A few months ago, I wrote about the 2013 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure coming from the American Society of Civil Engineers. The report gave the country a grim grade of D when it comes to taking care of our water and wastewater treatment facilities.

But it doesn’t take a roomful of civil engineers to figure out we’re falling behind in our efforts to improve in these areas, including the crumbling state of decentralized wastewater systems Onsite Installer professionals design and maintain. If one state is a microcosm for the country as a whole, we can learn a lot about the condition of onsite systems through statistics recently released from Michigan counties and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.

The numbers are eye opening, and point to good news and bad news for septic system installers.

First the bad news: Homeowners in the state don’t seem to care about the condition of their septic systems. A program to check on septic systems in two counties discovered almost 1,000 failed septic systems and 300 rural houses with no septic system at all. In the latter case, waste was being pushed down pipes and directly into waterways. Further, state officials estimated 10 percent of Michigan’s 1.3 million septic systems are in failure. Several counties that require point-of-sale system inspections are reporting 20 to 25 percent failure rates. And while there’s a need to uncover failing systems, only 11 of the state’s 83 counties have programs to identify them and require repair or replacement.

Now the good news: In recent history, onsite systems have taken on a stronger role across the state, growing in number as suburbs expand around population centers. Decentralized waste treatment systems were once prevalent only in small numbers in rural areas, but that has changed. In 1990, 28 percent of the state’s single-family homes utilized onsite systems, but by 2004, the share of new homes that were getting septic systems reached 50 percent. As more systems are being installed, Larry Stephens, president of the Michigan Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association, said in a media report that properly maintained onsite systems are “more sustainable than the centralized treatment system.’’

I might say that all of the many published statistics are troubling and, on one level, very bad news for everyone in Michigan. When there are a vast number of system failures, the quality of the groundwater is threatened. And failing systems, though not the fault of the onsite installer, can reflect badly on decentralized treatment in general.

But the one over-arching message, to me, is that your work as onsite installers will be seen as vital and necessary to ensure the safe supply of drinking water. And all of these system failures – if they are dealt with by health departments and homeowners – will mean there’s a lot of work ahead for our industry. You are on the front lines of a clean-water movement and you should be proud of the work you do.

WE’RE MAKING SOME CHANGES

What’s going on in your home state or province?

We’ve recently added a new feature called State of the State, which is an interview story with leaders of state or provincial trade associations. Our aim is to go beyond typical news brief coverage of association news and give these groups the opportunity to talk in greater depth about their activities and initiatives. In this issue, writer Doug Day talks to Dave Duree, president of the Maryland Onsite Wastewater Professionals Association about dramatic changes in that state’s rules, aimed at cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay. If you would like to see your association featured, drop me a line at editor@onsiteinstaller.com.

As seen at the Pumper & Cleaner Expo

You may have noticed another feature, the Expo Spotlight, turning up in recent issues of Onsite Installer. This is an idea that emerged at the Pumper & Cleaner Environmental Expo International in February as we noticed all the new products unveiled on the show floor in Indianapolis. We know some Installer readers can’t make it to the Expo every year, so we thought we’d bring a little bit of the Expo home to you each month, April to December. In this issue, writer Ed Wodalski talks to exhibitor Chuck Schwabe, of Liberty Pumps, about the ProVore 380 and 680 residential grinder systems on display at the Expo. The feature is our way of helping you keep tabs on new products in a fast-changing industry. If you like what you see, maybe it’s time to click over to www.pumpershow.com and start making plans to attend the 2014 Expo.

Your machine matters to us … so we’ll help you keep it in tip-top shape

We’ve been working on retooling the on-again, off-again equipment and maintenance feature, Machine Matters and booted it up again this month with a feature on engine oils by writer Eric Brothers. The story explores the advantages of tried-and-true mineral-based oils, newer synthetic and synthetic-blend products. And once and for all, Brothers answers the question about the impact on your equipment when you switch back and forth between different types of engine oils.

We’re working up more equipment-oriented stories, but I’d like your input as well. Let me know if there’s a topic you’d like us to explore when it comes to shopping for a piece of equipment or maintaining it after you buy. We want to make this column relevant to readers, and your thoughts and ideas will help us deliver on that goal.