| The decentralized concept of wastewater management is a different way of organizing a “waste” water management system, an alternative to the conventional, centralized “big pipe” system. Here is my short definition of the decentralized concept: An organizational paradigm for wastewater management that entails treating and beneficially reusing the “waste” water to the maximum extent practical as close to where it is generated as practical, using technologies appropriate to the scale of the facilities. A decentralized concept system may consist of individual on-site systems and/or cluster systems, either singly or in combination with more highly collectivized facilities. The degree of collectivization at any stage of the treatment and reuse or dispersal processes will be determined by a variety of local circumstances, including topography, site and soil characteristics, development density, type of development, community desires in regard to land use issues, and points of potential reuse and/or points where discharge would be allowable/beneficial. The papers listed below provide a fuller explanation of the concept and its benefits relative to “business as usual” in the “waste” water management field. |
| The Decentralized Concept of "Waste" Water Management |
| When I permitted the Lowman Ranch project in 1985, I was constantly asked why I didn't just propose a package plant like a “normal” engineer. So in 1986 I wrote a paper laying out the philosophical and technical background and justifications for organizing wastewater systems in concert with what I termed the “decentralized concept” of wastewater management. That original paper included dissertations on technologies and examples which are now dated. The version on this site focuses solely on a general explanation of the concept, which will produce in many, many situations a wastewater management system that is more fiscally reasonable, more socially responsible, and more environmentally benign than conventional practice. |
| Is "Waste" Water Reclamation and Reuse in Your Future? |
| In an effort to offer a vision of where the decentralized concept could take society, I wrote this piece in 1996. I dispensed with any consideration of how we transition to that state and simply presented a view of what a reused-focused decentralized concept system would look like when fully implemented 20 years in the future. The vision is presented as a day in the life of a wastewater system inspector. |
| A Primer on Decentralized "Waste" Water Management for South Texas Colonias |
| Many colonias in South Texas are located in areas where extending existing sewerage systems or installing new conventional, centralized systems is very costly. The decentralized concept is key to providing affordable wastewater service to these developments. This paper discusses the practical application of the decentralized concept in this real-world setting, offering a more concrete understanding of how the concept might be applied in a variety of situations. It also offers discussions of the technologies favored for use in the decentralized concept. |
| Smaller Scale, Bigger Concept |
| This is the original draft of an article I was requested to write for a newsletter to compare decentralized with centralized systems. |
| Winfield Township—Overview of Options for Management Strategies and Technologies |
| Written for Winfield Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, as part of the wastewater facility planning process, this paper reviews for the Township Board and citizens their choices of management strategy and the technologies best employed in each of those strategies. It discusses pro and cons of both decentralized and centralized strategies under the conditions in the Township. It offers a good real-world example of the considerations that should be taken into account when attempting to formulate the best type of wastewater system for a given locality. |
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