septic system components using The Global Positioning System (GPS) information during operational and maintenance (O/M) inspections The collected GPS data were then entered into the geographic information system (GIS) to help homeowners of septic systems access the data about components of their septic systems remotely. The Trimble GPS unit was utilized in the process of formulating the guidelines. Terrasync software and Trimble Pathfinder Office were used for data collection. Through the operational and maintenance inspections training, the manufacturer's handbook, as well as the engineering specialists’ expertise played a role in the process of collecting information and developing the guidelines for this project.