New NOWRA Director
Jessica Finney has replaced Alan Gale as executive director of the National Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association (NOWRA). Since March 2008, she had served as the NOWRA account manager through the BTF Enterprises management company, which still serves the association.
Finney has 10 years of experience in organization management, project management and event planning. She has handled member service management and event planning at the Vacation Rental Managers Association and for the Public Health Institute in Oakland, Calif. She also held a position on the management team of a statewide public health initiative in California.
A native of Sacramento, Finney holds a master’s degree in public health from San Francisco State University. She also is an alumna of the Women’s Health Leadership, a program of the Center for Colla-borative Planning, and a member of the American Society of Association Executives.
Low-flow Toilet Rebate
The newsletter of the Wisconsin Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association reports that the Waukesha Water Utility has introduced a $25 rebate to homeowners who replace their 3.5-gallon per flush toilets with models that use 1.28 gallons or less. Water-saving toilets can save a family of four more than 20,000 gallons annually, a $2,000 savings over the lifetime of the toilet.
NAWT Training
After an inquiry from Mark Scott of the Michigan Septic Tank Association (MSTA), the National Association of Wastewater Transporters (NAWT) began obtaining approval for its courses from the state’s Department of Environmental Quality. Once approved, the courses qualify for license-required continuing education units.
The courses under consideration are vacuum truck technician, introduction to and inspection of onsite systems, operation and maintenance of onsite systems, and waste treatment. NAWT is working with Onsite Wastewater of Northwest Michigan (OWNM) to submit grants that will bring NAWT training to locations around the state. NAWT also is working with MSTA and OWNM to develop and enhance the materials to make them Michigan-specific.
Waste Management Lab Proposed
A combined wastewater center/classroom facility is being planned by the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. The 10,000-square-foot laboratory and resource recovery center will have a pilot wastewater treatment plant, composting and microbiology labs, and an adjoining materials recycling center.
The treatment plant will include an activated sludge process, air-supply system, controlled input feed system, solids settling tanks, feed and storage tanks, solids dewatering apparatus, aerobic and anaerobic solids stabilization units, and an air emission control system. The Wisconsin Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association is encouraging the center to be a resource for the onsite industry as well.
Free Septic System Upgrades
In an effort to remove nitrogen from effluent, the Maryland Department of the Environment is offering onsite owners free upgrades that include new equipment, installation and five years of maintenance. Expenses are paid through the Bay Restoration Fund that onsite owners finance via a $30 per year user tax.
The state has some 420,000 onsite systems serving about 20 percent of residences and a few businesses. More than 150 Maryland property owners have participated. For more information, call MDE at 410/537-4195.
Calendar
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/partner ships/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 Associ-ation Conference, Waco. Call 888/ 398-7188 or visit www.txowa.org.
March 8-10
Pennsylvania Association of Sewage Enforcement Officers Con-ference, 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.
April 6-9
NOWRA Technical Exhibition and Conference, Midwest Airlines Convention Center, Milwaukee, Wis. Call 800/966-2942 or visit www.nowra.org.
Training & Education
National Environmental Health Association
NEHA is offering the exam for Certified Installer of Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems national credential at the Pumper & Cleaner Expo on Feb. 25-28 in Louisville, Ky. Contact Carol Newlin at 303/756-9090, ext. 337, or at cnewlin@neha.org.
Pipelayer Certification
The University of Minnesota Extension is offering a three-hour workshop to accommodate a change in the state plumbing code that requires all onsite system installers must be certified pipelayers, licensed plumbers or registered apprentices to install sewer or water pipes outside of a building.
• 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.
National Association of Wastewater Transporters
NAWT has scheduled sessions in the following locations:
• March 5-6 – Onsite Inspector Training and Certification, Southern Calif.
• June 16 – Inspector Recertification Training, Flagstaff, Ariz.
Call 800/236-6298 or visit www. nawt.org. For Arizona classes, contact Kitt Farrell-Poe at 928/782-3836 or e-mail kittfp@ag.arizona.edu.
California
The training schedule for the California Onsite Wastewater Association is:
• March 4 – Pumper Training, Sacramento
• March 5-6 – NAWT Onsite Inspector Training and Certification, Southern Calif.
• May 8 – Science of Soils and Onsite Wastewater Disposal, Southern Calif.
Call MaryAnne Bobrow at 916/ 722-8168 or e-mail maryanne @bobrowassociates.com.
Florida
Courses are at the Florida Onsite Wastewater Association’s Training Center in Polk City:
• March 16-17 – Master III, Basic Florida Soils
• March 18-19 – Master I, System Design and Function
• March 19-20 – Master II, System Materials and Regulations
• March 24-26 – Onsite Technologies from A to Z
Contact FOWA at 407/937-2228 or www.fowaonsite.com.
Minnesota
The University of Minnesota Extension has these classes:
• March 10 – Design Continuing Education, Hinckley
• March 11 – Inspector Con-tinuing Education, Hinckley
• March 12 – OSHA Competent Person/Pipelayer Certification, Owatonna
• March 24-25 – Continuing Education, Hinckley
• March 26-27 – Installer Con-tinuing Education, Willmar
• March 27 – Pipelayer Certification, Willmar
Call Nick Haig at 800/322-8642 (612/625-9797) or e-mail haigx003@umn.edu.
New York
The New York Onsite Wastewater Treatment Training Network Inc. is offering an Alternative Onsite Wastewater Treatment Technology course May 27-28 in Skaneateles. Call SUNY-Delhi at 800/963-3544 or visit www.delhi.edu/bcs/otn_wastewater.
Texas
The Texas On-Site Wastewater Association is offering a Basic Maintenance Provider course on March 1-2 in Waco. Call 888/398-7188 or visit www.txowa.org.
Washington
The Washington Onsite Sewage Association and Washington State Department of Health in cooperation with Washington State University are offering these certification courses at the training center in Puyallup:
• March 12 – Troubleshooting
• March 18 – TBA
• March 25-26 – Competency Exam Review
Call WOSSA at 253/770-6594 or visit www.wossa.org.
