Miami-Dade septic tanks vulnerable, but working

I thank the Miami Herald for publishing the Jan. 10 story “Sea rise compromising septic tanks,” on the vulnerability of septic tanks in Miami-Dade County.

It focused on an important issue for our county, Florida and the nation.

The story notes that, “Miami-Dade has tens of thousands of septic tanks, and a new report reveals most are already malfunctioning.”

I would like to clarify that the report does not conclude that most septic tanks in Miami-Dade County are malfunctioning under normal conditions. The report uses information on groundwater level and land elevation to identify areas of the county where existing septic tank and drain-field systems may be vulnerable to malfunction.

In making these predictions, the report considers existing conditions, the impact of periodic storm events, and the potential future impact of projected sea level rise on these systems.

It is important to reiterate that the report serves as a predictive tool to identify potentially vulnerable areas, where septic systems may be periodically compromised, and it predicts that number would increase based upon future sea-level rise.

Using this report, county technical staff can work to field-verify actual conditions in these areas to help set priorities on where adaptation and/or additional infrastructure are needed first.

Implementing adaptation measures and improving our community’s overall resilience to climate change and sea-level rise will require proper assessment of the threats, identifying solution options, and developing action plans to address these challenges.

Miami-Dade County is committed to continuing to address climate change and sea-level rise to ensure our county continues to thrive and is resilient.