The 1978 General Assembly first established the Joint Subcommittee to Study Wastewater Treatment and Disposal Systems. This was done in an attempt to determine what could be done to dispose of sewage in areas where traditional treatment methods cannot be used. The resolution which created the study directed the Subcommittee to examine these wastewater problems and develop a program to alleviate them. Those who supported this study expected such a program to include the promotion of specific wastewater treatment methods which could be used on property where conventional treatment was unavailable or unworkable.

Traditional wastewater treatment methods include the public sewer system and the septic tank system. In small communities and rural areas, however, it is impractical to build public sewers to discard wastewater. Likewise, but for other reasons, septic tanks cannot be used on all land: much property lacks the characteristics necessary to protect the public (e.g. proper drainage and groundwater depth) from health hazards which septic tanks can present.

The Subcommittee began its study in 1978. It was directed to continue it by resolutions passed during 1979 and 1980 sessions of the General Assembly.