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TDEC soil scientist tells Bedford County steering committee soils determine feasibility of decentralized wastewater systems
Summary
Terry Henry of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation told a Bedford County steering committee that soil properties—depth, texture, structure and wetness—are the primary determinants of whether decentralized (drip) wastewater systems can be used, noting a 20-inch undisturbed minimum and maintenance and QA/QC concerns.
Terry Henry, a soil scientist with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, told a Bedford County steering committee that "the whole foundation of a decentralized system starts with soils," and that whether a drip irrigation wastewater system can be used depends first on local soil depth, texture, structure and wetness.
Henry, who said his TDEC unit covers Middle Tennessee, including Bedford County, said the agency's guidance uses a 20-inch minimum undisturbed depth in the soil profile as a bare-bones threshold and that the most sensitive top 8 inches must not be compacted or disturbed. He warned that soils with weak or massive structure, poor drainage or rock within the top 20 inches cannot support systems without extensive engineering measures.
The distinction matters for developers and county planners because…
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