ABSTRACT:Providing adequate wastewater treatment facilities for the citizens in small rural communities in the United States can cost millions of dollars. An educational program has been developed and conducted in Ohio to teach local officials about wastewater treatment alternatives. The five‐session workshop covers wastewater treatment principles, needs assessment, system management, and resource gathering. The knowledge and skills gained by the 96 community leaders who participated in six workshops were measured using a pretest/pest test and surveys conducted during the workshops. From 25 percent to 100 percent of the participants increased their knowledge of treatment systems, alternatives, and relative costs. From 23 percent to 84 percent applied new skills, such as conducting a sanitary survey or examining treatment systems. The pretest also revealed previous knowledge of the participants in the areas of system maintenance and consultant qualification
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