Septic Systems in the Media: ‘From the Trenches’ News Highlights, Part 3
One of the parts of our monthly newsletter, From the Trenches, that we always look forward to is the roundup of news stories from the past month covering septic systems and decentralized wastewater. These are often hyperlocal stories, but it can still be quite fascinating to learn about the similarities and differences in septic stories, challenges, and successes across the country — and sometimes around the world.
Below, we’ve collected some of the stories we found most interesting that were featured in our first several newsletters of 2026!
•
Replacing septic tanks could cost these Florida homeowners thousands
By Martin E. Comas, Tampa Bay Times | December 21, 2025
“Seminole commissioners were hit with a stunning dose of sticker shock this month after learning a state requirement to convert most septic tanks near the Wekiva River and Gemini Springs to sewer systems could cost the county and homeowners hundreds of millions of dollars. For example, a homeowner with a septic tank near the Wekiva River could have to shell out at least $75,000 if they had to pick up the entire cost of digging up their old septic tank and replacing it with a sewer connection, according to a county document.”
Stony Brook Researchers Developing Alternative to Expensive Septic Systems
By Tracy Tullis, Stony Brook University | December 26, 2025
“There are 360,000 older septic systems in Suffolk County, and about 35,000 on the North Shore of Nassau, most of them slowly leeching nitrogen into the groundwater and Long Island’s streams, rivers and bays. But many homeowners hesitate to install newer, high-tech systems that reduce pollution, fearing high costs and torn-up yards. Recently a team of researchers led by Thomas Varley at Stony Brook University’s Center for Clean Water Technology developed an alternative that they say addresses both those concerns. Though it’s only a single prototype, their retrofit system is relatively simple and inexpensive to install, and with less property damage. And it removes nitrogen more efficiently than existing systems, according to testing they performed over four months.”
Why Nancy Guthrie Cops Searched Searched Septic Tank – SWAT Expert Explains
By Martin Holmes, Yahoo | February 9, 2026
“The search for Savannah Guthrie’s missing 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie, continued on Sunday (February 8), with police searching a septic tank behind Nancy’s house in Tucson, Arizona. As reported by the New York Post, drone footage captured three investigators opening a manhole cover behind the property on Sunday. The manhole is believed to lead to a septic tank. In the footage, the officers can be seen sticking a long pole into the sewer. An official reason for the septic tank search hasn’t been provided; however, former SWAT team captain Josh Schirard told The Daily Mail why such a search would be necessary.”
A Pony Named Geisha Gets Separated from Her Foal After Falling Into a Septic Tank
By Moná Thomas, People Magazine | February 9, 2026
“Fire crews in England came to the rescue of an 18-year-old pony after the animal became trapped in a septic tank. On Friday, Feb. 6, Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service took to their official Facebook to detail the incident, which occurred in Thaxted. According to the post, specialist firefighters from Hatfield Fire Station in Hertfordshire assisted colleagues from Essex County Fire and Rescue Service in freeing the pony, named Geisha, from the hole. Officials said Geisha had fallen into the septic tank and was unable to get out on her own, prompting a coordinated animal rescue operation. Firefighters used specialist lifting equipment alongside a telehandler operated by a local farmer to raise the pony to safety carefully.”
Despite decades of efforts, Michigan remains without a statewide septic code
By Kyle Davidson, Michigan Advance | March 7, 2026
“For many residents and visitors alike, the State of Michigan conjures images of abundant fresh water and sprawling Great Lakes summed up by the state’s two-word tagline: Pure Michigan. While environmental advocates have long fought to preserve the health and quality of those issues, one particular issue has evaded progress for decades: establishing a statewide code on septic systems. … During the 2023-2024 Legislative session, Sen. Sam Singh (D-East Lansing) led the introduction on a set of bills to set a statewide code, with Reps. Phil Skaggs (D-East Grand Rapids) and Carrie Rheingans (D-Ann Arbor) leading the effort in the House. While the bills failed to reach the governor’s desk, Singh reintroduced legislation at the end of January 2026 to allow local health departments to inspect and enforce new regulations on on-site wastewater treatment systems.”
In Las Vegas, where every drop of water counts, septic system changes are a sore subject
By Oona Milliken, The Nevada Independent | March 11, 2026
“It was supposed to be a routine meeting for the Southern Nevada Health District to discuss regulations surrounding septic tanks in Las Vegas. Instead, roughly 1,000 people showed up in protest. Videos of the meeting show angry residents questioning the health district about the proposals as officials tried to calm the crowd. Technology and space issues exacerbated the situation with lines of people waiting to speak at the Centennial Hills YMCA. … Last year, Southern Nevada Health District had proposed that homeowners get a $226 septic tank permit every five years, instead of obtaining a one-time permit. Homes within 400 feet of a main sewer line would potentially also be compelled to switch to the municipal sewer line if they had to do major repairs or update their septic tanks. The agency had also proposed a 30-day notification after the sale of a property so that the authority could provide new owners with ‘educational materials’ on septic systems.”
A foul problem: Fire survivors with cesspools and septic tanks face unique rebuilding challenges
By Erin Stone, LAist | April 6, 2026
“But about three years after buying their dream home, the Eaton Fire reduced it and all 29 houses in the neighborhood to ash. Now, not only is Whirledge trying to rebuild, but he’s also facing a challenge left over from last century: his house used a cesspool for its sewage. All of his neighbors used cesspools or septic tanks too — meaning they aren’t connected to the pipes of the county sewer system. From the cost of undergrounding power lines to upgrading water and, now, some sewer systems, rebuilding with better infrastructure after a disaster is proving to be a complex and expensive challenge, with the costs largely borne by people who lost their homes, are underinsured or not insured at all, and simply trying to put their lives back together. In turn, some residents, including Whirledge, are being forced to become experts in infrastructure they once rarely gave thought to.”
Newly signed farm bill could send septic service costs skyrocketing
By Jake Stofan, Action News Jax | April 9, 2026
“There are at least 360,000 septic tanks in our nine-county coverage area in Northeast Florida, and less than a dozen words in the newly signed 74-page farm bill could make servicing them much more expensive. The law states, starting July 1st, 2028, biosolid land application sites shall ‘ensure that only Class AA biosolids are applied to the soil.’ For Keith Burney, owner of Burney’s Septic Tank Service, those words amount to a mandatory multi-million dollar upgrade to his private treatment facility.”
The Amish who refused to use modern toilets – and the people who came after them
By Britta Lokting, The Guardian | May 7, 2026
“They went to the bathroom in buckets. When the Delagrange family moved to Lenawee county, Michigan, in 2015, they refused to use modern toilets. For religious reasons, they used an outhouse. Every couple of days, once the container became about half full, someone in the family would remove the 5-gallon pail from their handbuilt outdoor privy and combine the waste with animal manure. The mixture would then get treated with lime and spread on to pastures, where horses and cattle grazed. This was all very normal for the Amish family, who are farmers. Henry Delagrange, the 74-year-old patriarch and bishop of the community, had lived this way for decades in neighboring Hillsdale county. When he and his sons moved to Lenawee in search of more land, they brought those practices with them — along with a commitment to avoid what he calls ‘the lush of the world’: phones, electricity and septic systems.”
Ecology study finds bacteria in Snohomish River tied to aging septic systems
By Jenna Petersen, Herald Net | May 9, 2026
“For decades, local groups have engaged in cleanup efforts to improve water quality in the Snohomish River. Those efforts are working — according to a recent study from the Washington Department of Ecology — but most tributaries still do not meet state targets for certain bacteria levels. In particular, Allen Creek and Quilceda Creek carry high levels of bacteria, which could be tied to aging septic systems in the area, the study found. High bacteria levels in waterways increase the risk of illness in humans and could threaten fish populations, said Niamh O’Rourke, the lead scientist on the study.”
•
Be sure to sign up for the mailing list for From the Trenches (if you’re not already on it!) so you can keep up with our monthly roundup of septic news. And if you want to see any of our complete news roundups, visit our From the Trenches archive to find links to every edition of the newsletter!
See our “Septic Systems in the Media” news highlights for 2024 and 2025.