Flushed

Nags Head is a beautiful place, sandwiched between the Atlantic Ocean and Roanoke Sound. It is a collection of coastal livelihoods and people deeply attached to it. Like other small coastal towns, it is largely dependent on septic systems to treat wastewater. But what does a changing climate mean for wastewater, water quality, and the future of barrier island communities like this one?

Life on a barrier island isn’t without risk. Nags Head is no exception. Risks – both seen and unseen – are rising from the interaction between groundwater under the island and septic systems. Flooding and storms visibly endanger property, but they are also driving the under-the-surface reality of a high water table and deteriorating water quality due to septic contamination. Low awareness of these invisible hazards is its own risk to island life.

It’s time to take action on septic system risks to health and environmental quality. The government of Nags Head is addressing the risks caused by septic systems. And there are ways that individuals can act responsibly and proactively to reduce risks. How can coastal communities increase resiliency, implement wastewater solutions, and prepare for the future?