Welcome to the New England
Onsite Wastewater Training Program

" Our mission is to educate the public and wastewater practitioners on septic system issues and advance the use of innovative and alternative technologies to improve water quality in the region."

The New England Onsite Wastewater Training Program is located at the University of Rhode Island in Kingston, RI. The program offers classroom and field training experience for wastewater professionals, regulators, municipal and state officials, watershed groups, and homeowners. A primary component of the program is the Onsite Wastewater Training Center (OWTC) located at the University's Peckham Farm. It is a demonstration and field training facility for both conventional and innovative and alternative septic system technologies. The OWTC is one of eight regional centers in the nation and has been in operation since 1993. It is operated in partnership with over 40 private sector contractors, the RI Department of Environmental Management, the USEPA and others. We have twenty-two full scale systems constructed above ground for hands-on learning at the OWTC. Additionally, there are over fifty demonstration and research systems installed in six Rhode Island communities. Monitoring data from these systems are currently being reviewed to help evaluate system performance.