In sandy soil, how far can sewage organisms typically travel?

Prepare for the NEHA Registered Environmental Health Specialist/Registered Sanitarian Exam. Study with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question includes hints and explanations. Excel in your exam!

In sandy soil, sewage organisms can typically travel around 200 feet due to the characteristics of sandy soil and its permeability. Sandy soil has larger particles and greater voids compared to finer soils, which allows for relatively easy movement of water and associated contaminants. This increased porosity enables effluents, including pathogenic organisms from sewage, to disperse further from the point of origin.

The ability of sewage organisms to travel this distance is influenced by several factors such as soil texture, moisture content, and the specific types of organisms present. While sandy soils facilitate faster movement, it's also important to recognize that environmental conditions and biological factors can impact the survival of these organisms over distance. In general, the 200-foot distance is a recognized threshold in environmental health studies, often used to determine safe setback distances for sewage disposal systems to prevent contamination of drinking water sources.

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