DecentralizedWastewater.org Newsletter for June 2024 |
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Technical Assistance Available at EPA
The "Closing America's Wastewater Access Gap" initiative at the EPA offers free technical assistance for communities with failing decentralized wastewater systems, or no existing wastewater systems at all. If your community or a community you know of needs assistance, you can request it at this webform.
Does your community have septic system or decentralized wastewater challenges?
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Do septic systems back up into homes or cause sewage to pool in yards?
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Does the town or country struggle to provide adequate sanitation services to its residents?
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Does the community struggle to rebuild damaged or non-functioning wastewater and septic systems?
More information can be found here. You can also email SepticHelp@epa.gov with questions. |
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Reminder: DecentralizedWastewater.org Has Launched! |
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On May 22nd, we finally launched the centerpiece of our program: DecentralizedWastewater.org. The site is now live and filled with training and technical assistance resources for wastewater professionals, onsite system owners, and managers of non-municipal wastewater systems. Included in these resources are wastewater training documents, a calendar of training events, a regular webinar series, and more.
As always, please feel free to contact us at info@decentralizedwastewater.org if you have any questions or comments, would like us to find something for you, or have information that will help other onsite/decentralized wastewater operators, installers, inspectors, and owners. We especially would love to hear any feedback you have on the site as we move forward. And, if you know of any training events or documents that we haven't catalogued yet, we would greatly appreciate any tips that will help us build up our databases to be as comprehensive as possible! |
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Source Water Protection Webinar Recording
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In this recording of our recent live webinar "Source Water Protection for Communities with Decentralized Wastewater," viewers will discover some of the most helpful source water protection resources and learn how to use our search tools at WaterOperator.org to find additional resources and training events.
This webinar series from WaterOperator.org covers topics relevant to wastewater operators, including funding, asset management, compliance, and water quality. Certificates of attendance will be delivered upon request to live attendees, but are not available for watching this replay. |
| Watch the Recording Here |
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Blog Posts at DecentralizedWastewater.org |
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Featured Podcasts from the
Environmental Finance Center Network |
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Using Recycled Wastewater for
Landscape Irrigation
Celebrating 40 Years: The City of Tucson's Reclaimed Water System
In this episode, host Dr. Joni Palmer celebrates the 40th anniversary of Tucson's Reclaimed Water System with guests John Kmiec and James MacAdam of Tucson Water, and Andrea Achilli, an environmental engineering professor at the University of Arizona. Key components of the reuse program include municipal wastewater, public perception, safety, legal challenges, and the program's future. |
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What We Don't Know
We Don't Know About Septic
In this episode, host Dawn Nall interviews Capacity Collaborative's Sarah Diefendorf and Elaine McCarty about the impact of unknowns on septic systems and the communities they serve. Topics include the challenges of managing private septic systems, strategies for addressing these knowledge gaps, and the importance of protecting both public and environmental health from septic issues. |
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Save the Dates: Fall National Conferences
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This week, our team has been in Anaheim, California, at the American Water Works Association's annual conference and exhibition (ACE) to support our sister program, WaterOperator.org. So, now feels like a good time to encourage everyone to put this fall's biggest national wastewater conferences on your calendar! We will have teams at both conferences representing DecentralizedWastewater.org, so we look forward to meeting as many onsite professionals as we can this fall! |
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WEFTEC 2024: Leading the Future of Water
October 5-9 || Water Environment Federation ||
New Orleans, Louisiana
This annual technical conference and exhibition brings together water professionals from around the world and provides attendees with the opportunity to experience first-hand the best in water quality education, leading experts, the latest technology and trends, and proven solutions. CEU credits may be available for participation in available workshops and technical sessions.
Register here »
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Onsite Wastewater Mega-Conference 2024:
Celebrating Tomorrow's Environment
Clean Water for the Future
October 20-23 || NOWRA/NAWT/SORA || Spokane, Washington
The Onsite Wastewater Mega-Conference is a national, collaborative effort between the National Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association, the National Association of Wastewater Technicians, and the State Onsite Regulators Association. The Mega-Conference is the largest event of its kind and offers onsite/decentralized professionals the highest quality education and training available!
More information »
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A hidden threat: Rising waters plague septic tanks, threatening pollution and health risks
The Drowning South | The Washington Post
"On the worst days, when the backyard would flood and the toilet would gurgle and the smell of sewage hung thick in the air, Monica Arenas would flee to her mother-in-law’s home to use the bathroom or wash laundry. ... Residents in neighborhoods around Arenas’s have similar tales to share — of out-of-commission toilets, of groundwater rising through cracks in their garage floors, of worries about their own waste running through the streets and ultimately polluting nearby Biscayne Bay.
For all the obvious challenges facing South Florida as sea levels surge, one serious threat to public health and the environment remains largely out of sight, but everywhere: Septic tanks."
Free to read at this link » |
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Septic Systems 101
July 11, 2024 | 1 PM CT
Hosted by PrivateWellClass.org
In this free webinar training hosted by our sister program The Private Well Class, you'll learn about septic system management as part of a larger strategy to protect the water in your private well. There will be an opportunity to submit questions in advance as well as live on the webinar. The event will be recorded.
Register here » |
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Don’t Just Flush and Forget –
Basic Care for Your Septic System
July 17 | 1:00 pm ET | University of Maryland Extension
A septic system provides a valuable service to a home and needs periodic attention or maintenance. This webinar will discuss basic practices to keep your system functioning.
Register here » |
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A Review of Gravity Distribution Methods for Septic System Drainfields
University of Minnesota Water Resources Center
Onsite Sewage Treatment Program
This review paper by Sara Heger and Elizabeth Boor focuses on residential Sub-Surface Sewage Treatment Systems (SSTS), and covers the different products and methods used to achieve gravity distribution. It explores whether available products and installation methods can achieve equal distribution, and concludes that many gravity fed drainfields are likely receiving uneven distribution because of poor installation, natural settling, and low flow rates. |
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Tap Talk Episode 48 –
Solutions-Focused Journalism: Creating Water Stories |
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In the final episode of Tap Talk’s fourth season, Steve and Jennifer welcomed Travis Loop to the show to discuss how to use solutions-focused journalism and storytelling to address our country’s various water problems. Travis is the founder of waterloop, a nonprofit media outlet exploring the progress and successes in tackling water challenges in the United States through podcasts, videos, and social media content.
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| 🎧 Listen to TT048 🎧 |
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More from Our Team:
PrivateWellClass.org Launches the National Private Well Hotline
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In April, the team at our sister website PrivateWellClass.org officially launched a national private well hotline and help center!
Anyone with questions about their well water can explore hundreds of resources on the most important topics and information pertaining to private wells at the help center's knowledgebase. Visitors can also message with a chatbot to pull AI-powered answers from the knowledgebase or message directly with a Private Well Class team member. Finally, if you prefer to just talk to us on the phone, you can call our hotline at 1-866-945-0699. We've really enjoyed our first month of serving private well users and professionals in the help center, and we're looking forward to hearing from many more of you!
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| Visit the Help Center » |
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Follow the Private Well Class:
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Visit our other websites: |
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