Facility Solves Regulatory Challenge

The newsletter of the Iowa Onsite Waste Water Association chronicled the growth of Accurate Dewatering Services, the state’s only privately owned septage dewatering facility.

When Polk County authorities banned land application, Jody Forest was spreading a million gallons of septage a year through his company, Forest Septic Tank Service in Des Moines. Forest and friend Jerry Heckman attended the 2007 National Association of Wastewater Transporters Waste Treatment Symposium, then built the facility with a design capacity of 40,000 gpd.

Entering its third year, the plant receives 5,000 to 25,000 gallons of septage a day. In 2010, it dewatered nearly 2 million gallons. The partners maintain a fair and level competitive marketplace and watch the bottom line. Heckman invites those interested in building a similar facility to visit or call him at 515/447-7374 or 515/265-4039.

The association has 28 more members holding the basic designation for Certified Installer of Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems. Joey Maher of Professional Waste Water Services in Farragut earned the advanced designation. The state has 230 professionals holding current basic and advanced certifications, of which 176 are IOWWA members.

 

Grassroots Effort Garners Success

The legislative committee of the Michigan Septic Tank Association sent information packets to members to help them contact legislators to support two bills. The first would reprieve spring weight restrictions in emergency hauling situations. The County Road Association of Michigan and the Department of Transportation oppose it.

The second bill, HB 4578, would require local governments that ban land application or require septage to be taken to wastewater treatment plants to build a receiving station capable of accepting all septage.

“The MSTA grassroots effort seems to be paying off,” says Judy Augenstein, legislative consultant. “We mustered 22 co-sponsors for HB 4578 and word is getting around that author Ken Goike is on a mission.” Voters in the 33rd District chose Goike, a former MSTA director and president and owner of Goike Trucking in Ray, as their state representative in 2010.

 

Calendar

Oct. 11-12

Delaware On-Site Wastewater Recycling Association Technical Conference and Exhibition, Dover Downs Hotel and Casino, Dover. Call Ben Miller at 302/383-5391 or visit www.dowra.org.

 

Training & Education

Alabama

Licensing classes are the joint effort of the Alabama Onsite Wastewater Association (AOWA) and University of West Alabama (UWA). Courses are at UWA Livingston campus unless stated otherwise:

• Oct. 6-7 – Pumpers

• Oct. 12-14 – Advanced Installer I

• Oct. 27-28 – Continuing Education, Mobile

• Nov. 16-18 – Advanced Installer II

• Dec. 1-2 – Continuing Education

The first day of Continuing Education classes is for installers and the second day is for pumpers and portable restroom operators. Call the training center at 205/652-3803 or visit www.aowatc.uwa.edu.

 

Arizona

The Arizona Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association in sponsorship with the University of Arizona Onsite Wastewater Education Program is offering the NAWT Inspector Training and Certification course Oct. 11-12 in Maricopa County. Call Kitt Farrell-Poe at 520/621-7221 or email kittfp@ag.arizona.edu.

 

California

The California Onsite Wastewater Association is offering these NAWT classes:

• Oct. 6-7 – Septage Treatment Workshop, Sutter Creek

• Oct. 7 – NAWT Vacuum Truck Technician, Sutter Creek

• Nov. 1-2 – NAWT Operation and Maintenance, Part 2, Mill Valley

• Dec. 9 – NAWT Installer Training, Citrus Heights

Call Kit Rosefield at 530/513-6658 or visit www.cowa.org.

 

Georgia

The University of Georgia College of Agriculture & Environmental Sciences is offering a Contractors and Pumpers course:

• Oct. 12 – Albany

• Oct. 18 – Dublin

• Oct. 25 – Valdosta

• Nov. 8 – Fulton

• Nov. 15 – Brunswick

Contact Vaughn Berkheiser, Ph.D., at 770/233-5506 or vberk@uga.edu.

 

Iowa

The Iowa Onsite Wastewater Association is offering the Basic and Advanced Certified Installer of Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems Installation Overview and Test Nov. 11-12 in Prairie City. Call Alice Vinsand at 515/225-1051 or email execdir@iowwa.com.

 

Minnesota

The University of Minnesota Water Resources Center has these classes:

• Oct. 18-21 – Advanced Design and Inspection, Part 2, St. Cloud

• Nov. 30-Dec. 1 – General Continuing Education, St. Cloud

Call Nick Haig at 800/322-8642 or visit www.septic.umn.edu.

 

Missouri

The Missouri Smallflows Organization is offering these CEU courses:

• Oct. 11 – Profitable Business, Camdenton

• Oct. 12 – Troubleshooting, Camdenton

• Oct. 25-26 – High-Strength Waste, Liberty

• Nov. 9 – Pumps, Panels, Electrical, Cape Girardeau

• Nov. 10 – Earthen Structures, Cape Girardeau

• Nov. 15 – Selling Systems, Branson

• Nov. 16 – Aerated Treatment Units, Branson

Call Tammy Yelden at 417/739-4100 or visit www.mosmallflows.org.

 

New England

The New England Onsite Wastewater Training Center at the University of Rhode Island in Kingston has these courses:

• Oct. 6 – Bottomless Sand Filter Design and Installation

• Oct. 13 – Functional Inspections

• Nov. 3 – Rhode Island Designer Examination Prep

• Nov. 9 – AutoCALCS: Automated Support Materials for Pump Timers, Tanks, Chambers, BSF Sizing & Buoyancy Calculations

• Nov. 17 – Identifying and Managing High-Strength Wastewater

Call 401/874-5950 or visit www.uri.edu/ce/wq.

 

North Carolina

North Carolina State University has these courses:

• Oct. 25 – Soil Profiling for Wastewater and/or Stormwater Handling, Wilmington

• Oct. 27 – Installation of Advanced Systems, Wilmington

• Nov. 14 – Basic Troubleshooting of Onsite System Malfunctions, Mills River

• Nov. 15 – Pump System Field Course: Advanced Monitoring and Troubleshooting, Mills River

• Nov. 30 – Advanced Troubleshooting of Onsite System Malfunctions, Raleigh

Call Joni Tanner at 919/513-1678 or visit www.soil.ncsu.edu/training.

The North Carolina Septic Tank Association has these classes:

• Oct. 20-21 – Installer/Inspector, Hickory

• Oct. 26-28 – Installer, Inspector, Pumper, Land Application, Greensboro

Visit www.ncsta.net or email ncsta@earthlink.net.

 

Oregon

The Chemeketa Community College in Salem has these CEU classes:

• Oct. 13 – Installer

• Oct. 19-20 – Maintenance Operator

Call 503/399-5181 or visit www.chemeketa.edu/busprofession/ccbi/customizedtraining/deq/classes.htm.

 

Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania Septage Management Association is offering the Confined Space/Competent Person course Oct. 5-6 in Stroudsburg. Call 717/763-7762 or visit www.psma.net.

 

Utah

Utah State University has these On-Site Wastewater Treatment Training Certification Workshops:

• Oct. 11-13 – Level 3, Logan

• Oct. 19 – Renewal Level 3 Certification, Logan

Call 435/797-1000 or visit http://uwrl.usu.edu/partnerships/training/classes.html.

 

Virginia

The Virginia Center for Onsite Wastewater Training has the System Design Camp I class Oct. 3-7 at Pickett Park. Contact Lydia Shepherd at 434/292-3101 or email lydia.shepherd@southside.edu.