The headline read”Gaping Reminders ofCrumbling Pipes. The Feb. 8 New York Times story, complete with a picture of an SUV swallowed whole on a Brooklyn street due to a ruptured water pipe, recently brought to the nation’s attention the failing infrastructure of large cities.

But failing water infrastructure is not limited solely to big cities. Small towns and suburbs have their share of trouble too, said Jen Hause, an engineering and technical assistance coordinator at West Virginia University.

“Sink holes arent usually the problem in small communities,said Hause.But the lack of adequate wastewater treatment and the effect on small community public health are.

Hause is leading a national meeting of state wastewater officials being hosted by the National Environmental Services Center (NESC) of West Virginia University in Reno, Nev., today (Feb. 26) through Thursday, March 1.

The 9th Annual State Onsite Regulators-Captains of Industry (SORA-COI) Conference brings together onsite wastewater industry leaders, state onsite regulators, and some prominent officials with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to share their mutual concerns about the industry.

One in four Americans rely on wastewater treatment from technologies known as onsite and decentralized systems. Septic tank systems are just one example.

In general, the replacement of failing infrastructure in small and rural towns can be even more daunting, where there are no economies of scale,”said Hause.Small communities may be dealing with difficult sites such as rocky terrain or high water table width=100%s. The issues go beyond technical and financial and include ongoing management. Most people want to flush and forget, so how do officials deal with that.

Increasingly, onsite systems are being recognized as a viable and more affordable permanent solution for wastewater treatment. Central sewer systems can lead to prohibitively expensive water treatment rates for consumers.

Ten years ago, EPA issued a response to Congress that focused on barriers for wastewater treatment in small or rural communities. Conference participants will look at progress thats been made over the past ten years.

Regulators from 38 states are expected to bring their own state’s wastewater issues to the forum along with manufacturers and EPA officials.

Judy Davis, deputy director, Office of Wastewater Management of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, is a featured speaker.

The event is being sponsored by WVU s NESC with additional support from Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc., Bio-microbics, Inc., Bionest, Bord Na Mona, Cromaglass Corporation, FR Mahoney&Associates, GeoFlow, Inc., Infiltrator Systems, Inc., Jet, Inc., Netafim, U.S.A., Orenco Systems, Inc., Ring Industrial Group, Water Quality Association, and Waterloo Biofilter Systems, Inc.

The complete agenda, along with other conference information, may be found atwww.nesc.wvu.edu/nsfc/nsfc_conferences.htm