Purpose
Phase V of the National Onsite Demonstration Project (NODP) employs a variety of activities to promote the use of onsite, cluster, and community wastewater treatment technologies and management systems as viable alternatives to full central sewage systems in small communities and  environmentally sensitive areas, such as

• high groundwater tables,
• steep slopes, or
• poor soil conditions.

Additionally, this project places special emphasis on states included within the Appalachian Region, due to three primary factors:

The isolation experienced by areas of these states due to mountainous topography
The Appalachian Region (see map below) is represented by an oblong swath in the center of 13 contiguous states: Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. According to the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), the total area of the Region is 195,601 square miles.

The mountainous topography of the Appalachian Region has over the years had an isolating effect on its people. Using data compiled by the Economic Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 111 Appalachian Counties are classified as having extremely rugged terrain and high elevations. The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) notes that "some of the Region's most persistent and significant economic development problems are related to its geography and topography" (ARC, 1996). According to the ARC, "Topography and low population density often prohibit standard infrastructure development or make it prohibitively expensive. As a result, many areas of the Region suffer from poor water quality and a shortage of wastewater treatment facilities" (ARC, 1996).  

Incidence of Small, Widely Dispersed Communities
The ARC, citing U.S. Census Bureau statistics, indicates that the 1996 population density of Appalachia is 111 people per square mile. In comparison, West Virginia's population density is 76 people per square mile. Much of the Appalachian Region is comprised of small communities, or small settlements in rural areas, in which the inhabitants are often desperately poor. People living in these communities and rural settlements tend to be under educated and are often unaware of the health issues related to clean water.

Prevalence of Poverty
In 1990 there were 3,066,800 (15.2 percent) Appalachian people living in poverty compared to 32,581,000 (13.1 percent) total Americans living in poverty. According to the ARC, in Fiscal Year 1998 there were 97 distressed counties in the Appalachian Region (Figure 2). By definition, ARC designated distressed counties "have at least 150 percent the U.S. Three-Year Average Unemployment Rate of 6.2 percent, 150 percent the U.S. Poverty Rate of 13.1 percent, and less than 67 percent the U.S. Per Capita Market Income of $18, 201 or 200 percent poverty"(ARC, 1997).   

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Project Vision

The vision that guides Phase V of the National Onsite Demonstration Project is to facilitate the adoption of proven innovative onsite, cluster and small community sewage disposal technologies and management systems in communities located in selected states that are receptive to, but may not currently permit, the use of these systems. Demonstration project results are disseminated so that they can serve as models for other communities. Working with the ARC, and together with other agencies and organizations, the NODP can affect the quality of life in scattered, isolated communities having difficult terrain. Through these combined efforts the NODP will identify, document and analyze existing wastewater problems, and recommend solutions. The resultant projects will be models applicable throughout the entire Region. Additionally, projected outcomes of the NODP include:

• Improved water quality in creeks, streams and rivers;
• public health benefits resulting from wastewater being properly treated by onsite systems;
• increased community viability through improved sanitation, and as a result, improved quality of life for citizens;
• protect personal and financial investments in property by developing infrastructure;
• opportunities for new housing development in areas where central sewering is not feasible or affordable.

Projects carried out under the NODP typically involve the following components:

NODP projects typically involve the following components:

• design, construction, implemention, maintainence, management and oversight of technologies;
• provision of relevant information and technical assistance to local officials and citizens;
• maximization of efficiencies through partnerships;
• assistance in creating management districts;
• provision of training and public education; and
• circulation of information nationwide about project results.

Education and the distribution of information are integral parts of the process. The participating communities design educational plans for local contractors, homeowners, and regulators. Results, observations, and lessons learned are distributed nationally through reports, newsletters, and the internet. NODP staff also present information about the projects at local, state and national conferences and events. Technical assistance staff document projects and provide results to callers nationwide.

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Project Objectives

• Help local officials access the funding, management, and technical assistance resources they need to solve their wastewater treatment problems.
• Form working partnerships and alliances with state/regional organizations, regulators, and national organizations, and work with equipment manufacturers and the industry to further project goals.
• Provide both training programs and public education programs that increase the state's ability to provide training to professionals in the following areas: small community/onsite wastewater treatment options, onsite system operation/maintenance and financing, and other topics as needed.
• Conduct technology demonstrations that address environmental, economic, and social constraints.
• Assist state/communities in the development of management districts through training and small start-up grants.
• Provide a variety of national information dissemination mechanisms to inform states and communities about wastewater needs within the region, NODP accomplishments, and results.
• Increase state capacity by coordinating activities with the state health departments and the state environmental protection department to raise states’ ability to deal with onsite wastewater issues.
• Work with the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) and the state ARC representatives to conduct a study that assesses status and severity of onsite problems in their jurisdictions.

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