Land Use Program Resources

Please note that the links listed below are for informational purposes only, and are not to be considered an exhaustive list of all Onsite Wastewater Treatment System resources.

• OWTS Design Manuals
• Winery Wastewater
• Community-Based Wastewater Solutions
• Local Agency Management Programs
• Homeowner Guides
• Real Estate Transactions
• Groundwater Sustainability
• Potable Water Supply/Well-Permitting
• OWTS Impacts
• Nitrate Contamination in Groundwater
• Drought & Water Conservation
• Relevant Regulatory Agencies

Onsite Wastewater Treatment System (OWTS) Resources

Regulations in Alameda County

• For a list of regulations affecting OWTS permitting in Alameda County, please see our Regulatory Documents Page.

Sunol Community Resources

• Questa Marin County Feasibility Study  (PDF - 20.4mb)*
• 2015 Prop 1 Grant Program Guidelines  (PDF - 8.78mb)*
• SWRCB Policy for Implementing the Clean Water State Revolving Fund  (PDF - 3.32mb)*

OWTS Design Manuals

• Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems Manual - EPA, 2002  (PDF - 20.4mb)*
• Design Manual, Onsite Wastewater Treatment and Disposal Systems - EPA, 1980  (PDF - 8.78mb)*
• Minimum Guidelines for the Control of Individual Wastewater Treatment & Disposal Systems - SFRWQCB, 1979  (PDF - 3.32mb)*
• Manual of Septic Tank Practice - US Department of Health, Education & Welfare, 1957  (PDF - 3.82mb)*

Winery Wastewater

• The Wine Institute's Comprehensive Guide to Sustainable Management of Winery Wastewater  (PDF - 19.2mb)*
• The General Waste Discharge Requirements (WDR's) for the San Francisco Bay Region are currently in draft form, and are expected to be presented to the Water Board for adoption in the fall of 2015. Please see the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board's General Discharge Requirements for Winery Wastewater as an example of the structure and elements of the WDR's for the San Francisco Bay Region.

Community-Based Wastewater Solutions

• Handbook for Managing Onsite and Clustered Wastewater Treatment Systems (EPA)  (PDF - 1.39mb)*
• Wastewater Treatment Programs Serving Small Communities (EPA)  (PDF - 354kb)*
• A Starter's Guide for Community-Based Wastewater Solutions (Green Mountain Institute)  (PDF - 1.6mb)*
• Expanding Communication in Communities Addressing Wastewater (Green Mountain Institute)  (PDF - 835kb)*
• Performance & Cost - Wastewater Basics for Small Community Leaders & Planners  (PDF - 6.43mb)*
• Analysis of Existing Community-Sized Decentralized Wastewater Treatment Systems  (PDF - 21.3mb)*

Local Agency Management Programs

• Model Code Framework for the Decentralized Wastewater Infrastructure  (PDF - 887kb)*
• SFRWCQB Process for Review and Approval of Local Agency Management Programs Under the OWTS Policy  (PDF - 43kb)*
• Santa Clara County's Local Agency Management Plan For Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems  (PDF - 1.6mb)*

Homeowner Guides

• Pipeline Magazine - Septic Systems & Source Water Protection*
• How to Properly Manage your Septic System (EPA)
• A Homeowner's Guide to Septic Systems (EPA)  (PDF - 1.4mb)*
• Septic Smart (EPA)*
• What Happens After the Flush (EPA)*
• Septic Systems Overview (EPA)
• Septic Smart (EPA)
• Septic System FAQs (EPA)
• National Environmental Services Center

Real Estate Transactions

• Pipeline Magazine - Buying or Selling a Home with an Onsite Wastewater Treatment System*

Groundwater

Groundwater Sustainability

• Sustainable Groundwater Management Act
• Recycled Water Policy
• Water Quality Control Plan (Basin Plan) for the San Francisco Bay Basin
• USGS on Groundwater
• California Statewide Groundwater Elevation Monitoring (CASGEM)
• Water Quality Control Plan (Basin Plan) for the San Francisco Bay Basin
• Zone 7 Nutrient (Nitrate) Management Plan for the Livermore Valley Groundwater Basin (Draft)
• Zone 7 Groundwater Management Plan
• Department of Water Resources - Groundwater Management in California
• Department of Water Resources - Bulletin 118-2: Evaluation of Ground Water Resources Livermore and Sunol Valleys, 1974
• Department of Water Resources - Bulletin 118: California's Groundwater, Update 2003  (PDF - 19.8mb)*

Potable Water Supply/Well Permitting

• Alameda County Public Works Agency - Well Standards Program
• Alameda County Water District - Well Permitting
• Zone 7 - Well Drilling & Destruction Permitting
• Bacteria and Private Wells: Information Every Well Owner Should Know*

OWTS Impacts

• Zone 7 Septic Tank Permit Review Decision Tree*

Nitrate Contamination in Groundwater

• EPA - Basic Information about Nitrate in Drinking Water
• California Department of Public Health - Nitrate Fact Sheet*
• UC Davis - The California Nitrogen Assessment
• UC Davis - Addressing Nitrate in California's Drinking Water*
• UC Davis - Addressing Nitrate in California's Drinking Water - Technical Report 3: Nitrogen Source Reduction to Protect Groundwater Quality*
• Pipeline Magazine - Minimizing Nitrogen Discharges from Onsite Wastewater Systems*
• Zone 7 - Groundwater Nitrate Sources in the Buena Vista Area, 2002  (PDF - 2.6mb)*
• Zone 7 - Nitrate Reduction Alternatives for the Livermore Valley, 2002  (PDF - 1.40mb)*
• Zone 7 - Wastewater Treatment Options for the Buena Vista Area, 2002  (PDF - 2.0mb)*
• RWQCB - Nitrate in Groundwater: Frequently Asked Questions

Drought & Water Conservation

• California Drought Report - The National Drought Mitigation Center
• Save Our Water
• Grey Water Action
• Water Reuse Association
• Alliance for Water Efficiency
• Zone 7 Water Conservation Tips*
• Zone 7's "Using Less Water" Checklist*
• Zone 7's Tips for Drought-Resistant Landscaping

Relevant Regulatory Agencies

• Alameda County Flood Control and Water Conservation District
• Zone 7 Water Agency
• State of California Department of Water Resources
• State of California Water Resources Control Board (SCRWCB)
• SCRWCB Wastewater Information
• GAMA - Groundwater Ambient Monitoring & Assessment Program
• OWTS Policy Homepage
• San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board (SFRWQCB)
• California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal EPA)
• United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region 9