EPA’s DECENTRALIZED
WASTEWATER
MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES
US EPA Office of Wastewater Management
What are Decentralized
Wastewater Systems?
A.K.A. . . .
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Septic Systems
Onsite Systems
Individual Systems
Cluster Systems
Package Plants
Large Capacity
Septic Systems
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
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
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
Water Quality Problems
Estuaries
Shellfish Beds
Groundwater
Impaired Waters
Sewage surfacing: potential
public health threat
Sewage surfacing: potential
threat to water resources
What is Needed?
Improved management, including:
• Better planning and system clustering
• Improved owner awareness
• Licensed/certified practitioners
• Appropriate, risk-based application of
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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)
Treatment Technologies
Available
• Media Filters (sand, gravel, peat, textile)
• Aerobic Treatment Units (ATUs)
• Lagoons
• Evapotranspiration Beds
• Constructed Wetlands
• UV Disinfection
• Others
Examples of Advanced Treatment
Technologies
Effluent Pumping
Textile Filter
Intermittent Sand Filter
Recirculating Sand Filter
Dispersal Technologies
• Septic Tank Effluent Pumping
• Low Pressure Pipe
• Mounds
• Drip Irrigation
• Chamber System
• Contour Trench
• Pressure Dosing
Examples of Dispersal
Technologies
Mound System
Drip Irrigation
Chamber System
Contour Trench
Advanced Treatment
Capabilities
New Focus: Watertight Tanks, Risers, Effluent Filters
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
Management’s Advantages
Elements of a Comprehensive
Management Program
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Public Involvement
Planning
Performance Req’ts
Training/Certification
Licensing
Site Evaluation
Design
Construction
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Operation & Maint.
Residuals Management
Inspections/Monitoring
Corrective Actions
Record-Keeping/
Reporting
Financing
The Traditional
Management Focus
• Permitting: prescribed limits on
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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
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
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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
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EPA Voluntary Management
Guidelines for Decentralized Systems
• Guidelines finalized in 2003
• Objectives:
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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
Key Concepts in Guidelines
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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
Key Concepts (cont.)
• Increased certification/licensing
• Target hot spots, high risk
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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
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
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
MANAGEMENT MODEL 2
Maintenance Contracts
• Electric/mechanical systems
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given more attention
Allows for more complex
options
– e.g., mounds and other media
filters, pressure dosed systems
• Maintenance contracts with
trained service providers
MANAGEMENT MODEL 3
Operating Permits
• Renewable operating permits
• Regular reporting and
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monitoring
Good for more sensitive sites
– lakes, drinking water aquifers
• Dependent on maintaining
performance requirements
• Minimum for clusters, aerobic
units, large capacity systems
MANAGEMENT MODEL 4
Responsible Management Entity
Operation and Maintenance
• Management entity
responsible for O & M
– Systems still owned by
homeowners
• Ensures consistent
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performance
RME performs routine
inspections & maintenance
Good for very sensitive areas recreational uses, wellhead
protection
MANAGEMENT MODEL 5
Responsible Management Entity
Ownership and Management
• Same as Model 4, except RME owns the
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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
Treatment Complexity
Application of the Five Model Programs
Risk Factors
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RME ownership
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RME O&M
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Operating permits
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Maintenance contracts
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Inventory & maintenance
awareness
Onsite and Cluster Systems
Management Handbook
• Describes process for developing
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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
Organization of the
Decentralized
Systems
Management
Handbook
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
Onsite Wastewater Treatment
Systems Manual
• Supplements and updates 1980
Design Manual
• Promotes transition to
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performance-based programs
Supports and complements the
Management Guidelines and
Management Handbook
• Addresses management
functions to support
performance-based approach
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
www.epa.gov/owm/onsite