http://aem.asm.org/cgi/content/abstract/61/6/2230

John H. Paul, Joan B. Rose,
Jordan Brown, Eugene A. Shinn,
Steven Miller, and
Samuel R. Farrah

Appl. Environ. Microbiol., Jun 1995, 2230-2234, Vol 61, No. 6 1995, American Society for Microbiology ABSTRACT

Domestic wastewater disposal practices in the Florida Keys are primarily limited to on-site disposal systems such as septic tanks, injection wells, and illegal cesspits. Poorly treated sewage is thus released into the highly porous surface subsurface Key Largo Matrix.

To investigate the fate and transport of sewage in the subsurface environment and the potential for contamination of marine surface waters, we employed bacteriophages IO HSIC-1 from the septic tank to adjacent surface canal waters and outstanding marine waters occurred in as little as 11 and 23 hours, respectively.

Transport of the Salmonella phage PRD! from the simulated injection well to a canal adjacent to the injection site occurred in 11.2 hours.

Estimated rates of migration of viral tracers ranged from 0.57 to 24.2 m/r over 500-fold greater than flow rates measured previously by subsurface flow meters in similar environments.

These results suggest that current on-site disposal practices can lead to contamination of the subsurface marine waters in the Keys.