Septic systems in North Carolina: A neglected half of the state?

Millions of Americans, especially those in rural and marginalized communities, rely on septic tanks and other forms of onsite sanitation (OSS) systems to meet their sanitation needs. Roughly half of North Carolina’s (NC) population uses septic systems, compared to about a quarter nationwide. NC has the second highest rural population among all states but ranks 17th in terms of the share of its population classified as rural—thus, rurality is not the sole reason that such a large portion of NC’s population relies on septic systems. Although septic systems are common in widely dispersed rural areas where piped sewer systems are impractical, they are also found in densely populated communities near cities with centralized services. Extending water and sewer infrastructure to these areas may create jobs and boost local economies, though key challenges associated with extending public services include lack of financing, government support, community engagement, and the presence of existing septic system infrastructure. As population growth, development pressure, and costs of centralized wastewater treatment systems continue to increase, the use and construction of OSS systems in NC are projected to increase as well.