What is the EPA Decentralized Wastewater Management Partnership ... and why should you care?

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With onsite systems largely regulated at the state and local level, it’s easy to overlook the impact of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on our industry. From their landmark 1997 Report to Congress that recognized onsite systems as a permanent part of the nation’s wastewater infrastructure, to the research and demonstration projects the agency has funded, to the management, training and public education resources it has developed, the EPA has greatly influenced the evolution and growth of the onsite wastewater industry.

In 2005, the National Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association and seven other national organizations partnered with the EPA, signing a memorandum of understanding creating the Decentralized Wastewater Management Partnership. Goals of the Partnership, which now includes 16 organizations (plus the EPA), are to work together to encourage proper management of decentralized (onsite) systems, and to increase collaboration between the EPA, state and local governments, and decentralized system practitioners and providers.

Those are nice sounding words, you might say. But what do they mean?

Good question, because the Partnership has done some pretty interesting things recently. For example:

• The Partnership developed a series of short, nontechnical position papers – endorsed by the EPA – promoting the benefits of decentralized wastewater treatment (they’re an economical solution; they protect public health, they’re green and sustainable). These are great tools for anyone dealing with public officials who just don’t get onsite systems. They are one-page documents that concisely explain the benefits and advantages of onsite systems.

• The EPA recently rolled out their SepticSmart public education program. The idea for a public relations program was originally recommended by the Partnership several years ago. NOWRA worked especially hard to keep the SepticSmart concept alive when EPA budget cuts slowed the initiative’s progress. SepticSmart consists of a variety of print and electronic materials to help homeowners better understand what they should (and should not) do to keep their septic systems functioning properly. You should plan to link to the EPA’s SepticSmart website.

• The Partnership is developing additional position papers, specifically to demonstrate the impact onsite systems have on economic development, job creation and community growth.

• The Partnership regularly offers free webinars on critical topics of interest to industry professionals. Recent topics, all of which are archived on the EPA’s website, include securing funding for onsite wastewater systems, sustainable rural communities, using decentralized systems within a utility environment, how the NSF evaluates systems and much more.

• As part of its efforts to clean up the Chesapeake Bay, EPA recently issued a Model Program for the Management of Onsite Systems in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. This comprehensive document is likely to be a template used in other large watersheds under orders to reduce Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs). While the document was developed at the regional level, the Partnership reviewed and provided extensive comments on the document before it was released.

Another benefit of the Partnership is member organizations strengthening ties with one another. Those stronger ties make it easier for groups to collaborate on projects of mutual interest. For example, NOWRA recently worked with the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) and the Consortium of Institutions for Decentralized Wastewater Treatment (CIDWT) on a grant proposal to offer expanded training opportunities for industry professionals. NOWRA also recently collaborated with NEHA to conduct installer training and certification in New Jersey.

While the work of the Partnership doesn’t attract many headlines, it plays an important role in connecting the EPA with the onsite industry in meaningful ways.



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