Are you concerned about your septic system? Do you want to
know what options there are for sewage disposal in rural areas? If so,
summaries from two conferences addressing these and other wastewater
treatment issues are available.
In 1998, a group of northern Indiana representatives from wastewater
treatment plants, local river basins, health departments, watershed groups,
lake councils, community leaders and local/state agencies explored the
problem of E. coli pollution in rivers, lakes and streams. It was concluded
that a conference addressing on-site alternatives, sewage treatment trends,
sources of pollution, septic system maintenance and compatibility with the
area's natural resources be planned for northern Indiana.
Flushing Into the Next Century…Sewage Treatment Alternatives for Rural Areas
Conference was held in 1999 at Pokagon State Park. The
proceedings (PDF
file, click for PDFhelp) of this conference
included presentations on wetlands and water quality, pathogens in water,
public health concerns, impacts on rural development, on-site and multi-user
treatment options, evaluating your current site, financial options, and
current rules regarding sewage disposal in Indiana. The proceedings include
summaries of all presentations plus services offered by exhibitors.
A second conference in 2000 expanded on subjects with more technical aspects
of alternative wastewater treatment systems, success stories from landowners
and local initiatives. Proceedings (PDF file, click for
PDFhelp) from Flushing Into This Century
include speaker summaries on the truth about septic systems, planning with
the natural resources, small community mentoring, proposed sewage disposal
rules and trends in policy. The Indiana Onsite Wastewater Professional
Association, Inc. (IOWPA) www.iowpa.org began sponsoring conferences in 2000
and continues to address the needs of today's septic systems. A conference
was held in December 2002 along with regional workshops in 2003.Our
Alternative Wastewater Treatment committee is taking a "wait and see"
approach to future activities, dependent on the needs of the area and to
prevent duplication with other groups addressing these problems. |
