Tax Audits

The Wisconsin Onsite Water Recycling Association May newsletter reported that the state Depart-ment of Revenue is auditing more septic system installer companies as part of a crackdown on sales tax collections. The agency requires contractors to collect sales tax for grading the topsoil and laying sod or planting seed on job sites. The department’s sale tax brochure is available from WOWRA at 608/ 256-7757.

Thirteen members completed the two-day Onsite Evaluator course in May, bringing the total of certified professionals to 70.

Researchers Track Groundwater

In the first study of its kind, Stanford University researchers in-stalled 120 data loggers in wells to monitor a large onsite system serving homes and public toilets close to Stinson Beach, Calif. The wells, placed in parallel rows several hundred yards long, allowed researchers to assess the degree of contamination flowing from the system through the beach and out to sea.

Tests revealed low concentrations of fecal indicator bacteria in a plume of nitrogen-enriched ground-water that caused spikes in phytoplankton. The research team presented its findings to the National Park Service, at public meetings, and to the Stinson Beach County Water District.

Calendar of Events

Aug. 4-6

North Carolina Septic Tank Association Symposium, Convention Center, Greenville. Call 336/416-3564 or visit www.ncsta.net.

Aug. 5-7

Florida Onsite Wastewater Asso-ciation Conference and Trade Show, Daytona Beach Convention Center. Call 407/937-2228 or visit www. fowaonsite.com.

Aug. 27-28

Georgia Onsite Wastewater Asso-ciation Conference, Callaway Gardens, Pine Mountain. Call 678/646-0379 or visit www.onsite wastewater.org.

Training & Education

NAWT

The National Association of Wastewater Transporters has these sessions:

• Sept. 15-16 – Waste Treatment Symposium, Washington, Pa.

• Oct. 14-15 – Inspector Certi-fication, Monterey, Calif.

For Pennsylvania classes, call NAWT at 800/236-6298 or visit www.nawt.org. For California classes, call Kit Rosefield at 530/513-6658 or visit www.cowa.org.

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:

• Sept. 9-10 – Continuing Education, Florence

• Oct. 7-8 – Pumper

• Oct. 13-15 – Advanced Installer II

• Oct. 28-29 – Continuing Education, Mobile

The first day of Continuing Education classes is for installers and the second day is for pumpers and portable restroom operators. Call 334/396-3434 or visit www. aowatc.uwa.edu.

California

The California Onsite Waste-water Association is offering a NAWT Inspector Certification class on Oct. 14-15 in Monterey. Call Kit Rosefield at 530/513-6658 or visit www.cowa.org.

Iowa

The Iowa Onsite Wastewater Association has a Servicing Alter-native Technology course on Sept. 24 in Waverly. E-mail Alice Vinsand at execdir@iowwa.com or visit www.iowwa.com.

Michigan

The Michigan Onsite Waste-water Training and Education Center at MSU Tollgate Center in Novi is offering these courses:

• Sept. 28-29 – Onsite System Maintenance

• Oct. 6-7 – Onsite Systems Evaluator Training

Call Barb DeLong at 517/355-4720 or visit www.egr.msu.edu/age/ outreach.html.

Missouri

The Missouri Smallflows Organ-ization is offering these CEU courses:

• Sept. 14 – Media Filters, St. Louis

• Sept. 15 – Aerobic Treatment Units, St. Louis

• Sept. 28 – Media Filters, Springfield

• Sept. 29 – Selling System to the Site, Springfield

• Oct. 4 – Media Filters, Liberty

• Oct. 5 – Aerobic Treatment Units, Liberty

• Oct. 12 – Media Filters, Cape Girardeau

• Oct. 13 – Aerobic Treatment Units, Cape Girardeau

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

New England

The New England Onsite Waste-water Training Center at the Uni-versity of Rhode Island in Kingston has these workshops:

• Sept. 2 – Conventional Onsite Wastewater Treatment Basics for Installers

• Sept. 16 – Innovative & Alter-native Technology Overview

• Sept. 22-23 – Conventional Onsite Wastewater System Inspection Overview

• Sept. 30 – Innovative & Alternative Technology Field Overview, URI Peckham Farm

• Oct. 7 – Bottomless Sand Filter Design and Installation

• Oct. 14 – Functional Inspections

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

North Carolina

North Carolina Soils and On-Site Wastewater Training Academy has an Introductory Installer Training course on Sept. 27-29 in Fletcher. Call Joni Tanner at 919/513-1678 or visit www.soil.ncsu.edu/training.

North Carolina

The North Carolina Septic Tank Association offers these continuing education courses:

• Oct. 6-7 – Installers and Inspectors, Sunset Beach

• Oct. 8 – Pumpers and Land Application, Sunset Beach

• Oct. 11-12 – Installers and Inspectors, New Bern

• Oct. 27-28 – Installers and Inspectors, Greensboro

• Oct. 29 – Pumpers and Land Application, Greensboro

Call 336/416-3564 or visit www.ncsta.net.

Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania Septage Management Association has these courses:

• Sept. 14-15 – Basic and Advanced Onlot Wastewater Treatment System Inspection, Williamsport

• Sept. 29-30 – Advanced Onlot Wastewater Treatment System Inspection, Apollo

Call 717/763-7762 or visit www.psma.net.

Utah

The Utah On-Site Wastewater Treatment Training Program is offering these Onsite Wastewater Treat-ment Certification Workshops:

• Sept. 20-21 – Level 1 Certification, Heber City

• Sept. 22 – Level 1 Renewal Certification, Heber City

• Sept. 23 – Level 2 Renewal Certification, Heber City

• Sept. 29 – Level 3 Renewal Certification, Logan

• Oct. 19-20 – Level 2 Certification, Logan

• Oct. 26-28 – Level 3 Certification, Logan

Call Ivonne Harris at 435/797-3693 or e-mail ivonne.harris@usu.edu