Project Overview

Purpose
Today many wastewater treatment technologies and wastewater management systems are available that provide a low-cost alternative to conventional sewers. These systems are especially appropriate for small and rural communities, particularly those in environmentally sensitive areas. To protect the public and environmental health of citizens, small communities must have access to these proven technologies that collect and treat wastewater, usually with a substantial cost savings compared to conventional sewers.  In addition to protecting the public health, safeguarding the environment, and saving communities money, appropriate wastewater treatment infrastructure helps small communities to remain economically viable.

Phase VI of the National Onsite Demonstration Program (NODP) will promote the use of onsite/community cluster wastewater treatment technologies and management systems as viable alternatives to centralized sewage systems in small communities and environmentally sensitive areas (e.g., high groundwater tables, steep slopes, or poor soil conditions). NODP VI places special emphasis on states within Appalachia because of three primary factors:

• isolation experienced by areas of these states due to mountainous topography;
• incidence of small, widely dispersed communities; and
• prevalence of poverty.

Project Objectives

The four main project objectives for Phase VI that support the NODP vision include:

• Identify at-risk communities with wastewater infrastructure needs in the Appalachian region and provide technical assistance through field engineering assessments and training.
• Demonstrate successful "scale up" of onsite wastewater treatment technologies to community-based cluster projects.
• Assess the potential causes of failure and maintenance requirements of wastewater treatment systems through various telemonitoring technologies that are appropriate to rural areas.
• Provide a variety of national information distribution mechanisms to inform states and communities about wastewater treatment needs within the Appalachian Region.Demonstrate the successfully "scale up" onsite wastewater treatment technologies to community-based cluster projects.

Selection Criteria
For community cluster system projects and community preliminary engineering assessments, NODP Phase VI will select states and communities for participation based upon the following general criteria:

• rural nature,

• prevalence of poverty,

• difficulty of terrain,

• geographical diversity, and

• areas undergoing development.

In addition, selected states and communities must be able to demonstrate that they have identified potential project communities that can be characterized as having one or more of the following environmental conditions:

1. Communities where no wastewater treatment is being provided currently.
2. Communities with failing systems. Factors, such as poor site conditions, inappropriate technologies, poor design, poor construction, and lack of maintenance, can contribute to onsite systems failure.
3. Communities with ecologically or geologically sensitive areas. Conditions include limiting soil conditions, steep slopes, and sensitive receiving waters, such as freshwater lakes and saltwater inlets. Special geological formations, such as fractured limestone or gypsum, are also of concern.
4. Communities with developing areas. Threats to wastewater treatment system performance in rapidly developing areas include inadequate planning, political/financial constraints to the provision of services, and pressure for development that leads to improperly planned, designed, and constructed systems.

Partnership Opportunities

1. Help local citizens access the funding, management, and technical assistance resources they need to solve their wastewater treatment problems.
2. Conduct technology demonstrations that address environmental economic and social constraints.
3. Assist states and communities in the development of management districts through training and small start-up grants.
4. Form working partnerships and alliances with state and regional organizations, regulators, and national organizations and work with equipment manufacturers and the wastewater treatment industry to further project goals.
5. Provide training programs and public education programs that increase the state's ability to provide training to its employees in the following areas: small community/onsite wastewater treatment options, onsite system operation/maintenance and financing, and other topics as needed.

If you are interested in participating in, or have questions regarding this NODP project, contact Mike Aiton at (800)-624-8301.