NEHA participates in onsite wastewater collaboration with U.S. EPA.

NEHA is pleased to once again participate in the "Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Regarding Cooperation in Decentralized Wastewater Management Between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) and Partner Organizations." The signing ceremony for the new agreement took place at U.S. EPA Headquarters in Washington, DC, in November. President-elect Welford C. Roberts represented NEHA. This event was a renewal of the original partnership agreement that NEHA signed in January 2005. The purpose of this partnership is to effectively protect human health and the environment by addressing management of decentralized wastewater treatment systems. Collaboration between U.S. EPA and signatory organizations will be facilitated and encouraged through the agreement.

As part of this agreement, NEHA will be working with U.S. EPA and the partner organizations to ensure standards of practice, training, and certification are established and to promote education for homeowners, regulators, and contractors in the onsite wastewater field. In addition, NEHA will continue to provide education on onsite wastewater issues through conferences, publications, and online programming.

NEHA was one of eight partner organizations to sign the original agreement with U.S. EPA. Six new organizations joined the partnership this year, which expands the participation of state decentralized programs and research components. The participating organizations are as follows:

* Consortium of Institutes for Decentralized Wastewater Treatment (CIDWT);

* National Association of Towns and Townships (NATaT);

* National Association of Wastewater Transporters, Inc. (NAWT);

* National Environment Health Association (NEHA);

* National Environmental Services Center (NESC);

* National Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association, Inc. (NOWRA);

* Rural Community Assistance Partnership, Inc. (RCAP);

* Water Environment Federation (WEF);

* Association of State and Interstate Water Pollution Control Administrators (ASIWPCA);

* Groundwater Protection Council (GWPC);

* State Onsite Regulators Alliance (SORA);

* Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF);

* Association of State Drinking Water Administrators (ASDWA); and

* Association of State and Territorial; Health Organizations (ASTHO).