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
One-fourth of the households in the U.S. are served by onsite systems (primarily conventional septic systems). Well over 4 Billion gallons/day of effluent being discharged to soil, groundwater and surface waters of the U.S.
About 1/3 of new construction nationally is being served by onsite systems. In some areas, the number is much higher.
Small communities (less than 10,000 population) represent over 10% of the total wastewater need in this country. These communities are prime candidates for decentralized approaches.
Onsite systems are not just a rural issue, however. Over half of the onsite systems in the U.S. are located in SMSA’s (cities and their suburbs).

6. Water Quality Problems
Estuaries
Groundwater
National Estuary programs, Beach protection programs and Shellfish harvesting area reports all list onsite systems as being contributors to water quality degradation.
- Factor in Beach Impairment: (36%)
- Shellfish Bed Closures: (32%)
- 168,000 viral, 34,000 bacterial illnesses per year (contaminated gw sources)
Over 10,000 identified water body impairments are due to pathogen or nutrient contamination (5,281 pathogen, 4,773 nutrient impaired water bodies), and septic systems are contributors in many areas.
Impaired Waters
Shellfish Beds

7. Sewage surfacing: potential public health threat

8. Sewage surfacing: potential threat to water resources
Madison
One More Home Sewage Discharge Just before Effluent Stream Reaches Pond in Ditch
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
Examples of some treatment options:
Bottom two are variations on filtration through bed of sand, with one being a single-pass dosing filter, the other recirculates the effluent so it makes several passes through the filter;
Top left is a pumping chamber which pumps effluent from a septic tank to a small-diameter collection line which serves a cluster of homes and carries the effluent to a site for treatment;
Top right is a textile filter there are many variations on media used, such as foam, various types of gravel, plastic, and peat.
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
Examples of some dispersal options:
For areas with high gw or poorly drained soils, a mound can be constructed for filtration and treatment of the waste before it reaches the native soil;
Drip irrigation or low pressure pipe allow a uniform introduction of wastewater into the soil in controlled doses, thereby maximizing treatment by bacteria and the soil particles;
Chamber systems provide a storage space for wastewater as it is filtering into the soil and make use of the trench sidewalls for making contact between the wastewater and the soil;
In areas with steep slopes, narrow, shallow trenches can be constructed along the contours, with flexible pipe to carry and distribute the wastewater into the soil.
Chamber System
Contour Trench

14. Advanced Treatment Capabilities
With proper management, these systems can reliably meet environmental and public health requirements, even in sensitive areas which require high levels of performance.
Here’s a picture of samples from a sand filter system in Maryland, showing septic tank contents on the left and filtered effluent on the right.

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

16. Vision for EPA’s Decentralized Wastewater 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. Elements of a Comprehensive Management Program
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

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

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