§ 45-24.5-2 - Legislative findings. - Rhode Island Statutes

SECTION 45-24.5-2

   § 45-24.5-2  Legislative findings. –The general assembly recognizes and declares that:

   Septic systems or individual subsurface disposal systems(ISDS) are prone to failure without proper maintenance. ISDS failure poses arisk to public health through the contamination of the state's surface andunderground waters. Improperly treated waste water from malfunctioning ISDS canimpair or prevent the use of the state's waters for drinking and domesticpurposes, as well as swimming, wildlife habitat, boating, fishing, and otherwater-based recreation. In many suburban and rural areas of the state, the useof ISDS is the only practical or available means to treat waste water. Mostcommunity and individual drinking water supplies and some of the state's primerecreational waters are located in areas that rely on ISDS. Recreational anddrinking supply waters are the least tolerant of waste water contamination and,therefore, require rigorous protection. ISDS will continue, for the near term,to be the primary means of waste water treatment in many areas of the statewhere public and private water supplies and recreational waters exist.Therefore, to help avoid both contamination of state waters and the associatedrisks to the public health, and to help preserve the natural ecosystems, wastewater disposal systems must be properly maintained to prevent their malfunctionand/or failure.