State-Level Professional Organizations

The National Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association (NOWRA) is the principal non-profit organization in the United States that is dedicated to advancing the onsite and decentralized wastewater industry. All types of related professions are represented in membership; including installers, regulators, manufacturers, suppliers, educators, and more.

The association has been advocating for sound practices, public awareness, and solutions to challenges for the onsite and decentralized industry since its founding in 1992. NOWRA’s national headquarters are located in Westford, Massachusetts, with a number of state-level affiliates that can be found throughout the country. (Read more about NOWRA and what they do »)

Much like NOWRA on the national level, these state affiliate organizations — as well as a number of non-affiliated state-level organizations — advance the industry on a more local level. Though the extent of activities varies between organizations, they often provide educational opportunities for certifying and maintaining licenses, advocate for their members and the industry at different levels of government, and seek to better educate the public about best management practices for septic systems. And, like NOWRA, many hold annual conferences where CEU credit is available and networking opportunities with the rest of your state’s industry is available.

Below, we have compiled a list of each state-level organization that we track for our Event Calendar and Resource Library. Please use this list as a reference should you move between states, seek to add a license in a new state, or need to refer others who reside elsewhere to their nearest organization!

And please note: We have listed every state organization of which we are aware. If we are missing any, or have used any incorrect information, please let us know. We have also noted which states, to the best of our knowledge, do not have any active organizations or once had an organization that now seems to be defunct.

Organizations marked with an asterisk (*) are NOWRA affiliates.

Alabama

Alabama Onsite Wastewater Association (AOWA)

Alaska

No state-level association appears to be currently active.

Arizona

Arizona Onsite Wastewater Reclamation Association (AzOWRA) *

Arkansas

Arkansas has had an Arkansas Onsite Wastewater Association and an Arkansas Society of Professional Sanitarians active in the past. As of today, these organizations appear to either have no active web presence or to be defunct.

California

California previously had an active California Onsite Water Association (COWA). However, while the organization’s website is still online and contains some contact information, we have received confirmation that COWA has gone defunct.

Colorado

Colorado Professionals in Onsite Wastewater (CPOW) *

Connecticut

Connecticut Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association (COWRA)

Residents of Connecticut are also invited to join the Yankee Onsite Wastewater Association, a NOWRA affiliate for the New England region.

Delaware

Delaware On-Site Wastewater Recycling Association (DOWRA)

Florida

Florida Onsite Wastewater Association (FOWA) *

Georgia

Georgia Onsite Wastewater Association (GOWA) *

Hawaii

No state-level association appears to be currently active.

Idaho

Idaho has had the Onsite Wastewater Association of Idaho active in the past. As of today, this organization appears to either have no active web presence or to be defunct.

Illinois

Onsite Wastewater Professionals of Illinois (OWPI)

Indiana

Indiana Onsite Wastewater Professionals Association (IOWPA)

Iowa

Iowa Onsite Waste Water Association (IOWWA) *

Kansas

Kansas Small Flows Association (KSFA) *

Kentucky

Kentucky Onsite Wastewater Association (KOWA)

Louisiana

Louisiana has had a Louisiana Onsite Wastewater Association active in the past. As of today, this organization appears to either have no active web presence or to be defunct.

Maine

The State of Maine does not itself have a state organization dedicated specifically to onsite wastewater or septic systems, as far as we are aware, though the Maine Association of Site Evaluators and Maine Association of Professional Soil Scientists occasionally hold events with credits relevant to septic professionals. Residents of Maine are also invited to join the Yankee Onsite Wastewater Association, a NOWRA affiliate for the New England region.

Maryland

Maryland Onsite Wastewater Professionals Association (MOWPA)

Massachusetts/New England 

Yankee Onsite Wastewater Association (YOWA) *

Membership in YOWA is also available to residents of Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

Michigan

Michigan Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association (MOWRA) *

Michigan Septic Tank Association (MSTA)

Minnesota

Minnesota Onsite Wastewater Association (MOWA) *

Mississippi

Mississippi Pumpers Association (MPA)

Missouri

Missouri Smallflows Organization (MSO) *^

^ While Missouri Smallflows’ own acronym is MSO, we use the acronym MO-SO to denote their events on our Event Calendar. 

Montana

Montana has had a Montana Onsite Wastewater Association active in the past. As of today, this organization appears to either have no active web presence or to be defunct.

Nebraska

Nebraska On-site Waste Water Association (NOWWA) 

Nevada

No state-level association appears to be currently active.

New Hampshire

Granite State Onsite Wastewater Association (GSOWA) *

New Hampshire Association of Septage Haulers (NHASH)

Residents of New Hampshire are also invited to join the Yankee Onsite Wastewater Association, a NOWRA affiliate for the New England region.

New Jersey

No state-level association appears to be currently active.

New Mexico

Professional Onsite Water Reuse Association of New Mexico (POWRANM) *

New York

Long Island Liquid Waste Association (LILWA)

Long Island Advanced Septic Association (LIASA)

  • Visit website
  • Headquarters: Brightwaters, NY
  • Contact: team@liasa.info | 800-737-5851

North Carolina

Onsite Wastewater Professionals of North Carolina (OWPNC)

OWPNC also offers training to residents of Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.

North Carolina Septic Tank Association (NCSTA)

North Dakota

North Dakota Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association (NDOWRA) *

  • Visit website
  • Headquarters: Park River, ND
  • Contact: Email | 701-331-2400

Ohio

Ohio Onsite Wastewater Association (OOWA) *

Oklahoma

Oklahoma Onsite Wastewater Association (OOWA) *^ 

^ While the Oklahoma Onsite Wastewater Association uses the acronym OOWA, we use the acronym OKOWA to denote their events on our Event Calendar, to avoid confusion with the Ohio Onsite Wastewater Association.

Oregon

Oregon Onsite Wastewater Association (O2WA) *

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association (POWRA) *

Pennsylvania Septage Management Association (PSMA)

Pennsylvania Association of Sewage Enforcement Officers (PASEO)

Rhode Island

Residents of Rhode Island are invited to join the Yankee Onsite Wastewater Association, a NOWRA affiliate for the New England region.

South Carolina

South Carolina Onsite Wastewater Association (SCOWA) *

South Dakota

No state-level association appears to be currently active.

Tennessee

Tennessee Onsite Wastewater Association (TOWA) *

Texas

Texas On-Site Wastewater Association (TOWA) *^

^ While the Texas On-Site Wastewater Association uses the acronym TOWA, we use the acronym TXOWA to denote their events on our Event Calendar, to avoid confusion with the Tennessee Onsite Wastewater Association.

Utah

Utah On-Site Wastewater Association (UOWA) *

Vermont

Residents of Vermont are invited to join the Yankee Onsite Wastewater Association, a NOWRA affiliate for the New England region.

Virginia

Virginia Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association (VOWRA) *

Washington

Washington On-Site Sewage Association (WOSSA) *

West Virginia

No state-level association appears to be currently active.

Wisconsin

Wisconsin Onsite Water Recycling Association (WOWRA) *

Wisconsin Liquid Waste Carriers Association (WLWCA)

Wyoming

No state-level association appears to be currently active.