Rhode Island General Laws Title 45. Towns and Cities § 45-24.5-2. Legislative findings

The general assembly recognizes and declares that:

Septic systems or individual subsurface disposal systems (ISDS) are prone to failure without proper maintenance. ISDS failure poses a risk to public health through the contamination of the state's surface and underground waters. Improperly treated waste water from malfunctioning ISDS can impair or prevent the use of the state's waters for drinking and domestic purposes, as well as swimming, wildlife habitat, boating, fishing, and other water-based recreation. In many suburban and rural areas of the state, the use of ISDS is the only practical or available means to treat waste water. Most community and individual drinking water supplies and some of the state's prime recreational waters are located in areas that rely on ISDS. Recreational and drinking supply waters are the least tolerant of waste water contamination and, therefore, require rigorous protection. ISDS will continue, for the near term, to be the primary means of waste water treatment in many areas of the state where public and private water supplies and recreational waters exist. Therefore, to help avoid both contamination of state waters and the associated risks to the public health, and to help preserve the natural ecosystems, waste water disposal systems must be properly maintained to prevent their malfunction and/or failure.