This project will develop, organize, and conduct a student design competition for decentralized wastewater treatment for two consecutive years. The National Decentralized Water Resources Capacity Development Project will provide seed money and support to begin the competition. Once the competition is developed, other sources of funding and support – such as the U.S. EPA, NOWRA, private donations from manufacturers, etc. – will be solicited to sustain future competitions. The overall objective is to provide a forum for bringing young professionals into the field of decentralized wastewater treatment in an effort to overcome the "Lack of Knowledge and Public Misperception" barrier noted in the U.S. EPA Response to Congress On Use of Decentralized Wastewater Treatment Systems. The competition will be designed in a manner to promote multi-disciplinary teamwork, enhance students’ awareness of aspects of community and small-scale wastewater treatment in a watershed context, and embrace professional cooperation between engineering, soil science, hydrology, watershed science, communications, and public policy disciplines.

For the current Student Design Competition problem statement, eligibility information and competition rules, direct your web browser to http://www.onsiteconsortium.org/design.cfm.