The promotional graphic for Tap Talk episode #61, featuring photos of guests Jim Starbard and Andrew Evans; and a quote from Jim Starbard: ""In of those small towns where they never put any public utility in, I saw one home that was looking at a $100,000 septic system repair, because of the size of the home and where it was located and what they had to do on this little lot to make it work.".

Tap Talk: Exploring Septic System Best Practices for SepticSmart Week 2025

ByLaura Schultz

Do you wish it was still SepticSmart Week? Then we recommend taking the time to listen to the special episode of Tap Talk produced by our team for this year’s celebration, if you haven’t already!

Tap Talk, also known as the the Drinking Water in Rural America Podcast, connects professionals across the drinking water community with ideas to extend and enhance water work. The podcast is a collaboration between the Rural Community Assistance Partnership and the University of Illinois, with funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The show is hosted by Steve and Jennifer Wilson of the Illinois State Water Survey’s WaterOperator.org, PrivateWellClass.org, and DecentralizedWastewater.org programs. Episodes of past seasons have primarily focused on municipal water treatment and private well-related topics.

To kick off Tap Talk‘s sixth season, we recorded this special septic episode to mark the 13th annual celebration of SepticSmart Week. Jennifer and Steve welcomed Jim Starbard and Andrew Evans, technical assistance providers at RCAP Solutions, to the show to discuss stories of onsite wastewater and septic system challenges they have faced in Massachusetts and around New England. Jim and Andrew remind listeners that while the roots of some septic issues are certainly complex, others can be very simple — but still cause massive headaches for system users and the environment.

Listen through the audio player below, or, find Tap Talk on audio services such as Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Amazon Music, or Audible.

You can also check out our first septic-centered episode, from earlier this year: “A Look at Progress and Needs in the Decentralized Wastewater Industry,” featuring guest Dr. Sara Heger!

Topics Discussed

  • Meet Jim Starbard
  • Jim’s Water Hero: Paul Revere, the first public health officer in Boston, at the nation’s first health department. (And yes, he’s also that Paul Revere!)
  • Meet Andrew Evans
  • Andrew’s Water Hero: John West, his first boss in the wastewater industry.
  • The most important messages to share with septic system users during SepticSmart Week
  • How increasingly complex rules and regulations have impacted the average septic user
  • Updates on Massachusetts communities Jim and Andrew have been working with that are facing serious challenges with their septic systems
  • About Massachusetts’ Title V: How does it impact existing homes and the construction of new homes in the commonwealth?
  • Are there places homes should just not be built due to the septic challenges they would face? Could advanced systems solve the issues in these types of areas, or is there anything else that could help?
  • More suggestions for SepticSmart Week advice — like being careful with your water use and knowing where your system’s backwash goes!
  • Connect with RCAP Solutions

“In one of those small towns where they never put any public utility in, I saw one home that was looking at a $100,000 septic system repair, because of the size of the home and where it was located and what they had to do on this little lot to make it work.”

Jim Starbard

Go Further

You’re invited to discuss the episode in our LinkedIn Group. If you decide to share on Twitter, please use the hashtag #TapTalkPodcast. And, of course, make sure to subscribe in Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.

About the Guests

Jim Starbard is the Regional Director of Community & Environmental Services in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island at RCAP Solutions, which he joined in 2009. He has also worked as a licensed sanitarian, which primarily involved the approval and inspection of both private wells and septic systems.

Jim holds a BS in Health Science from Worcester State University and a Masters of Occupational and Environmental Health from Anna Maria College.

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Andrew Evans is a Community Specialist on Jim’s team. He joined RCAP Solutions in 2021, and has an extensive background in natural science, geology, and hydrology. Andrew previously worked in municipal wastewater treatment as an operator, including time as a pretreatment coordinator and laboratory director at a sewage treatment plant in Western Massachusetts.

Andrew holds a BS in Natural Sciences from Northern Vermont University.