Septic System Awareness Campaign Inspires Homeowners to Act
The ask: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) needed technical and communications support to encourage homeowners to maintain their septic systems to protect public health, preserve valuable water resources, and sustain economic vitality in their communities.
The solution: MDB worked with EPA to develop an ongoing national annual awareness and education campaign called SepticSmart Week. MDB produces SepticSmart Week outreach materials, plans outreach activities, disseminates campaign messages, and evaluates the campaign’s success. Outreach materials include brochures, templates, infographics, social media content, educational postcards and flyers, as well as SepticSmart Week Quick Tip videos, which provide best practices on how to maintain a residential septic system. MDB also annually updates and distributes a social media guide to help stakeholders navigate digital communications.
Notable outcomes: Since the campaign’s inception in 2012, SepticSmart Week messages, outreach materials, news stories, and events have reached millions of homeowners. Dozens of states and industry partners have issued SepticSmart Week proclamations, shared positive feedback, and acknowledged an increase in homeowner service calls that demonstrate increased awareness about the value of septic system maintenance.
