Apples for Health- Septic tank converted to rainwater cistern

Septic tank converted to rainwater cistern

MIAMI, March 17 (UPI) -- Officials in the Florida Keys are offering incentives to residents who convert their old septic tanks into cisterns for irrigation.

The state has mandated that all individual septic tanks in the area be eliminated by next year due to environmental concerns, The Miami Herald reported Monday.

Decommissioning the septic tanks costs about $500 per tank. For another $500 to $1,500, homeowners and businesses can turn them into environmental assets, the report said.

The Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority is offering $500 rebates on the conversions. Officials said the cisterns could reduce the need for water from the authority by 2.5 million gallons a year.