Features of Federal Law That Encourage Adoption of Land Application of Wastewater

Abstract

Federal statutes and regulations and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines and policies tend to aid and encourage land application of municipal wastewater effluents and sludges and make that method of treatment increasingly attractive. Land application systems are made more attractive by federal law relating to eliminating the discharge of pollutants into navigable waters, stringent standards on discharges from treatment works, and restrictions imposed on permits for discharging effluents and sludges into navigable waters and the ocean. Provisions of federal law tending to aid and encourage land application systems relate to cost‐share grants for construction of treatment works, level of effluent and sludge treatment prior to application on land, pretreatment requirements for pollutants introduced into treatment works, federal grants awarded for research and demonstration projects, and requirements for developing public information and education programs.