Groundwater Rule Compliance

The groundwater rule is to reduce disease incidence associated with disease-causing microorganisms in drinking water. The rule establishes a risk-based approach to target groundwater systems that are vulnerable to fecal contamination. Groundwater systems that are identified as being at risk of fecal contamination must take corrective action to reduce potential illness from exposure to microbial pathogens. The rule applies to all systems that use ground water as a source of drinking water. 

We have 488 resources (and counting) on Groundwater in our Documents Database that provide valuable information on this topic. You can search for resources on the Ground Water Rule (GWR), public water well maintenance and use, compliance monitoring for GWSs, effective well maintenance and procedures, and many other useful guides that will help ensure our groundwater stays safe and clean for generations to come. 

To access the wealth of knowledge on Groundwater within our database just select "CATEGORY" in the dropdown then choose "Groundwater." Once you make that selection, a second dropdown will appear where you can choose "HOST," “TYPE,” or “STATE” to narrow the search even further. If you have a specific search term in mind, use the “Keyword Filter” search bar on the right side of the screen.

This is part of our A-Z for Operators series.

Developing a Septic System Owner's Guide

The Community Septic Owner's Guide online tool is designed to develop an Owner's Guide for everything from a single-family home, a commercial property, or even a cluster system serving 50+ homes. It was funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture and created by the University of Minnesota. Some key things to keep in mind about this tool are:

• You will need to register if you are using the tool for the first time
• It contains generic stock/boiler plate general information, system component descriptions and images, and operations and maintenance (O&M) recommendations
• It allows you to upload site specific descriptions, images, and O&M recommendations
• It will produce a PDF guide for your home or structure to be used electronically or printed out
• It allows you to start and stop a project during the process and update it years later when things change
• It does NOT cover every scenario that exists across the US, but the creators of the tool hope it covers a vast majority of them

Financial Management for Small Water Utilities

Many small public water systems lack organized finances, with little to no budgeting or accounting, no long-term financial planning, and customer rates that are not adequate to cover expenses. Many small systems also need expensive repairs or upgrades that would be difficult to afford even if they had impeccable book-keeping. In recognition of this, the federal government and many national organizations provide small systems with resources to organize and improve their finances, as well as grants to help fund major projects.

We have 1712 resources (and counting) on Financial Management in our Documents Database that provide valuable information on this topic. You can search for documents on funding opportunities to build system resiliency, building a financially healthy water system, how to use the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) to mitigate the impact of drought on drinking water systems or to address DBPs in drinking water, and many other useful guides that will help you to deliver safe and clean water to utility customers. 

To access the wealth of knowledge on Financial Management within our database just select "CATEGORY" in the dropdown then choose "Financial Management." Once you make that selection, a second dropdown will appear where you can choose "HOST," “TYPE,” or “STATE” to narrow the search even further. If you have a specific search term in mind, use the “Keyword Filter” search bar on the right side of the screen.

This is part of our A-Z for Operators series.

Drinking Water Standards: Rules, Regulations, Compliance

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets standards that, when combined with protecting ground water and surface water, are critical to ensuring safe drinking water. U.S. EPA works with its regional offices, states, tribes and its many partners to protect public health through implementing the Safe Drinking Water Act. The standards are the levels of a particular contaminant that are allowed in drinking water and still considered safe.

We have 1482 resources (and counting) on Drinking Water Standards in our Documents Database that provide valuable information on this topic. You can search for resources like an overview of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), information on how U.S. EPA develops risk-based drinking water regulations, a comprehensive list of potential contaminants in water, and many other useful guides that will help you to deliver safe and clean water to utility customers. 

To access the wealth of knowledge on Drinking Water Standards within our database just select "CATEGORY" in the dropdown then choose "Drinking Water Standards." Once you make that selection, a second dropdown will appear where you can choose "HOST," “TYPE,” or “STATE” to narrow the search even further. If you have a specific search term in mind, use the “Keyword Filter” search bar on the right side of the screen.

This is part of our A-Z for Operators series.

Onsite Wastewater Challenges | Onsite Overview #5

Using and maintaining decentralized wastewater treatment systems comes with its own unique challenges. Luckily, there are plenty of resources online that can assist in the troubleshooting process for any issues that arise. We have compiled a list of resources to get you started if you are interested in learning more about the challenges that accompany maintaining an onsite wastewater treatment system.

Our best resources on this topic:

Looking Back & Moving Forward | National Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association
This 29-slide presentation from NOWRA's 2022 Onsite Wastewater Mega-Conference provides a brief history of the application of decentralized onsite systems in rural America and highlights the challenges these legacy systems are currently facing. The presentation also details the water shortage challenges experienced across the country and highlights the need for better wastewater management to reduce the impact on our dwindling aquifers.

Using Nationwide and Local Data Sources to Address Decentralized Wastewater Infrastructure Challenges in the Contiguous U.S. and the Caribbean | U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
This 1-hour, 6-minute webinar recording explores solutions to data gaps on both national and local levels. In Puerto Rico, natural disasters including hurricanes, tropical storms, and earthquakes have accelerated the need to establish baseline information on septic systems. EPA, through the Caribbean Septic Systems Workgroup, is leading these efforts to assist state and local departments gather data to support planning and access funds to help residents.

Design Challenges with Liquid Effluent Collection | National Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association
This 21-page presentation from NOWRA's 2023 Onsite Wastewater Mega-Conference describes the advantages and disadvantages of using a Septic Tank Effluent Pump system (vs. a gravity system) for the transport of onsite wastewater to multiple tanks for disposal. 

Innovative Approaches to Address Decentralized Wastewater Infrastructure in the Alabama Black Belt | U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
This 2-hour, 2-minute webinar explores proposed solutions for the technological, regulatory, and management challenges of adequate decentralized wastewater management in the Black Belt, as well as progress made on current funding initiatives. The intended audiences for this webinar include decentralized and wastewater industry practitioners, engineers, public health agencies and practitioners, academia, government and municipalities, community and nonprofit organizations, and environmental justice advocates.

OSTDS Design & Install Challenges | National Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association
This 164-page presentation from NOWRA's 2023 Onsite Wastewater Mega-Conference focuses on Aerobic Treatment Unit (ATU) Onsite Sewage Treatment and Disposal Systems (OSTDS) and Subsurface Drip Irrigation (SDI) Drainfield, as well as Performance Based Treatment System (PBTS) OSTDS and Subsurface Drip Irrigation (SDI) Drainfield. The use of these systems is shown with examples of sites that are very small for the size of the home or business, increased wastewater flow, soil conditions or other conditions that are not suitable for a typical treatment system.

How to find more resources on this topic on our website?
If you are interested in looking through our database for the other resources on this topic follow the instructions below:

1. Select "CATEGORY" in the dropdown then choose "Decentralized WW Systems." 
2. Once you make that selection, a second dropdown will appear where you can choose "TYPE" if you are looking for a specific kind of resource (videos, factsheets, etc.)
3. Optional: In the Keyword Filter, you can type a specific word or phrase to target the search even further.
4. The last step is to click the "Retrieve Documents" button to see your results.  

Distribution System Compliance & Best Practices

Water distribution systems are large networks of storage tanks, valves, pumps, and pipes that transport finished water to consumers’ homes and businesses. Due to their design, water distribution systems include areas of vulnerability where contamination can occur.

We have 1188 resources (and counting) on Distribution Systems in our Documents Database that provide valuable information on this topic. You can search for documents about corrosion and corrosion control, calculate the average annual water loss that has affected your system, how to develop and maintain a service line inventory to comply with the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR), webinars on distribution system best practices, how to enhance security monitoring for water distribution system facilities that are at risk of intentional contamination, and many other useful guides that will help you to deliver safe and clean water to utility customers. 

To access the wealth of knowledge on Distribution Systems within our database just select "CATEGORY" in the dropdown then choose "Distribution Systems." Once you make that selection, a second dropdown will appear where you can choose "HOST," “TYPE,” or “STATE” to narrow the search even further. If you have a specific search term in mind, use the “Keyword Filter” search bar on the right side of the screen.

This is part of our A-Z for Operators series.

Trying out the New Onsite Wastewater Treatment System Assessment Tool

Through funding from U.S. EPA, a team at the Illinois State Water Survey with the help of NOWRA and RCAP developed the new Onsite Wastewater Treatment System assessment tool (OWTS tool). The OWTS tool was created as a companion to the Well Assessment Tool, which has been utilized by RCAP’s Technical Assistance Providers (TAPs) and other health professionals to help people across the nation evaluate their private wells.

The OWTS tool allows the assessor to collect contact information, landscape and geology details, and general information about the system and house. There is a checklist for site observations as well as miscellaneous questions to make sure you fully understand how the system is being used.

Once the OWTS tool was finalized, Steve Wilson and Sallie Dolan from our WaterOperator.org team headed out to perform some OWTS and well assessments. The first stop was close by in Piatt County. The homeowners have only lived in the house for a year and a half, so they were curious to learn as much as they can about the well and OWTS. 

The well was of good construction and had no obvious issues. It did have to be shocked with chlorine prior to them moving in, so we recommended they have the water tested for bacteria, nitrates, and that they have a broad panel test done. The home has a water softener and charcoal filter, but the homeowners did not know why they were added to the system. Identifying what metals, minerals, etc. are in the water will help them understand why they have these components.

The OWTS is in the backyard which slopes to a floodplain of the small drainage ditch/creek that runs along the northside of the property. It consists of a Delta Whitewater aerobic tank with chlorinator. The discharge pipe delivers the effluent into the creek floodplain. The homeowners have planted native wetland plants in the area which helps prevent water from standing and beautifies the area.

The 50-gallon tank had to be pumped within the first six months of them living in the home. The homeowners switched to septic-friendly toilet paper and learned the dos and don’ts of what goes into the system, yet it needed to be pumped again less than a year later. The previous owners reported that they never had a similar problem.

Three bedrooms and a family room are in the walk-out basement. Sallie’s theory is that moving trucks drove across the pipe while accessing the walk-out basement during move in. This would have caused the pipe to break and allow sediment to flow into the tank. We are hoping to be on-site when the system is scoped to see if this theory is correct.

The second home we visited was to our east in Vermilion County. The homeowner explained that a “wetland” had formed at the edge of his property which was full of leopard frogs. When we pulled up driving directions on Google maps, we knew that there was an issue with the system. The satellite image clearly showed the outline of a septic tank with lush, green grass growing in three lines while the rest of the yard was brown and dry. The homeowner had already acquired the sewage permit, and the as-built drawing matched up perfectly with the lines on the Google maps image.

The assessment revealed that the homeowner had built a two-bedroom addition to the house soon after it was purchased, taking it from a four-bedroom home to a six-bedroom one. Both homeowners work from home most days, they have three children who live at home, and older children who visit frequently. The “wetland” was an area of lower elevation just beyond the drain field where water from the system was pooling. We recommended that an OWTS installer who is registered with the local health department be contacted to determine if the system is now undersized for its current use. 

At first, the well log for this property could not be located. Luckily, the manager of the well and sewage programs at the local health department knew the site and was able to find the log for us. The well was a bored well with a buried slab. A 6-inch casing was placed from 12 inches above the surface to 28 feet deep, and then a 4-foot well was bored from 28 to 52 feet. According to the well log, it is topped with 28 feet of clay, which helps protect the well from surface water contamination. We also recommended that the soil be sloped around the well head to help protect it. Annual testing for coliform and nitrates is highly advised as they are indicators of potential contamination.

In both cases the assessment did its job to help identify areas of concern with the onsite wastewater treatment systems. The homeowners are more informed and can now take the next steps to contact a professional pumper/installer to help correct any issues found. 

The OWTS and well assessment tools can be found on our sister site, PrivateWellClass.org.

If you would like an assessment done on your well and/or OWTS, contact your local RCAP office.

If you would like more in-depth information from Steve and Sally on how these tools work, check out the Conducting Private Well and Onsite Wastewater System Assessments webinar recording. 

Disinfection By-Product Control

Disinfection kills or inactivates disease-causing organisms in a water supply. Disinfection by-products (DBPs) are formed when disinfectants used in water treatment plants react with bromide and/or natural organic matter, like decaying vegetation, present in the source water to create harmful compounds. Different disinfectants produce different types or amounts of disinfection byproducts.

We have 829 resources (and counting) on Disinfection and Disinfection By-Products in our Documents Database that provide valuable information on this topic. You can search for documents that explain how to use the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) to address DBPs in drinking water, the basics of ultraviolet disinfection, disinfectant residual control within the distribution system, webinar recordings on ways to simulate disinfectant water chemistry and ways to assess distribution system influent water quality, and many other useful guides that will help you to deliver safe and clean water to utility customers. 

To access the wealth of knowledge on Disinfection and its potential by-products within our database just select "CATEGORY" in the dropdown then choose "Disinfection and Disinfection By-Products." Once you make that selection, a second dropdown will appear where you can choose "HOST," “TYPE,” or “STATE” to narrow the search even further. If you have a specific search term in mind, use the “Keyword Filter” search bar on the right side of the screen.

This is part of our A-Z for Operators series.

Onsite Wastewater System Basics & Maintenance

Decentralized or onsite wastewater systems are used for collection, treatment, and dispersal/reuse of wastewater from individual homes, clusters of homes, isolated communities, industries, or institutional facilities, at or near the point of waste generation. These systems are regulated at the state level, but not federal level.

We have 553 resources (and counting) on Decentralized Wastewater Systems in our Documents Database that provide valuable information on this topic. You can search for documents about financing onsite wastewater treatment systems, septic system basics before you buy a property, how to build a decentralized wastewater training program, and many other useful guides that will help you to maintain your septic system to ensure safe and clean water for your family or community.

To access the wealth of knowledge on Decentralized Wastewater within our database just select "CATEGORY" in the dropdown then choose "Decentralized WW Systems." Once you make that selection, a second dropdown will appear where you can choose "HOST," “TYPE,” or “STATE” to narrow the search even further. If you have a specific search term in mind, use the “Keyword Filter” search bar on the right side of the screen.

This is part of our A-Z for Operators series.

Public Relations & Customer Satisfaction for Water Utilities

Consumer Information is any information water operators are required to or may want to distribute to their consumers. This includes anything that is for the public that isn’t required, Consumer Confidence Reports aka annual water quality reports, voluntary communication, public awareness/education materials, fact sheets about system, treatment, etc.

We have 876 resources (and counting) on Consumer Information in our Documents Database that provide valuable information on this topic. You can search for documents on Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) best practices, webinar recordings about transparency and communications with water consumers, tips and tricks to help your utility communicate the value of drinking water services to rate payers, and many other useful guides that will help you to deliver safe and clean water to utility customers. 

To access the wealth of knowledge on Consumer Information within our database just select "CATEGORY" in the dropdown then choose "Consumer Information." Once you make that selection, a second dropdown will appear where you can choose "HOST," “TYPE,” or “STATE” to narrow the search even further. If you have a specific search term in mind, use the “Keyword Filter” search bar on the right side of the screen.

This is part of our A-Z for Operators series.