Temple AgriLife Research associates to host virtual clinic on septic system maintenance | Region

Temple staff with Texas A&M AgriLife Research and the Blackland Research & Extension Center will set up a free virtual septic tank maintenance clinic for homeowners

The clinic – scheduled from 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm on April 7th – is offered as part of the Lampasas River Watershed Protection Plan. The class is held virtually via Microsoft Teams. Participants do not need to download any software to participate.

“Household sewage systems, also known as on-site sewage systems or OSSF, are used to treat sewage before it is distributed around the property. They’re usually in rural areas or areas that can’t be hooked up to a municipal waste collection system, “Ryan Gerlich, AgriLife Extension program specialist at College Station, said in a press release.” Systems that don’t work properly can contaminate our waterways with bacteria and contaminate other pollutants. “

Dr. Anish Jantrania, associate professor and expansion specialist at A&M AgriLife Research in Texas, said the clinic will provide a basic understanding of the operations and maintenance activities of a sewage system and how activities at home affect the system.

“There will be a short presentation on health and safety, system care and maintenance, and general maintenance procedures,” said Jantrania. “The rest of the clinic offers participants the opportunity to ask questions informally and interactively.”

The Lampasas River Watershed Protection Plan was developed and implemented by the Lampasas River Watershed Partnership. This initiative was carried out by local stakeholders, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, the Texas-based Texas-based Soil and Water Conservation Agency, and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to address water quality concerns within the Lampasas watershed.

The Lampasas River watershed encompasses portions of Bell, Burnet, Coryell, Hamilton, Lampasas, Mills, and Williamson counties.

“We’ll also be introducing our newest program as part of the implementation of the Lampasas River Watershed Protection Plan,” said Lisa Prcin, Lampasas River Watershed coordinator and research fellow at Texas A&M AgriLife in Temple. “We have secured federal grants that are available to offset the cost of repairing or replacing faulty wastewater treatment plants in the watershed.”

Prcin said failing sewer systems have been identified by the Lampasas River Watershed Partnership as a potential source of bacterial contamination in nearby streams and waterways.

To register for the clinic, visit www.lampasasriver.org. After registering, participants will receive a link to join.