FLORIDA: FOWA Scholarship Recipients
The Florida Onsite Wastewater Association awarded Bob and Joan Lynch Scholarships to Jonathan Savage and Katie Parr.
Savage majors in engineering and computer science at Virginia Tech. Parr is studying business and accounting at Florida State University.
ARIZONA: Teaching Homeowners
The Arizona Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association Homeowner Septic Education course, presented in Yavapai County, trained nearly 350 homeowners about their onsite systems. The program was videotaped and will be available to state libraries and through the Internet. Gila County health officials also asked AzOWRA to present the program. For more information, call Lowell Fagen at 928/778-7575 or e-mail Lou Brown at azowraloub@gmail.com.
AzOWRA also wrote a Code of Conduct covering general obligations, obligations to others, and obligations to professionalism, and is asking members to sign it.
WASHINGTON STATE: Aging Population
Last summer, the Washington Onsite Sewage Association hosted sessions to gather ideas on how to maintain the number of licensed system designers as a significant number approach retirement. Evaluation of comments enabled the WOSSA board to make recommendations for updating regulations, including changing what is considered acceptable training to enter the industry and allowing the state Department of Licensing for Onsite Designers to accept broader education qualifications for the designer exam.
Other suggested changes included starting an apprentice program and allowing designers to design stormwater infrastructure on the same properties as residential onsite systems. WOSSA will contact several legislators for sponsorship and to time the introduction of the suggested updates into the next legislative session.
WOSSA worked with Indian Health Services to develop a two-hour onsite training program for Nisqually Indian Tribe homeowners. Association members also partnered with Clallam County Health Department to certify homeowners to inspect their own systems. The association’s radio show, Septic Solutions, answers listener questions.
James Converse asked various industry professional and practitioners what they viewed as the major challenges facing the onsite industry, then summarized their replies in an article published in the WOSSA Fall newsletter (www.wossa.org/newsletter.html).
NEW ZEALAND: Composting Portable Bathroom
Three students at the University of Auckland (New Zealand) Business School took first prize in a social entrepreneurship challenge for a working prototype of a composting portable toilet. Brad Lovett, Angus Blair, and Lucy Luo developed the Green Loos technology. They received $20,000 in seed capital and $10,000 worth of mentoring time at a business incubator.
The team tested the Green Loos prototype at Mainzeal Construction. Employees used the unit for two weeks. Lovett said Mainzeal is interested in having Green Loos on all its construction sites. Lovett will use the money to develop molds and to help protect the intellectual property.
Training & Education
Constructed Wetlands Link
During the last 20 years, LaGrange County, Ind., installed more than 300 constructed wetlands treating 150 to 50,000 gpd. Now installers, homeowners, designers, and regulators will find relevant information on these bio-enhanced treatment systems at http://lagrangecountyhealth.org/constructedwetlands.aspx.
Educational Presentations
The Arizona Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association Education Committee developed presentations and education programs. Its Realtor education program is approved for three hours of continuing education by the state Department of Real Estate.
The Homeowner Septic Education course covers how onsite systems function. The Member Recruitment presentation is for contractor, designer, and pumper organizations. To recommend a group that would benefit from these presentations, call Lowell Fagen at 928/778-7575 or e-mail Lou Brown at azowraloub@gmail.com.
Minnesota
The University of Minnesota Extension has these classes:
• March 8-10 – Introduction to Onsite Systems, St. Cloud
• March 11-12 – Installing Onsite Systems, St. Cloud
• March 18-19 – Installer Continuing Education, Sauk Centre
• March 19 – Pipelayer Certification, Sauk Centre
• March 30-April 1 – Advanced Design and Inspection of Onsite Systems, Part 1, Mankato
• April 6-8 – Basic Design of Onsite Systems, White Bear Lake
• April 13 – Design Continuing Education, St. Cloud
• April 14 – Inspector Continuing Education, St. Cloud
• April 15 – Troubleshooting, Owatonna
• April 20 – OSHA Competent Person/Pipelayer Certification, St. Cloud
• April 26-28 – Introduction to Onsite Systems, Mankato
• April 29-30 – Installing Onsite Systems, Mankato
Call Nick Haig at 800/322-8642 (612/625-9797) or visit http://septic.umn.edu.
New Hampshire
The Granite State Designers and Installers Association is offering its Certified Septic Evaluator training programs:
• April 20, Bow
• May 1, Rochester
Call 603/228-1231 or visit www.gsdia.org.
Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania Septage Management Association is offering an Inspector Certification course March 30-31 at Reading. Call 717/763-7762 or visit www.psma.net.
Washington State
The Washington On-Site 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 unless stated otherwise:
• March 11 – Design Siting
• March 17 – Subsurface Drip Design, Moses Lake
• March 24-25 – Exam Review
• April 7 – Maintaining Onsite Systems
• April 15 – Pumper
• April 21-22 – Wiring Control Panels
• May 5 – Electrical Control Panels
• May 6 – Installing Mounds and Sand Filters
• May 13 – Design Siting, Centralia
• May 19 – Evaluating and Repairing Onsite Systems, Bremerton
Call WOSSA at 253/770-6594 or visit www.wossa.org.
Pumper invites your state association to post notices and news items in this column. Send contributions to editor@pumper.com.
Calendar
Feb. 4-5
Ohio Water Quality and Waste Management Conference, University Plaza Hotel, Columbus. Call Karen Mancl at 614/292-4505 or visit http://setll.osu.edu.
Feb. 4-6
Alberta Onsite Wastewater Management Association Convention and Trade Show, River Cree Casino, Edmonton. Call 780/489-7471 or visit www.aowma.com.
Feb. 17-18
Nebraska On-Site Waste Water Association Conference, Embassy Suites Hotel, Lincoln. Call 402/476-0162 or visit www.nowwa.org.
Feb. 22-23
National Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association Installer Academy & Roe-D-Hoe, Kentucky Exposition Center, Louisville, Ky. Call 800/966-2942 or visit www.nowra.org/academy.html.
Feb. 24-27
Pumper & Cleaner Environmental Expo International, Kentucky Exposition Center, Louisville, Ky. Call 800/257-7222 or visit www.pumpershow.com.
March 22-23
Tennessee Onsite Wastewater Association Conference and Continuing Education Workshop, Embassy Suites and Conference Center, Murfreesboro. Visit www.tnonsite.org.
March 22-25
National Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association Technical Conference and Exposition, St. Louis, Mo. Call 800/966-2942 or visit www.nowra.org.
March 29-30
Granite State Designers and Installers Spring Septic System Conference and Expo, Radisson Hotel in Manchester, N.H. Call 603/228-1231 or visit www.gsdia.org.
