Research needs relating to on-site treatment of domestic wastes. (Summary of workshop held at the University of Maine at Orono on August 10 and 11, 1977)

Technical Report · Sat Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1978

OSTI ID:6606225

There has been a dispersal of urban populations in the U.S. into rural areas outside older cities and towns. This dispersal has been accompanied by widespread use of private on-site sewage systems. Initially, the proliferation of such systems caught state and local governments off guard. Many early systems were poorly designed and poorly constructed. Some private wells became contaminated, and threats became apparent to lakes, streams, and other water resources. In response, laws and regulations were adopted, mostly through state governments, intended to guarantee proper design and installation of on-site systems. To a large extent, however, these laws and regulations were not reinforced by a technical mastery of how on-site systems perform. The immediate environmental effects of on-site systems have been poorly understood, as have the broader land-use effects of widespread use of such systems. This workshop brought together people knowledgeable about the situation in New England. The purpose of the workshop was to identify research needs with respect to on-site sewage disposal. Principal suggestions made during and following the workshop are summarized. Other alternative methods of sewage treatment (e.g. aerobic units) were not examined at the workshop and therefore are not covered in this summary. This report does not summarize state-of-the-art information presented at the workshop, but rather outlines areas in which knowledge should be expanded. Intended to be a step toward a comprehensive regional research program, the report is in two parts: an outline of topic areas/problems/research needs; and elaborations upon principal research needs.

• Research Organization: Maine Univ., Orono (USA). Land and Water Resources Inst.
• DOE Contract Number: DI-14-31-0001-3953
• OSTI ID: 6606225
• Report Number(s): PB-280989
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
RESIDENTIAL SECTOR
SEWAGE
UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
LAND USE
WATER POLLUTION
MANAGEMENT
POLLUTION
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
320603* - Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization- Municipalities & Community Systems- Public Utilities- (1980-)
290300 - Energy Planning & Policy- Environment
Health
& Safety