WEF, EPA, Other Water Quality Organizations Renew MOU for Decentralized Wastewater Management
December 4, 2008 // Published as a news service by IHS
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The Water Environment Federation (WEF) joined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and 13 water quality organizations in renewing a commitment to improving national decentralized wastewater treatment system performance by signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for decentralized wastewater management.
The MOU will continue the efforts begun under the original 2005 agreement that worked to improve wastewater treatment for 25 million homes and a third of all new development nationwide using onsite/decentralized wastewater systems, said the WEF.
The goals of the agreement include:
- Strengthening external partnerships.
- Improving decentralized wastewater treatment system performance through improved practitioner competency, management practices, research and technology transfer.
- Improving accountability, control and oversight through enhanced state, tribal and local program implementation.
- Improving local decision making through improved public awareness, education programs and information materials.
- Supporting the principles outlined in the Voluntary Management Guidelines and Management Handbook for Decentralized Systems developed by the EPA's Office of Wastewater Management.
Additionally, MOU partners will work to advance the awareness of decentralized systems as potential resources for addressing the infrastructure challenges of centralized systems and for providing opportunities to implement innovative technologies, develop water scarcity strategies and implement long-term sustainability initiatives in urban and rural settings, said the WEF.
The WEF will meet MOU goals by collaborating with the other organizations through educational vehicles including workshops, conferences, webcasts, training courses and seminars as well as technical and educational articles placed in publications and newsletters.
Source: Water Environment Federation (WEF).