When we shed some light on a Septic Socials project in Washington state in 2012, this local program seemed like the kind of idea that could take off in other parts of the country. In a May 2012 Pumper Interview feature, we talked to Teri King, of the Washington Sea Grant program, who laid out the step-by-step approach they were taking to educate the public about effective septic system maintenance.

I felt the local group’s public service efforts were worthy of national attention, and we were happy to broadcast their story to the Pumper community. Since that time, I’ve noticed other communities starting up similar programs. One of those Septic Social programs was announced recently, clear across the country on the East Coast.

In Maine, the Androscoggin Valley Soil and Water Conservation District and Lake Auburn Watershed Protection Commission recently hosted their own Septic Social. The event was free and open to anyone who wanted to learn more about how septic systems work. To learn more about their local efforts at homeowner education, visit http://www.androscogginswcd.org.

Why are Septic Socials so important? Here are a few reasons to ponder:

System maintenance is critical

In a simpler day, homeowners wanted to forget about their septic systems as soon as new grass covered over the tank. But new septic systems aren’t a set-it-and-forget-it proposition. In fact, septic systems were never meant to be maintenance-free, even though many homeowners treated them that way. It’s just harder to ignore today’s septic systems, which often have moving parts, expensive componentry and face more pressure from heavy usage brought on by faster-pace lifestyles. Users require more frequent reminders about what’s going on out in the backyard and must be trained to expect required maintenance at intervals.

The reputation of onsite wastewater treatment is on the line

The onsite industry’s ability to use new technology to build effective treatment systems in difficult situations is inspiring. Designers can overcome limiting site conditions in a way they couldn’t have imagined even 20 years ago.

The industry is advancing so rapidly, and there’s clearly a good-news story to tell about decentralized wastewater treatment. But all those advances won’t mean a hill of beans if we can’t convince homeowners and commercial users to take care of these more complex systems. A lack of consumer education will translate into poor performance, and fuel the fire of dissent among those who would argue the big pipe is the only way to go in the future.

You need to keep customers happy

A new onsite system or the repair or replacement of an existing system comes at a great cost to your customers. You can’t expect to either put these systems in the ground or pump out the tank and that’s the end of the story. Continuing education has to be part of a long-term relationship with your customers. “Service after the sale’’ should include a program to help owners keep their systems top of mind even as they appear to be working flawlessly year after year.

Keep it going

Customer education is critical to the future success of decentralized wastewater treatment. As systems become more complex and environmental concerns grow, it will be imperative that pumpers and their customers work as a team to successfully maintain these private systems.

I thought from the start that the folks in Washington State hit on a great formula, choosing to combine a serious environmental awareness message with a party to gather the community together. And it’s great to see the idea catching on across the country.