The onsite industry as a whole has evolved dramatically over the past 15 years. The need for new approaches to decentralized applications and environmental demands have spurred this change and challenged scientists, regulators and product manufacturers to develop new ways of thinking about how decentralized wastewater treatment is accomplished and managed. Another catalyst for change has been the desire to develop sites that might have been deemed undesirable in the past. This demand has arisen because of the high cost of available land in many areas.
An increased awareness regarding the need to protect environmentally sensitive areas has resulted in more restrictive building and development codes, including onsite wastewater system design and installation regulations. These regulations have been and continue to be amended to preserve and protect natural resources and public health. They have also been the catalyst for new thinking in terms of onsite wastewater system design and the development and use of advanced wastewater treatment and disposal technology.