SEWAGE MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS FOR DECENTRALIZED WASTEWATER TREATMENT SYSTEMS

Abstract

A Sewage Management Program is a necessary component of every successful decentralizedwastewater treatment system. Such programs are as important as site testing, design, material quality,and construction of the system. In order to be effective the system users must be included as part of theprogram, because they are part of the system. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the commonelements of an effective sewage management program for onsite systems. For too long, decentralizedsystems were believed to be either temporary or maintenance free. As such, elected officials oftenhave avoided regulating maintenance and ongoing operation. As the number of decentralized and onsitesystems continue to increase so does the need for a mechanism to assure the long-term successfuloperation of these systems.