EPA’s DECENTRALIZED WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES

1. EPA’s DECENTRALIZED WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES US EPA Office of Wastewater Management

2. What are Decentralized Wastewater Systems? A.K.A. . . . • Septic Systems • Onsite Systems • Individual Systems • Cluster Systems • Package Plants • Large Capacity Septic Systems

3. States Regulate These Systems... So Why is EPA Getting Involved?? • Clean Water Act goals not being met • Major nonpoint source of pollution • Lack of funding: Need alternatives to costly centralized treatment plants • Regulatory Issues, e.g., UIC, Stormwater Phase II, NPDES

4. Underground Injection Control Program • Lawsuit addressed large septic capacity systems • Cesspools were banned • Large Capacity Septic Systems (LCSSs): • Serve 20 or more people/day, sanitary waste only • Estimated 300,000 LCSSs systems in U.S. • Regulatory determination acknowledges US EPA’s Decentralized Management Guidelines as primary tool • No rulemaking at this time – try management first

5. Decentralized Systems are a Significant Issue Nationally 21% of homes use onsite or clustered treatment systems (~ 25% of new construction) Nearly half are more than 30 years old 50% in suburban areas, rest in rural areas 5 - 15% malfunction each year 2nd highest threat to groundwater

6. Water Quality Problems Groundwater Estuaries ImpairedWaters ShellfishBeds

7. Sewage surfacing: potential public health threat

8. Sewage surfacing: potential threat to water resources

9. What is Needed? Improved management, including: • Better planning and system clustering • Improved owner awareness • Licensed/certified practitioners • Appropriate, risk-based application of technology to the receiving environment • Long-term operation & maintenance • Inspections based on system type, location and receiving environment • Effective and affordable options for difficult sites, including clustered units • Consideration of all options (decentralized and centralized)

10. Treatment Technologies Available • Media Filters (sand, gravel, peat, textile) • Aerobic Treatment Units (ATUs) • Lagoons • Evapotranspiration Beds • Constructed Wetlands • UV Disinfection • Others

11. Examples of Advanced Treatment Technologies Effluent Pumping Textile Filter Intermittent Sand Filter Recirculating Sand Filter

12. Dispersal Technologies • Septic Tank Effluent Pumping • Low Pressure Pipe • Mounds • Drip Irrigation • Chamber System • Contour Trench • Pressure Dosing

13. Examples of Dispersal Technologies Mound System Drip Irrigation Chamber System Contour Trench

14. Advanced Treatment Capabilities

15. New Focus: Watertight Tanks, Risers, Effluent Filters

16. Vision for EPA’s DecentralizedWastewater Program • Decentralized wastewater treatment systems are appropriately managed, • perform effectively, protect human health and the environment, • and are a key component of our nation’s wastewater infrastructure Actions: • Published the Management Guidelines and Handbook • Facilitating implementation by industry/partners • Coordinating with other health & water resource programs • Encouraging & supporting certification/licensing • Assisting states with management programs • Promoting finding & fixing illegal and/or illicit discharges • Conducting outreach and regional workshops & forums

17. Management’s Advantages

18. Public Involvement Planning Performance Req’ts Training/Certification Licensing Site Evaluation Design Construction Operation & Maint. Residuals Management Inspections/Monitoring Corrective Actions Record-Keeping/ Reporting Financing Elements of a Comprehensive Management Program

19. The Traditional Management Focus • Permitting: prescribed limits on acceptable sites; prescribed system designs • Installation: oversight of construction and installers and/or licensing, registration • O & M: homeowner booklets and brochures, tank pumping info • Corrective actions: repair or replacement required when complaints verified

20. Performance-Based Approach • Siting and design: • Designing a system that meets performance requirements based on site conditions • rather than requiring the site to meet prescriptive criteria (lot size, soils, depth to groundwater, etc.) needed for the system • System management: • Management programs that provide perpetual system oversight • to protect public health and water resources 4

21. Performance-Based Siting and Design • Characterize wastewater to be treated • Assess site conditions • Identify design boundaries • Identify desired performance requirements • Determine design boundary loadings • Assemble appropriate treatment train 5

22. EPA Voluntary Management Guidelines for Decentralized Systems • Guidelines finalized in 2003 • Objectives: • Raise the quality of management programs • Promote consistent management approaches • Establish minimum levels of activity • Institutionalize the management concept • Covers surface and subsurface discharges • For existing, new, large, and small systems

23. Key Concepts in Guidelines • Voluntary implementation • Comprehensive focus • Inventories at a minimum • Performance-based approach to overcome soil limitations • O&M contracts and permits • O&M contracts for advanced systems • Operating permits for large systems, clusters, and systems in high-risk areas • NPDES permits for discharging systems • Find and remove illegal/illicit connections to storm sewers

24. Key Concepts (cont.) • Increased certification/licensing • Target hot spots, high risk areas, certain system types • Integrate management models • Progressive series of five levels • As resource sensitivity and technical complexity increase, so does the management level (i.e., the intensity of the management program

25. EPA Voluntary Management Guidelines 5 Suggested approaches to management • Homeowner Awareness • Maintenance Contracts • Operating Permits • RME Operation and Maintenance • RME Ownership/Management RME = Responsible Management Entity

26. MANAGEMENT MODEL 1Homeowner Awareness of Operation and Maintenance Needs • Covers conventional onsite septic systems • Low environmental sensitivity • i.e., adequate space, separation distances, etc. • Local agency is aware of system locations • Periodic operation and maintenance reminders

27. MANAGEMENT MODEL 2Maintenance Contracts • Electric/mechanical systems given more attention • Allows for more complex options • e.g., mounds and other media filters, pressure dosed systems • Maintenance contracts with trained service providers

28. MANAGEMENT MODEL 3Operating Permits • Renewable operating permits • Regular reporting and monitoring • Good for more sensitive sites • lakes, drinking water aquifers • Dependent on maintaining performance requirements • Minimum for clusters, aerobic units, large capacity systems

29. MANAGEMENT MODEL 4Responsible Management EntityOperation and Maintenance • Management entity responsible for O & M • Systems still owned by homeowners • Ensures consistent performance • RME performs routine inspections & maintenance • Good for very sensitive areas - recreational uses, wellhead protection

30. MANAGEMENT MODEL 5Responsible Management Entity Ownership and Management • Same as Model 4, except RME owns the treatment system(s) • Professional management of all activities • Analogous to centralized collection and treatment • Allows area-wide watershed planning and management • Very sensitive environments • Reduces oversight by regulatory agency

31. 5 RME ownership 4 RME O&M Environmental Sensitivity Treatment Complexity Wastewater Characteristics 3 Operating permits Increasing Risks Public Health 2 Maintenance contracts 1 Inventory & maintenance awareness Risk Factors Application of the Five Model Programs

32. Onsite and Cluster Systems Management Handbook • Describes process for developing management programs • Includes case studies and examples • Focuses on planning and risk-based treatment options • Developed by steering committee of stakeholders • Audience is state/local regulators, service providers, local officials • Contains fact sheets on management program elements

33. Organization of the Decentralized Systems Management Handbook

34. Other US EPA Resources • Public awareness and education tools • Homeowners’ Guide • Case studies of management programs • TWIST database for system inventories • Web site containing • Examples of funding • Model codes and ordinances • Septage management examples

35. Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems Manual • Supplements and updates 1980 Design Manual • Promotes transition to performance-based programs • Supports and complements the Management Guidelines and Management Handbook • Addresses management functions to support performance-based approach

36. Partners and their Key Activities • Water Environment Federation (WEF) • Address engineering community issues • National Small Flows Clearinghouse • Provide technical assistance and support the state onsite regulators • National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) • Develop credential for installers • National Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association (NOWRA) • Implement performance code • Implement training institute • National Association of Towns and Townships (NATaT) • Reach out to Members • Rural Community Assistance Program (RCAP) • Provide technical assistance • National Association of Wastewater Transporters (NAWT) • Develop training for pumpers • Develop pump truck driver certification • Consortium of Institutes for Decentralized Treatment • Develop university curriculum

37. www.epa.gov/owm/onsite