Our department has a strong program in on-site waste treatment and disposal. This program deals mainly with residential wastewaters and their disposal through surface and subsurface systems. Factors such as siting, design, operation, and environmental impacts are considered, and information about septic systems and soils has been incorporated into a series of fact sheets.

Information on courses offered in North Carolina can be found in our training section under “Outreach.” To meet the high demand for hands-on training, the department — in cooperation with other university departments, regulatory and technical assistance agencies, and industry partners — has created a number of training facilities in North Carolina. The Soil and Water Environmental Technology Center in Raleigh focuses on land-based waste management systems. Four other training facilities are located at Plymouth, Boliva, Fletcher, and Greensboro.

Active on-site wastewater research is provided by Aziz Amoozegar. The research activities address new system innovations, functioning of existing systems, and soil properties important in waste management.