"Poop Tubes" Under Construction

n the process of building and testing a series of mesocosms, lovingly referred to as the "poop tubes", that mimic septic system leachfields (also known as drainfields or soil treatment areas). The mesocosms will be used to study the effects of climate change - higher water tables and elevated soil temperatures - on the water quality functions of leachfields from various types of septic systems. This information will help Rhode Islanders identify those systems for which climate change will present the greatest challenge, as well as those that are most resilient to climate change. The work is part of our research focus on Biogeochemistry and Microbial Ecology of Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems. It's funded by grants from the Rhode Island Agricultural Experiment Station and Rhode Island Sea Grant.