You have a good point. I think there are plenty of old holdouts. Some don't want to spend any money and don't want to take on a large hook up expense or a new monthly expense and are fine with the way things are. I can sympathize.
For some people to change, the county or state might might have to get involved. While I prefer to not have government mandates, sometimes it is necessary for the greater good.
This happened in the little 'burb of Louisville where I grew up. It was like a village, some properties are 1/4 acre, some were 10 acres- no rhyme or reason to any of it. Everyone on septic, which worked fine in the days before so many appliances, washing machines running 5 times a day, dishwashers, etc. Back in the 70's there was mention of Anchorage going on sewer, and the town revolted, even though on really wet days, there was a certain "odor" about town.
Papa John Schnatter bought up all the buildings in the tiny business district, and started lobbying hard to go on sewer, since he was having to have his septic tanks pumped out several times a week. We owned property close to the business district, and the several blocks in the area were the worst as far as failed septic tanks, smell- and obstinate owners who didn't want to pay for it (even though they lived in million dollar houses). The creeks were gross, the yards were wet, and still these people refused to see the problem. We sold our land because we didn't want to build a house, install a $30k septic system, and be ordered by the health department to go on sewer the next year, plus we couldn't stand the thought of living in the midst of people who did not value their community enough to make the change to sewers. My own mother did not see a problem - her yard was dry (but was a swamp when we were all living at home:roll
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Just as we predicted, sewers were ordered for the town center and some streets off the main drag, including ours, and my mom and brother's street. People were furious! I get being upset about the expense, but I can't imagine raw sewage, leaching lateral fields, and the smell is great for property values. Payments plans were worked out for those that wanted them. Mom has hooked up to the sewer, but gripes about it.
Septics work great if there is enough land around them, are properly installed and the right size for their house, and aren't located next to bodies of water that flood. There really should be some action to eradicate any septics around the lakes, (or any failing ones anywhere for that matter). Low cost loans, grants, something.
As far as worrying about kids getting sick in the lake, I would caution everyone to remember that kids are not getting sick at pandemic rates from swimming in the dune lakes, and are more lakely to pick up bugs at school when they are around large numbers of "germ factories". The water testing numbers aren't good, but unless there is lab proof that kids are getting sick from a particlular bacteria, I don't think we need to raise a panic- awareness is fine, but balance it with "it could have been the lake, it could have been at school".
