Wastewater Management

Effective wastewater management is a crucial part of environmental protection, as well as public health and safety. Discover Penn State Extension’s educational content on building, maintaining, and troubleshooting private and industrial septic systems. Access information on alternate wastewater treatment systems, as well as sewage sludge and shale gas drilling.

Wastewater Regulations

In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency is responsible for regulating the discharge and treatment of wastewater under the Clean Water Act (CWA). The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) further requires all discharge and treatment facilities to hold a permit. In addition, NPDES has established discharge limits and environmental regulations, as well as monitoring and reporting requirements in line with the CWA.

In Pennsylvania, the wastewater management program is administered by the Bureau of Clean Water under the PA Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP). The program oversees – among other activities – NPDES permitting and compliance monitoring, sewage facilities planning, and municipal wasteload management. PADEP is further responsible for defining conventional, experimental, and alternate wastewater systems for regulatory compliance.

Wastewater Management: Private Septic Systems

Private septic systems are underground wastewater treatment structures. They are found in rural areas without centralized sewer systems and are often the only means of disposing of household wastewater. On-lot wastewater management systems consist of a treatment/septic tank, distribution system, and soil absorption area.

Proper maintenance is crucial for keeping septic systems operating smoothly, preventing system failure, and protecting drinking water supplies. To keep the system’s components functioning, it’s important to regularly pump out the sludge from the septic tank and be wary of what is disposed of in the drains.

Another septic system management factor to consider is water conservation. Decreasing household water use will reduce the flow through the system and allow more time for solids to digest in the septic. It further reduces the chances of overloading the solid absorption field and diverts surface water away from the drain field to protect the system from flooding.

Discover more about on-lot wastewater management in the private septic systems section. Find information on site evaluation for sewage systems and learn how to maintain wastewater systems with Penn State Extension.

Industrial Wastewater Management

Industrial wastewaters – including oil and gas (O&G) use on conventional road drilling – can have an impact on both the environment and human health. To reduce these impacts townships are advised to use only O&G wastewater treated at specialized treatment facilities, develop chemical standards to reduce toxicity concerns, and/or create nontoxic dust suppressants.

Another common concern in the Mid-Atlantic region is shale gas drilling. Marcellus shale is a rock layer that lies beneath parts of Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio. Wells are drilled into the shale to extract natural gas for heating, fueling factories, and running vehicles. Discover more during the free water management for Marcellus natural gas webinar.

Penn State Extension provides additional resources on industrial wastewater treatment. Valuable tips on treating sewage sludge and storing fuels to protect water supplies can be found, as well.