World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2019
Virtual 3D Septic System Model for Education and Outreach Activities
Publication: World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2019: Groundwater, Sustainability, Hydro-Climate/Climate Change, and Environmental Engineering
ABSTRACT
In Northwest Indiana, large number of septic systems are used in homes that are not connected to sanitary sewers. Septic system maintenance is very essential to avoid groundwater pollution. If the periodical maintenance is not properly done, it leads to the public health issue because poorly maintained septic systems results in groundwater contamination. As an education and outreach efforts, USEPA conducts awareness activities such as “Septic System Awareness Week”. In this research, as a user-friendly tool, a 3D septic system model was created. It will be a very useful tool in education and outreach activities. This model was developed in the Unity 3D game engine platform. Using the specifications provided in the Indiana State Department of Health document, this model was built. This tool also has a demonstrative groundwater contamination plume movement near the flow fields to show the users about the contamination progress with time. Users can move around the model and understand various components, maintenance efforts, sludge built up with time using this tool.
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Acknowledgement
Authors thank the Indiana DNR Coastal Grants Program for supporting this research work.
REFERENCES
Bounds, T.R., (1997) “ Design and Performance of Septic Tanks,” Site Characterization and Design of Onsite Septic Systems ASTM STP 901, M.S. Bedinger, A.I. Johnson, and J.S. Fleming, Eds., American Society for Testing Materials, Philadelphia, 1997.
Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH). (1990). Rule 410 IAC 6-8.1, “Residential Sewage Disposal Systems”. Indiana State Department of Health. Indianapolis, IN.
Stout, H.M. (2003). “Soils and onsite wastewater treatment system performance in northern Indiana”. Master’s thesis, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN.
Taylor, C., J. Yahner, and D. Jones. (1997). “An Evaluation of onsite technology in Indiana. A report to the Indiana State Department of Health”. Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
Lee, B.D., (2012). “Septic System Failure and Environmental Impacts”, HENV-502, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Kentucky College of Agriculture Extension.
Olson, K., D. Gustafson; B. Liukkonen; and V. Cook. (1997). “Septic System Owner’s Guide: Use and Operation”. Publication PC-06583. University of Minnesota, College of Agricultural, Food, and Environmental Sciences, St.Paul, MN.
Seabloom, R.W., T.R. Bounds, and T.L. Loudon. (2005). Septic Tanks Text. In (M.A. Gross and N.E. Deal, eds.) University Curriculum Development for Decentralized Wastewater Management. National Decentralized Water Resources Capacity Development Project. University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2019: Groundwater, Sustainability, Hydro-Climate/Climate Change, and Environmental Engineering
Pages: 170 - 174
Editors: Gregory F. Scott and William Hamilton, Ph.D.
ISBN (Online): 978-0-7844-8234-6
Copyright
© 2019 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Published online: May 16, 2019
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