Environmental Protection

Aug 24, 2010

Four associations representing the U.S. wastewater treatment, public works, and civil engineering sectors have released the "Core Attributes of Effectively Managed Wastewater Collection Systems," document (pdf) that promotes good engineering practices essential to managing and operating separate sanitary collection systems.

As a critical element of wastewater infrastructure, collection systems must be effectively maintained and managed to minimize potential impacts on the water environment. Part of this management includes the control of sanitary sewer overflows and the prevention of discharges into receiving waters in accordance with the Clean Water Act. Complicating these management efforts is the absence of clear federal guidelines on how to best manage separate sanitary collection systems and minimize overflows.

To address this lack of guidance, the American Public Works Association (APWA), the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA), and the Water Environment Federation (WEF)worked together to produce the first nationally recognized set of practices and core attributes for effectively managed wastewater collection systems.

NACWA’s Executive Director Ken Kirk called the attributes "a significant step toward a consistent national framework for the management of separate sanitary collection systems and a critical element of any future federal rule or guidance to address sanitary sewer issues holistically."

The associations engaged a broad group of industry stakeholders to help identify the core issues and best management practices that make up the attributes.