The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released several new tools to assist small, rural, and tribal communities that rely on lagoon systems for wastewater treatment. These tools aim to empower local decision-makers to navigate the complexities of lagoon management, ensuring public health protection, environmental compliance, and efficient asset management.
Lagoon systems represent a significant portion of the nation’s wastewater treatment infrastructure. Approximately one-quarter of all Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTWs) regulated under the Clean Water Act’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program utilize lagoons.
New tools include:
- First Stop Toolbox for Lagoons: Streamlines access to technical, financial, and regulatory support resources.
- Small Lagoon Communities Economic Streamlining Tool & Individual Lagoon Tool: Empowers states, authorized tribes, and communities to determine if a water quality standards (WQS) variance is an appropriate option for addressing ammonia-related compliance challenges in small communities.
These resources were developed in response to needs identified by state co-regulators and lagoon communities, fulfilling key actions outlined in the EPA’s 2022-2026 Lagoon Wastewater Treatment Action Plan.
