NAWT White Paper
The National Association of Wastewater Transporters Board of Directors wrote a white paper, responding to a memo from Sen. Timothy Grendell, who represents Ohio’s 18th District. In his letter to the state’s Home Sewage and Small Flow Onsite System Sewage Treatment System Study Commis-sion, Grendall said periodic onsite system inspections are infeasible: Most local health districts lack the money or personnel, private companies are untrustworthy, and landowners can’t afford the salaries of newly hired field sanitarians or sophisticated, costly onsite systems.
Grendell proposed allowing local health districts establish their own rules, saying the cheapest onsite system meeting minimum health standards is all the commissions should require.
NAWT’s response reiterated the 1997 EPA Report to Congress on onsite systems, explained the role of NAWT and its Memorandum of Understanding partners in educating homeowners and industry participants, and gave examples of states with regulations that incorporate NAWT training. The paper is online at www.nawt.org.
Ontario
The Ontario Association of Sewage Industry Services (OASIS) announced that the Ministry of Environment approved plans to build a 10-MW power plant in Hamilton fueled with biosolids and plant waste. California-based Liberty Energy aims to make it the first such facility in North America. Burning the mixture in two incinerators will produce enough renewable energy to supply 8,000 homes.
Liberty is seeking municipal biosolids management contracts, and will build only when it lines up sufficient tonnage. Capacity is said to be 340,000 metric tons of biosolids and 130,000 metric tons of biomass per year. OASIS sees the implications for septage haulers as encouraging. The demand for biosolids could end the practice of land-spreading by providing sufficient capacity to treat it at municipal plants.
Calendar of Events
Jan. 13-15
Michigan Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association Conference and Exhibit, Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center, East Lansing. Call Chanin Frank at 989/773-6985, ext. 258, or visit www.mowra.org.
Jan. 13-15
Iowa Onsite Waste Water Association Conference, Polk County Convention Center, Des Moines. Call 515/ 225-1051 or visit www.iowwa.com.
Jan. 13-15
Ohio Onsite Wastewater Association Conference and Trade Show, Ramada Plaza Hotel and Conference Center, Columbus. Call 866/ 843-4429 or visit www.ohioonsite.org.
Jan. 15-17
Oregon Onsite Wastewater Association Conference, Corvallis. Call Belinda Rasmussen at 541/389- 6692 or visit http://oronsite.org.
Jan. 18-20
Pennsylvania Septage Management Association Conference, Holiday Inn, Grantville. Call 717/ 763-7762 or visit http://psma.net.
Jan. 19-21
Missouri Smallflows Organization Conference and Exhibition, Holiday Inn Select, Columbia. Call 417/739-4100 or visit www.mosmallflows.org.
Jan. 22-24
Alberta Onsite Wastewater Management Association Conference, Deerfoot Inn and Casino, Calgary. Call 780/489-7471 or visit www.aowma.com.
Jan. 22-24
Washington Onsite Sewage Association Conference, Vancouver. Call John Thomas at 253/297-2837 or visit www.wossa.org.
Jan. 26-27
Indiana Onsite Waste Water Professional’s Association Confer-ence, Camp Camby, Camby. Call Scott Rexroth at 317/889-2382 or visit www.iowpa.org.
Jan. 26-28
North Carolina Septic Tank Association Conference and Exposition, Hickory Metro Convention Center, Hickory. Call Connie Stephens at 336/ 416-6394 or visit www.ncsta.net.
Jan. 30-31
Wisconsin Liquid Waste Carriers Association and Wisconsin Onsite Water Recycling Association Joint Convention, Marriott West Hotel, Madison. Call 608/255-2770 or visit www.wowra.com.
Feb. 5-6
Ohio Water Quality & Waste Management Conference, Holiday Inn on Lane, Columbus. Call 614/292-8571 or visit http://setll.osu.edu.
Feb. 11-12
Nebraska On-site Waste Water Association Conference. Call Lee Orton at 402/476-0162 or visit www.nowwa.org.
Feb. 14-15
Utah On-Site Wastewater Association Conference, Expo Center, West Valley City. Call Carmell Burns at 435/797-3174 or visit http://uwrl.usu.edu/partnerships/training/uowa.html.
Feb. 25-28
Pumper & Cleaner Environmental Expo International, Kentucky Exposition Center, Louisville, Ky. Call 800/257-7222 or visit www.pumpershow.com.
March 1-4
Ontario Onsite Wastewater Association Conference and Exhibition, Sheraton Conference Centre, Richmond Hill. Call Denis Orendt at 905/372-2722 or visit www.oowa.org.
March 3-4
Texas On-Site Wastewater Association Conference, Waco. Call 888/ 398-7188 or visit www.txowa.org.
March 8-10
Pennsylvania Association of Sewage Enforcement Officers Conference, Grantville. Call 717/761-8648 or visit www.pa-seo.org.
March 18-19
Tennessee Onsite Wastewater Association Continuing Education Workshop and Annual Meeting, UAW Union Hall, Spring Hill. E-mail Scott Fellwock at scott.fellwock@nashville.gov or visit http://onsite.tennessee.edu/TOWA.htm.
Training & Education
Pipelayer certification
The University of Minnesota Extension is offering a three-hour workshop to accommodate a change in the state plumbing code that states all onsite system installers must be certified pipelayers, licensed plumbers or registered apprentices to install sewer or water pipes outside of a building.
• Jan. 28 – Fergus Falls
• March 12 – Owatonna
• March 27 – Willmar
• April 17 – Sauk Centre
Call Nick Haig at 800/322-8642 (612/625-9797) or visit http://septic.umn.edu.
NAWT
The National Association of Wastewater Transporters Vacuum Truck Technician Training is Feb. 24 in Louisville, Ky. Call 800/236-6298 or visit www.nawt.org.
Minnesota
The University of Minnesota Extension has these classes:
• Feb. 2-4 – Introduction to Onsite Systems, St. Cloud
• Feb. 5-6 – Installing Onsite Systems, St. Cloud
• Feb. 9-11 – Pumping/ Maintenance, Brainerd
• Feb. 12-13 – Continuing Education, Bemidji
Call Nick Haig at 800/322-8642 (612/625-9797) or visit http://septic.umn.edu.
Texas
The Texas On-Site Wastewater Association is offering a Basic Maintenance Provider course.
• Jan. 9-10 – Sequin
Call 888/398-7188 or visit www.txowa.org.
Virginia
The following courses by the Virginia Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association and Virginia Center for Onsite Wastewater Training (VCOWT) are at Blackstone unless indicated otherwise:
• Feb. 11-12 – National O&M Training, Loudoun
• Feb. 18 – Proprietary System Training
For VCOWT classes, contact Debbie Campbell at 434/736-2011 or visit www.southside.edu/programs/wastetreat. For VOWRA courses, contact Jeff Barr at 703/771-5250 or visit www.vowra.org.
Washington State
The Washington Onsite Sewage Association and the state’s Department of Health in cooperation with Washington State University are offering these certification courses at the training center in Puyallup unless stated otherwise:
• Jan. 7 – Proprietary Systems
• Jan. 8 – Maintenance Basics
• Feb. 4 – Basics of Onsite Sewage, Spokane
• Feb. 18 – Designers: Exploring and Understanding Soil, Mt. Vernon
• Feb. 26 – Maintenance Basics, Port Angeles
Call WOSSA at 253/770-6594 or visit www.wossa.org.
Onsite Installer invites your state association to post notices and news items in this column. Send contributions to editor@onsite installer.com.
