We are always appreciative of members who take time to offer suggestions or constructive criticism. After assimilating the comments from last year’s Waste Treatment Symposium, we acted on major concerns. For example, participants who attend multiple symposiums want more new material. Consequently, we’ve added advanced topics covering operational issues people experience at their facilities. We’ll still cover the basics, since half or more of the attendees are first-timers with no treatment background.
Attendees also wanted to spend more time at the field site, and have presentations coordinate with the live equipment demonstrations. They said that seeing the demos first raised a lot of questions they wanted answered back in the classroom.
NAWT’s issue was attendance. We were expecting 150 in Orlando and 100 came. The venue or the economy or both could explain this. So, the 5th Annual Waste Treatment Symposium will be held on Sept. 15-16 at Hapchuk Inc., a liquid waste disposal company in Washington, Pa. The six truck shops are so clean you could eat off the floor. In fact, owner Dave Hapchuk hosted a wedding rehearsal dinner for 250 people in his garage. We’ll serve lunch there both days and dinner Wednesday night. We’re still working on lodging, but it will be about three miles away. Plan to fly into Pittsburgh, then rent a car for the 30-minute drive to Hapchuk’s business.
Thursday morning, coaches will transport attendees to Hapchuk’s treatment facility, Liquid Assets Disposal, in Wheeling, W. Va. The afternoon classroom sessions include a question-and-answer forum with all the speakers and vendors on stage.
Ample networking time is part of the symposium experience. Besides the presenters, the advanced operators are a wealth of knowledge. They develop creative economical, innovative solutions to operational problems using the baling wire and bubble gum approach.
Lastly, many attendees thanked us for opening their eyes to the 2009 Water Environment Federation Technical Exhibition and Conference, or WEFTEC. This year, it’s on Oct. 2-6 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, La.
2010 SYMPOSIUM AGENDA
WEDNESDAY (classroom all day)
Welcome and introduction, Tom Frank, Tim Frank Septic Tank Cleaning Co., Huntsburg, Ohio
Analyzing Your Resources, Regulations, Permitting, Hiring an Engineer
Unit Processes – speakers to be determined
• Screening
• Equalization and storage
• Grit removal
• Chemical additives
• Dewatering options
Pump Applications
Case History of Liquid Assets Disposal, Dave Hapchuk, owner, Washington, Pa.
Social hour for networking with hors d’oeuvres, cash bar and dinner.
THURSDAY (morning field trip, afternoon classes)
Field Trip, Liquid Assets Disposal, Wheeling, W. Va. Coaches return to Hapchuk Inc. for lunch.
Class A Biosolids Options, Robert Rubin, Ph.D,
consultant with McKim & Creed, Cary, N.C.
Odor Control Techniques
Sewer Surcharge Reduction Techniques,
Bob Advent, Advanced Industrial Aeration, Orlando, Fla.
Grease Treatment Technologies
Q & A Forum
COST:
The registration fee for NAWT’s symposium is $275 for members and $375 for nonmembers. Download the registration form at www.nawt.org. Registrations must be received by Sept. 1. Don’t miss this one.
Something smells
The Internet is a marvelous tool, but also the source of much erroneous information. Homeowners seeking ammunition to rebut inspector reports can find an arsenal on the Web. One site claims the industry is fueled by the billions of dollars it makes pushing an agenda to replace failed conventional systems with expensive alternative technologies. The inexpensive repair we supposedly keep secret is aerobic treatment devices.
While the premise is wrong — we are not hiding anything — it makes a valid point. Too many in our industry are unaware of all the available technologies and can’t offer less expensive alternatives, such as inoculator generators or soil fracturing, when applicable. The reality eluding the Web site owner is that one size does not fit all. Every household is different, from their diets and the way they cook to the products used.
The Web site owner also is unaware that not all state regulators recognize all the available repair tools. That level of ignorance is bad enough state by state, but it’s terrible county by county, where many regulators won’t even consider options because their heads are buried in the sand.
Service providers can’t always tell if adding bags of proprietary microbes or fluffing the soil is the correct solution, but we should be allowed to offer the possibility to customers on a contractual agreement. If the equipment doesn’t work, buy it back and sell it where it will. Homeowners will accept the risk when they’re looking at $5,000 instead of $25,000. Service providers don’t use contractual agreements enough, and I believe it is becoming a significant oversight in today’s evaporating economy. You can’t take money from every job and keep going forward without looking back. It’s unethical.
