The specter of septic systems: Conflicting sociotechnical imaginaries of wastewater infrastructure in rurban Montana

Keywords: wastewater, water infrustructure, water quality risks, Montana
Abstract Type: Paper Abstract

Abstract

The problem of failing septic systems is bubbling to the surface in Montana. The slow-onset trends of water quality impairment by septic systems are not exclusively tied to an environmental problem that can only be addressed through technical or scientific means at the household scale. Rather, septic system water quality risks reflect the functions of a multi-faceted and multi-scaled hydro-social system, with uneven contributions to the problem, irregularities in governance and regulatory frameworks to guide appropriate responses, and disproportionate impacts. One half of the households in the state use septic systems to treat wastewater; and with few exceptions, no state or federal regulatory framework is in place to require septic system maintenance or inspection once they are installed. This anemic regulatory environment in combination with aging systems and barriers to homeowner adoption of best practices has resulted in streams, rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and ponds receiving a designation of threatened or impaired. Taking local communities as examples, and based on discourse analysis and interviews, this paper uncovers different, and at times contradictory, sociotechnical imaginaries of wastewater infrastructure. These imaginaries surrounding the design and implementation of wastewater infrastructure demonstrate characteristics of the socio-cultural and political-economic contexts. Further, they suggest partially incompatible objectives associated with actions to reduce the risks of water contamination. Such wide-ranging conceptualizations are informed and buttressed by sociotechnical imaginaries that shape the range of choice of wastewater management options and solutions.