Longtime instructors and septic experts Jim Anderson and Dave Gustafson will be presenting COLE Publishing’s onsite installer course at the WWETT Show on Friday, Feb. 19 in rooms 237-239 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The key to long-term onsite system performances is proper installation. Anderson and Gustafson will walk attendees through an introduction to proper installation practices.

What will installers get out of this class?
Anderson: This class covers the basic installation principles for both in-ground trenches and above-ground mounds and at-grades. In addition, we will spend time on looking at how OSHA describes soils versus how they are viewed for onsite systems. We also spend time looking at proper site evaluation and soil descriptions. When we discuss tank installation we not only cover the basics, but also provide a method to look at the potential for tanks to float in certain situations. We spend a lot of time on proper pump selection, why it is important and how to avoid some of the most common problems with pump systems. At the end of the day we introduce installation procedures for ATUs and media filters.

Why should a veteran installer attend this class? 
Anderson: It has been two years since we have given this particular class. We always add new information and ideas we have collected the past two years to the presentations, so not only is it a good review but we provide updates on the most current techniques and questions.

Why should a beginning installer attend this class?
Anderson: We walk through the installation process for systems from the beginning discussions with the homeowner through installation and follow-up. It is the best place to get a comprehensive overview of installation in one day. There are not only technical installation tips, but business and planning tips as well.

A brief rundown of the topics that will be covered that day:
The course begins with an introduction that covers obtaining permits, site evaluation, dealing with inspectors, planning the job, OSHA soil requirements, mapping the site and elevations. Anderson and Gustafson will explain the KISS, KINN and KIDD principles of good installation for in-ground trenches and beds, the basics of sewage tank installation, when buoyancy is a problem, what to look for in a tank location and problems to avoid. The course includes a comprehensive look at installing above-ground mounds and at-grades from site preparation to finishing the job, how to install pumps for pumping systems, proper sizing of the pumps and selection of the right pump, what to look for in terms of problems, how to set floats properly and an introduction to the installation of different kinds of media filters and ATUs.

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Gustafson has been an educator in the Onsite Sewage Treatment Program in Minnesota for the past 25 years. Anderson was education coordinator for NAWT for seven years and is professor emeritus in the Department of Soil, Water and Climate at the University of Minnesota. He has been involved in education programs about onsite wastewater treatment systems since the mid-1970s.