Wastewater in Small Communities - Publications

This page lists (in alphabetical order, by topic) pamphlets and educational materials, fact sheets, and program and regulatory guidance documents developed by EPA and other organizations to assist communities to achieve suitable wastewater treatment.

Regulatory Guidance

• Visit EPA's Water Regulations page for a listing of water laws, regulations, policy, guidance and legislation.
• Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Policy (PDF) (12 pp, 7.5MB, About PDF)- Section D of this policy discusses Small System Considerations to implement CSO controls.

Small Community Wastewater

• Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure: An Analysis of Capital Funding and Funding Gaps  - A report by the University of North Carolina Environmental Financing Center (2005) that analyzes the quality of water and wastewater services and assesses infrastructure needs and capacity in Appalachia.
• Still Living Without the Basics in the 21st Century: Analyzing the Availability of Water and Sanitation Services in the United States  - A report by the Rural Community Assistance Partnership (2004) that provides an analysis of access to plumbing facilities across the United States, based on data from the 2000 U.S. Census survey.
• Visit the National Small Flows Clearinghouse  page for a more complete listing of small community wastewater publications.

Tribal and Alaska Native Village Wastewater

• Alaska Rural Utility Cooperative Demonstration Project  - A guidebook for communities interested in forming a regional utility cooperative.
• Clean Water Indian Set-Aside Grant Program: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions (PDF) (20 pp, 3.1MB, About PDF)- An overview of the Clean Water Indian Set-Aside Grant Program.
• Eligibility of Indoor Plumbing under Alaska Sanitation Infrastructure Grant Program (PDF) (2 pp, 6K, About PDF)- A memo that explains how indoor plumbing can be funded under the Alaska Sanitation Infrastructure Grant Program (also known as the Alaska Native Village and Rural Communities Sanitation Grant Program).
• Tribal Management of Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems (PDF) (4 pp, 507K, About PDF)- A fact sheet that defines onsite wastewater treatment systems and explains the four onsite wastewater management steps (map, design, maintain, and regulate).
• Tribal Resource Directory for Drinking Water and Wastewater Treatment- A searchable catalog of over thirty federal and non-federal programs that offer funding and technical support for tribal drinking water and wastewater systems, many of which are also available to non-tribal entities.

Wastewater Infrastructure Financing and Funding

• Clean Watersheds Needs Survey - The CWNS is a comprehensive assessment of the capital needs to the water quality goals set in the Clean Water Act. The survey, conducted every four years, contains information on small community wastewater treatment and collection system needs. Data collection for the next CWNS will take place from January - October 2008. Special resources are available for small communities interested in reporting their needs.
• Tribal Resource Directory for Drinking Water and Wastewater Treatment - A searchable catalog of over thirty federal and non-federal programs that offer funding and technical support for tribal drinking water and wastewater systems, many of which are also available to non-tribal entities.

Wastewater Technologies

• EPA's Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems Manual - A manual for wastewater treatment professionals that discusses recent developments in treatment technologies, design and long-term management of onsite wastewater treatment systems.
• Municipal Wastewater Technologies Fact Sheets - Fact sheets on a variety of innovative and alternative wastewater technologies.
• Primer for Municipal Wastewater Treatment Systems (PDF) (30 pp, 4.2MB, About PDF)- This document provides basic information on municipal wastewater treatment systems and advanced methods for treating wastes.
• Tribal Management of Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems (PDF) (4 pp, 507K, About PDF)- A fact sheet that defines onsite wastewater treatment systems and explains the four onsite wastewater management steps (map, design, maintain, and regulate).
• Please visit EPA's Septic Systems Program Publications Page for a more complete listing of decentralized (on-site) septic system publications.