PENNSYLVANIA: Preserve Land Application
The Pennsylvania Septage Management Association is contesting an ordinance passed by Shrewsbury Township that bans land application of biosolids and includes additional fees, enforcement and local regulatory oversight.
Town supervisors responded to citizens opposed to biosolids recycling. Other municipalities and boroughs have or are adopting similar legislation. A letter from the septage association to the state attorney general contended that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and state Department of Environmental Protection have established comprehensive, science-based rules governing biosolids quality and management.
The attorney general’s office is reviewing the legality of the Shrewsbury ordinance and can sue the municipality if evidence exists that the regulation unlawfully restricts agricultural operations. The Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund offered to defend the ruling in court.
WISCONSIN: WOWRA Awards and New Board Members
The Wisconsin Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association honored State Rep. Scott Gunderson (R-Waterford) and State Sen. Mark Miller (D-Monona) with its 2008 Distinguished Service Award for co-sponsoring conflict-of-interest legislation that became law in 2008. Duane Greuel of the Wood County Planning and Zoning Department also received the award.
Aaron Ausen of Dalmaray Concrete Products in Janesville and Christopher Fellner of Fellner Soil and Septic in Sturgeon Bay joined the association board.
Adam Greuel won the $2,000 Robert Lindner Memorial Scholarship, Addie Haupert received the $1,500 Gretchen McQuestion Scholarship, and Jordan Brull was selected for the $1,000 WOWRA scholarship.
NORTH CAROLINA: Industry Symposium Scheduled
The North Carolina Septic Tank Association will hold its first Outreach Symposium on Aug. 12-14 at Greenville Convention Center under the theme of “The Coming Onsite Storm.” The event brings together national speakers and vendors from traditional onsite wastewater technologies and emerging stormwater technologies.
Symposium topics will include regulatory issues to confront development in the future. The event replaces the regional continuing education classes normally offered in the eastern part of the state. Call Monica Rhea at 704/739-5849 or visit www.ncsta.net.
FLORIDA: Onsite System Permits Down
The Florida Onsite Wastewater Association newsletter states that the trend in new onsite permits is still down, but repair permits have held at around 20,000 per year. The association helped secure $1 million from the legislature to fund a study on passive nitrogen reduction technology. The project, under way at the University of Central Florida, looks at systems that cost-effectively reduce nitrogen loading. The association intends to contract for a multi-year project to look further into the issue.
The state Department of Environmental Protection will fund a complete inventory of onsite systems in Florida. The inventory is critical to the association’s plans to improve onsite management and maintenance. The group asks licensed septage haulers to provide electronic records on pump-outs by calling Elke Ursin or Kara Loewe at 850/245-4070.
WORLD: Just for Fun
Author Luke Barclay unearthed more than 40 of the world’s best views from lavatories. His book, A Loo with a View: From Waterloo to Honolulu — an Illustrated Guide to Panoramic Privies, features open-air toilets with sweeping vistas, urinals where men watch live international sports through the window, and even a restroom with a view of the highest point on Earth. The book is available in bookstores, online, and from www.looswithviews.com.
Training & Education
Web-based Aggregate Course
Registered contractors may subscribe to the Florida Onsite Wastewater Association Web-based course, “Judging Aggregate Quality,” and earn six continuing education hours. The course provides an understanding of the fundamentals of aggregate and its function in onsite systems. The post-test will be administered at various testing facilities. Call 407/937-2228 or go to www.fowaonsite.com.
NAWT
The National Association of Wastewater Transporters has these sessions:
• June 12 – Vacuum Truck Technician, Monterey, Calif.
• June 16 – Inspector Recertification Training, Flagstaff, Ariz.
Call NAWT at 800/236-6298 or visit www.nawt.org.
For Arizona classes, contact Kitt Farrell-Poe at 928/782-3836 or kittfp@ag.arizona. edu.
Alabama
Licensing classes are the joint effort of the Alabama Onsite Wastewater Association and University of West Alabama. Courses are at UWA Livingston campus unless stated otherwise:
• June 3-5 – Basic Installer
• June 25-26 – Continuing Education, Dothan
• July 9-10 – Pumper
• July 21-22 – Maintenance Training for Onsite Installers, Crestview, Fla.
• July 29-31 – Basic Installer
Call 334/396-3434 or visit www.aowa.org.
California
The training schedule for the California Onsite Wastewater Association is:
• June 12 – NAWT Vacuum Truck Technician, Monterey
• July 24 – Science of Soils and Onsite Wastewater Disposal, San Luis Obispo
Call MaryAnne Bobrow at 916/727-2692 or e-mail maryanne@cowa.org.
Florida
Courses are at the Florida Onsite Wastewater Association’s Training Center in Polk City unless stated otherwise.
• June 2-4 – Onsite Technologies from A-Z
• June 15-16 – Basic Florida Soils, Master III
• June 17-18 – System Design and Function, Master I
• June 19 – System Materials and Regulatory Requirements, Master II
• July 7 – System Design and Function, Fort Myers
• July 9 – System Design and Function, Master IV, Davie
• July 21-22 – Maintenance Training for Onsite Installers, Crestview
Contact FOWA at 407/937-2228 or www.fowaonsite.com.
Iowa
The Iowa Onsite Wastewater Training Center has an Aerobic Treatment class on June 17 at Ankeny. Call Annette Adams at 515/964-6464, option 5, ext. 6464 or visit www.iowwa.com.
Kentucky
The Kentucky Onsite Wastewater Association has a class on Diagnosing and Preventing Failures/Overcoming Site Limitations for six continuing education units on June 17 at the Bluegrass Community Technical College in Lawrenceburg. Call 270/715-0043 or visit www.kentuckyonsite.org.
Minnesota
The University of Minnesota Extension has these classes:
• June 2-5 – Advanced Design and Inspection of Onsite Systems, St. Cloud
• June 9-11 – Basic Design of Onsite Systems, Brainerd
• June 12 – Soils Continuing Education, Cloquet
• June 16-17 – Inspecting Onsite Systems, Waseca
• June 18-19 – Soils, St. Cloud
• June 25 – Soils Continuing Education, Pipestone
• July 1 – Soils Continuing Education, Crookston
• July 14 - Soils Continuing Education, Blue Earth
Call Nick Haig at 800/322-8642 or visit http://septic.umn.edu.
New England
The New England Onsite Wastewater Training Program at the University of Rhode Island in Kingston has these workshops:
• June 2-3 – National Operation and Maintenance Service Provider Program
• June 11 – INSP200 Examination
• June 25 – Bottomless Sand Filter Design and Installation
• June 25 – Soil Basics for the Onsite Wastewater Contractor
• July 15 – Surveying Techniques for the Wastewater Professional
• July 16 – Microbiology for Wastewater Professionals
• July 29-30 – Advanced Soil Morphology
Call 401/874-5950 or visit www.uri.edu/ce/wq. Contact Mark Stolt at 401/874-2915 or mstolt@uri.edu.
Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania Septage Management Association is offering these courses:
• July 15-16 – Onsite Inspection, Chester
• July 22-23 – Onsite Inspection, Bordentown, N.J.
Call 717/763-7762 or visit www.psma.net.
Virginia
The following courses by the Virginia Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association and Virginia Center for Onsite Wastewater Training (VCOWT) are at Blackstone unless stated otherwise.
• June 1-5 – Onsite Design Camp II (VCOWT)
• June 3 – A to Z of Onsite Wastewater, Charlottesville (VOWRA)
• June 3-4 – Effluent Dispersal Systems (VCOWT)
• June 17 – Proprietary System Training (VOWRA)
For VCOWT classes, contact Debbie Campbell at 434/736-2011 or visit www.southside.edu/programs/wastetreat. For VOWRA courses, contact Jeff Barr at 703/771-5250 or visit www.vowra.org.
Wisconsin
The Wisconsin Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association is holding a Certified Private Onsite Wastewater Treatment System Evaluator Course May 18-19 in Minocqua. Call 608/256-7757 or visit www.wowra.com.
Pumper invites your state association to post notices and news items in this column. Send contributions to editor@pumper.com.
Calendar
April 3-4
Alabama Onsite Wastewater Association Annual Trade Show, Pelham Civic Complex, Pelham. Call 334/396-3434 or visit www.aowa.org.
April 6-9
National Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association Technical Exhibition and Conference, Midwest Airlines Convention Center, Milwaukee. Call 800/966-2942 or visit www.nowra.org.
Aug. 5-8
Florida Onsite Wastewater Association Conference, Ocean Center, Daytona Beach. Call 407/830-4381 or www.fowaonsite.com.
Aug. 28-29
Georgia Onsite Wastewater Association Conference, Marietta Conference Center, Marietta. Call 678/646-0379 or visit www.onsitewastewater.org.
Oct. 20-21
Delaware Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association Technical Conference, Dover Downs Hotel and Casino, Dover. Call Ben Miller at 302/226-2844 or visit www.dowra.org.
Oct. 22-23
Ontario Association of Sewage Industry Services Rural Wastewater Treatment Expo, Hamilton. Call 877/202-0082 or visit www.oasisontario.on.ca.
