2026 CDS Annual Conference

This poster presents a geospatial assessment of septic system risk in Georgia leveraging open-source environmental and socioeconomic data. Septic system locations are spatially linked with soil conditions, groundwater depth, flood hazards, land use, and demographic indicators to identify areas where system failure risk is elevated. Multi-criteria spatial analysis and hotspot detection methods are used to classify deterministic risk (i.e., high-, medium-, and low) zones and validate patterns using inspection and permit records. The resulting risk maps provide a decision-support tool for identifying priority areas where septic risks threaten public health and where alternative sanitation strategies may be most viable.