Is a septic tank allowed to be located 1.5 meters from a reservoir?

• A. Yes, the distance is sufficient.
• B. No, the required distance is 15 meters.
• C. No, the required distance is 50 meters.
• D. Yes, provided the tank is filtered.

Answer: (B)

Protecting drinking water and surface water from septic effluent relies on keeping a safe setback between the septic system and a reservoir. If the tank is only 1.5 meters away, any leaks or overflows have a much shorter path to reach the reservoir through groundwater or surface runoff, increasing the risk of contaminating the water supply. The typical required minimum distance is 15 meters, which gives more soil filtration and dilution to reduce contaminants before they could reach the reservoir. Filtering the tank contents does not replace this setback requirement, and 50 meters is not the standard in this context. So, a 1.5-meter distance is not acceptable because the required distance is 15 meters.