NOWRA Position Papers

The NOWRA Technical Practices Committee (TPC) is tasked with developing and reviewing best management practices, standards, training, and technical guidelines for our industry. They utilize known and proven science and engineering principles to perform this task, with the goal of providing these materials to our members to use at the state and local level to support advancing and managing onsite and decentralized systems.

The materials developed by the TPC are meant to be used to support changing or updating regulations or policies to improve how systems are designed, installed, and serviced across the country. The current strategic plan NOWRA developed has a specific category that is meant to support the advocacy efforts at the local level and to that end the TPC is developing "position papers" to articulate a national perspective on issues that often arise when writing regulations or policies. They will be revisited on a routine basis in order to keep up with new technologies and techniques as needed to keep them relevant.

To date the board has finalized two position papers that address: 1. The need to require mandatory secondary safety devices; and 2. The role of environmental health professionals (regulatory personnel) in the onsite and decentralized wastewater industry.

If you would like to be part of this effort, then contact the current chairs of the TPC for information.

Finalized NOWRA position papers:

NAWT White Paper:

NAWT and NOWRA have collaborated with SORA (State Onsite Regulators Association) and the Portable Sanitation Association International (PSAI) to present a white paper, The National Septage and Portable Sanitation Disposal Crisis: A Nationwide Analysis of Septage and Portable Sanitation Disposal Challenges.

There is a national disposal crisis that demands our attention and collective action. In an unprecedented effort, NAWT, NOWRA, PSAI, Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, and GOWA have conducted a comprehensive nationwide analysis of septage and portable sanitation disposal, beginning in March 2024. The findings are detailed in this document.

NAWT Case Studies:

NAWT has also prepared two case studies in collaboration with the Georgia Onsite Wastewater Association (GOWA), Portable Sanitation Association International (PSAI) and Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality. They are available on the links below:

Case Study: Septage Pretreatment Facility

Success Study: Acceptance of Septage at Claremore's Treatment Plant