septicsmart
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Sewage and Wastewater Elimination Education
Program (SWEEP)
About 23,000 households in Licking County, Ohio, are
located outside of areas served by central sewers and must
treat and dispose of wastewater on their own lots. In order to
proactively address new septic system regulations
forthcoming in Ohio, the Licking County Health Department
(LCHD) sought to increase homeowners; awareness on
proper care and maintenance of these septic systems. Made
possible by a grant from the Ohio Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) in 2011, through the Ohio Environmental
Education Fund, the heath department launched the
Sewage and Wastewater Elimination Education Program
(SWEEP).
SWEEP, which ran from May 2012 to August 2012, featured
homeowner-assisted information gathering and a series of
LCHD-led educational workshops.
PROGRAM ELEMENTS
The program began with a direct mailing designed to both
inform homeowners of the program and guide them through
gathering basic information about their septic systems.
Nearly 10,000 direct mailings were sent to homeowners in
the health department's septic system database during the
LCHD conducted water quality workshops that educated
Licking County homeowners on the importance of septic
system maintenance, arsenic testing, home radon testing, and
using rain barrels to reduce stormwater runoff.
GOALS & OBJECTIVES
The program was initiated in order to better develop
LCHD's septic system operation and maintenance
program. The goals and objectives of the SWEEP
program were two-fold:
• Update the health department's septic system
database regarding the number, variety, and
maintenance of homeowner septic systems.
• Educate homeowners on the importance of
regular septic system maintenance.
A secondary goal of the program was to test the
arsenic levels of residential well water throughout the
county, accomplished through a partnership with the
U.S. Geological Survey.
program's launch in May 2012.
The direct mailing contained:
• A cover letter describing the SWEEP program.
• A fact sheet on different types of septic systems
installed in Licking County.
• A pre-paid, pre-addressed postcard containing a brief
questionnaire about what type of septic system each
homeowner had and when it was last pumped.
• A flyer promoting the homeowner education workshops.
In addition to SWEEP flyers posted throughout the county, a
press release was sent to local media, resulting in both radio
newscasts and newspaper articles about the program.
After the direct mailing, the LCHD held three homeowner
training and education workshops on septic system
performance and maintenance at school buildings in three
different areas of the county.
www.epa.gov/septicsmart | page 1
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Sewage and Wastewater Elimination Education Program (SWEEP)
OVERCOMING CHALLENGES
Being mindful of the hesitation homeowners may have about
exposing their septic systems to scrutiny, LCHD stated in
their direct mailing that upgrades and updates to septic
systems would not be forced. LCHD found that this approach
increased homeowners' receptiveness to participate in the
program.
To incentivize attendance at the workshops, the first 60
attendees at each event received a free arsenic test for their
well water.
Licking County
HEALTH
PARTNERSHIPS
In addition to a partnership with the Ohio EPA, the LCHD
developed a number of strategic partnerships that helped
enhance the success of the SWEEP program, including:
• The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS): In order to
conduct a study of the arsenic content of residential well
water in Licking County, USGS offered the first 60
attendees at each workshop a free well water arsenic
test.
• The Licking County Soil and Water Conservation
District (SWCD): SWCD—a locally organized, self-
governing body charted by the state—set up
educational displays on the detrimental environmental
consequences of poorly maintained septic systems at
workshop locations.
• Jack's Septic: LCHD partnered with Jack's Septic, a
septic system installer in Licking County, to provide the
homeowner education workshops. The partnership was
LCHD set up demonstration tables at their SWEEP workshops
complete with handouts and models.
formed to provide
homeowners with the perspective of a private business
related to septic system maintenance. The partnership
also allowed homeowners to receive a consistent
message related to septic system maintenance rather
than hearing "this is what the health department is
making us do."
County School Districts: The health department
partnered with Licking County School Districts to host
workshops at schools located in three areas of the
county. Students from a local vocational school assisted
with the logistics of stuffing the 10,000 direct mailing
envelopes.
RESULTS
Results of SWEEP surpassed LCHD's expectations. Twenty-seven percent of postcards were returned, twice as many as
expected, and 25 or more people attended each of the three educational workshops. The data collected during the project
from homeowners regarding their septic system maintenance activities was input into LCHD's database and will be used to
determine the percentage of systems being serviced on a regular basis.
After the program's direct mailing, the department called the top five septic pumpers in the county, and each reported
increased calls, proving a significant jump in septic system maintenance awareness.
Overall, the department learned that homeowners are indeed interested in maintaining their septic systems, but need
guidance on its importance and the steps to take for proper upkeep. Based on SWEEP'S success, the health department
plans to replicate the workshops on a semi-annual or quarterly basis.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE SWEEP PROGRAM
Please contact Chad Brown, Environmental Health Director and Deputy Health
Commissioner, at 740-349-6487 orcbrown@lickingcohealth.org.
Licking County
Health Department
www.epa.gov/septicsmart
EPA-832-F-12-039 I November 2012
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