Texas Legislation Raises Issues

Writing in the Texas On-Site Wastewater Association newsletter, Perry Burney of Aerobic Septic Service Co. in Azle reports on the aftermath of legislation that eliminated maintenance contract requirements and allowed homeowners to make their own repairs.

He reports service technicians are finding more and more systems with lids not screwed down, lightweight lids substituted for heavier childproof ones, or coverings like wood, boards, plywood, 5-gallon buckets, and water meter lids. This last item caused the death of a 3-year-old in Denton County in 2009 when she fell through and drowned.

Burney also sees more large repairs. “Many people moving to Tarrant County don’t realize that their system needs maintenance because no one tells them,” he writes. “By the time we get the call, a minor repair has escalated to a major problem.”

Johnson County has mostly mobile homes. Driving through those areas at night reminds Burney of red-light districts because of all the blinking alarm lights. “I will guarantee you that those people have no intention of repairing the problem,” he says.

 

Calendar of Events

June 5-6

Trenchless Technology Road Show, Scotiabank Convention Center, Niagara Falls, Ontario 330/467-7588; www.trenchlessonline.com.

 

June 28-30

State Onsite Regulators Alliance, Captains of Industry, and National Environmental Health Association Conference, Marriott Marquis and Marina, San Diego, Calif. 800/624-8301; www.nesc.wvu.edu/sora.

 

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:

• June 21-22 – Continuing Education Class, Dothan

• July 12-13 – Pumpers Class

• July 18-20 – Advanced Installer I Class

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.

 

California

The California Onsite Wastewater Association is offering these NAWT classes:

• June 26 – Installation of Onsite Systems (NAWT course), San Diego

• June 28 – Outreach (NEHA schedule), San Diego

• July 26 – Low Pressure Pipe Drainfield and Drip Dispersal Design, Chico

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

 

Florida

The Halifax District of the Florida Environmental Health Association will host a septic system training program June 4-5 at the Volusia County Health Department in Daytona Beach. Guest speakers include Dave Gustafson of the University of Minnesota, Bob Rubin of North Carolina State University, and Gil Longwell of the Onsite Institute. Visit www.halifaxfeha.com.

The Florida Onsite Wastewater Association Training Center is offering these courses:

• June 19 – Operations and Maintenance A, Fort Myers

• June 20 – Operations and Maintenance B, Fort Lauderdale

• June 21-22 – Alabama and Florida Combined Training Sessions, Dothan, Ala.

• July 10 – Operations and Maintenance A, Gainesville

Contact FOWA at 321/363-1590 or www.fowaonsite.com.

 

Georgia

The University of Georgia Center for Urban Agriculture is offering its Onsite Wastewater Management class on July 26 in Gainesville. Contact the Continuing Education Center at 770/229-3477, conteduc@uga.edu, or www.ugaurbanag.com.

 

Iowa

The Iowa Onsite Wastewater Association has a Habitat for Humanity Systems Installs course June 14-15 in Waverly. Contact Alice Vinsand at 515/225-1051, execdir@iowwa.com, or visit www.iowwa.com.

 

Kentucky

The Kentucky Onsite Wastewater Association has a continuing education course for certified installers on June 15 at the Bluegrass Community Technical College in Lawrenceburg. Call 270/401-2301 or visit www.kentuckyonsite.org.

 

Minnesota

The University of Minnesota Water Resources Center has these classes:

• June 5-6 – Inspecting Onsite Systems, St. Cloud

• June 7 – Soils Continuing Education, Rushford Village

• June 14 – Soils Continuing Education, Detroit Lakes

• June 19-21 – Soils, Rochester

• June 27 – Soils Continuing Education, St. Cloud

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

 

New England

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

• June 6 – Soil Basics for the Onsite Wastewater Contractor

• June 13 – Advanced Soil Morphology

• June 14 – Hands-On Component Installation

• June 21 – Bottomless Sand Filter Design and Installation

• June 27 – Advanced Soil Morphology

• July 12 – Microbiology for Wastewater Professionals

• July 26 – Surveying Techniques for the Wastewater Professional

Call 401/874-5950 or visit www.uri.edu/ce/wq. For soil courses, call Mark Stolt at 401/874-2915 or email mstolt@uri.edu.

 

North Carolina

North Carolina State University has these Web-based courses:

• June 6 – Cycling of Water Through Soil

• June 13 – Chemistry of Soil

• June 20 – Role of Soil in Plant Nutrition

• June 27 – Soil Ecosystem

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