Septic System Pollution in Holiday, Florida: A Growing Threat to Our Waterways and Wildlife

In Holiday, Florida, more than 136 aging or failing septic systems may be silently polluting our local waterways — and ultimately the Gulf of Mexico. These outdated systems release excess nitrogen into the environment, a key contributor to water contamination and the destruction of fragile marine ecosystems.

We’ve already seen the devastating effects in other parts of Florida. In Indian River Lagoon, over 1,100 manatees died due to nitrogen runoff from septic tanks. The excess nitrogen causes algae blooms, which wipe out the sea grass that manatees depend on for food. When their food source disappears, these gentle sea creatures starve.

This is more than just an environmental concern — it’s a crisis that affects our marine life, our water quality, and our community’s health.