September 16, 2024
(press release)
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WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is joining states, Tribes and local partners in celebrating SepticSmart Week from Sept. 16-20 and to provide homeowners and renters with information about protecting public health and properly maintaining septic systems. This weeklong, nationwide public education campaign is helpful for the one-fifth of U.S. households that use onsite septic systems or small community cluster septic systems to treat their wastewater. “In small towns and rural communities across the country, septic systems are essential to safely managing wastewater. Being ‘SepticSmart’ helps keep these systems maintained to safeguard our families and neighbors from the health risks associated with exposure to untreated wastewater,” said EPA Acting Assistant Administrator for Water Bruno Pigott. “SepticSmart Week reminds us that proactively maintaining these systems saves money and plays a vital role in protecting the health of our communities and the environment.” EPA and its partners are making educational resources available to homeowners, local organizations, and government leaders to explain how septic systems work and how to properly maintain them. Maintaining septic systems is critical to protecting public health and ecosystems in small and rural towns across the country. By being SepticSmart, homeowners can also avoid thousands of dollars in unnecessary repairs, while protecting local water quality. To promote SepticSmart Week 2024, EPA encourages organizations and individuals to create public awareness about the event and share helpful tips, such as: SepticSmart week also provides a valuable platform to highlight career opportunities in the water workforce. Decentralized systems need maintenance, and a skilled workforce is crucial to keeping residents safe and healthy. According to recent estimates, nearly one-third of the water sector workforce is eligible to retire in the next 10 years. EPA will spotlight the variety of positions and people that keep water infrastructure functioning properly, in addition to providing an infographic that highlights the benefits of working in this sector. Learn more about SepticSmart Week. Background More than one-fifth of U.S. households use an individual onsite (septic) system or small community cluster septic system to treat their wastewater. These systems treat and dispose of relatively small volumes of wastewater and include a wide range of individual and cluster treatment options to process household and commercial sewage. These systems go by such names as septic, decentralized wastewater treatment, cluster, package plants, on-lot, individual sewage disposal, and private sewage. Onsite systems provide a cost-effective, long-term option for treating wastewater, particularly in sparsely populated areas. When properly installed, operated, and maintained, these systems help protect public health, preserve valuable water resources, and maintain a community’s economic vitality.
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