formance data for dierent onsite waste- water treatment technologies to address emerging threats has been identified previously as a practice-based research need (Brooks et al., 2019). In addition, a U.S. EPA memorandum of understanding (MOU) recently established the priority of providing accurate, up-to-date data and information on the use and performance of onsite systems (U.S. EPA, 2020). Sub- sequently, resources can be wasted due to an inability to eectively communicate within and among sectors. Development of eective information systems and data sharing would enable improved environ- mental management of onsite wastewater systems while improving communication and cooperation among decentralized wastewater professionals. Further, pub- licly available information on inspection reports and failing systems can be used in community health education programs to engage homeowners and businesses to promote better maintenance of their systems. Information systems might also create accountability for designers and installers to complete required inspec- tions, and publicly accessible databases for surveillance data can support water- shed-scale management and risk commu- nication eorts. 8. Users of onsite wastewater technologies do not have adequate access to training and other resources on proper use, oper- ation, and maintenance of their systems. Public information and online resources for owners of onsite wastewater treat- ment systems to directly interact with system technologies are not consistently available, or onsite system users are not aware of existing resources. Operation and maintenance resources would assist homeowners to maintain their systems, inform proper use such as avoiding flushing specific items into the treatment system, and recognize possible perfor- mance issues. One of the objectives of the U.S. EPA MOU is to better support homeowners by providing outreach and education materials on onsite technolo- gies, such as the SepticSmart program (U.S. EPA, 2020), but the processes and prospects to accelerate doing so across states, tribes, and territories are not clear. In addition, NOW-R 2 respondents
TABLE 1
Continuing Education and Training of Decentralized Wastewater and Distributed Water Reuse Professionals
Survey Question and Response
Respondents (%)
Have you completed any training courses in the last year? Yes
64.0 36.0
No
How often do you typically attend continuing education? More than once per year
3.8
Annually
72.8 12.1
Every 2 years Every 3 years
3.4 7.9
None
What type of training have you attended in the last 3 years? In person
52.7 39.3
Virtual/online
None
7.9
How was your continuing education affected by COVID-19? Not at all
20.7 15.0 64.3
No opportunity for continuing education
Attended virtual/online training
these occupations were also categorized as “Green Jobs” that include environmentally focused practices. Similar to other public health disciplines, however, small or rural communities often struggle with recruit- ment and retention due to challenges in oering competitive wages (U.S. EPA, 2021a). Recruitment eorts, therefore, must also improve the economic desirabil- ity of work in the profession. 6. Public awareness of the importance of onsite wastewater systems and the sustainability benefits of decentralized technologies are limited. Onsite wastewater systems are reliable and an economically advantageous alternative to centralized systems. When installed and maintained properly, these decentralized systems protect public health and the envi- ronment, particularly in rural or under- served areas and regions that are increas- ing wastewater reuse. For example, it is estimated that in the U.S., 1 in 5 homes use decentralized wastewater and 1 in 3 new homes employ onsite wastewater systems (U.S. EPA, 2021b). Despite the advantages
and prevalence of onsite systems, pub- lic perception of the field remains unin- formed, antiquated, and/or negative, and therefore this status needs improvement. The public appears largely unaware of why onsite wastewater treatment technologies are important to protect public health and the environment, or how onsite systems operate. Improving public awareness of onsite wastewater with a better under- standing of its impacts and benefits can inform local decision making (U.S. EPA, 2020; The Water Research Foundation, 2022), especially given the diverse impacts of climate change on water resources and public health. 7. In contrast to centralized systems, infor- mation on onsite wastewater recycling treatment locations, operational per- formance, inspection records, and sys- tem failures is not available in publicly accessible databases. Survey respondents indicated that onsite and distributed water reuse data and information systems are not consistently accessible. In fact, a lack of available per-
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December 2023 • Journal of Environmental Health
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