Published February 2008
Association News, Training and Education, and Calendar of Events
By Scottie Dayton (page 193)
Your one-stop resource for all industry related events and education.
Association News
FLORIDA: FOWA Names New Director
After seven years as the executive director of the Florida Onsite Wastewater Association, Bill Carson stepped down on Dec. 31, 2007, to manage the organization's annual convention and trade show. Roxanne Groover, former director of education, engineering, and public relations, is the new executive director. Contact her at 863/956-5540 or e-mail grooverroxanne@aol.com.
IOWA: Association Reverts to Individual Memberships
The Iowa Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association membership has reverted to individual rather than company memberships. Dues include a membership to the National Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association, enabling members to take the Certified Installer of Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems testing sponsored by the National Environmental Health Association. Being able to sit for the exam was the reason we changed the membership structure, says president Bob McKinney.
MICHIGAN: Association Forms PAC
The Board of Directors of the Michigan Septic Tank Association has formed a political action committee to advance its goals. Committee members J.P. Fountain, treasurer, Chanin Frank, record keeper, Joe Hall and Rick Throop are filing the papers and establishing a bank account for the PAC. The organization has a legal advisor and legislative lobbyist. Associations considering forming a PAC may contact Fountain at 231/796-3146 or Eloise@netonecom.net.
WASHINGTON: County Certification Testing
The Washington On-Site Sewage Association is working with many marine counties and some beyond to establish standardized certification testing, and is proctoring numerous tests for them. Testing is by appointment based on the schedule of the applicants. Tests are graded while candidates wait and an exam certificate is usually issued before they leave. WOSSA also notifies the county of the results.
The association has rewritten many of its training classes to include more hands-on activities based on responses from more than 2,000 class attendees in the last few years. Activities include assembling pressure distribution systems, startup procedures, setting up timers and panels, and troubleshooting.
Training and Education
Guidelines to Minimize Crashes
A white paper from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Guidelines for Employers to Reduce Motor Vehicle Crashes, covers how to calculate the cost of motor vehicle crashes, examples of workplace driver safety programs, a 10-step program to minimize crash risk and how to promote safe driving practices. It discusses what constitutes aggressive, distracted and impaired driving and tells how to recognize signs of fatigue to prevent driving drowsy. Visit www.osha.gov/Publications/motor_vehicle_guide.html.
Effluent Pumps for Onsite Systems
The Sump and Sewage Pump Manufacturers Association is presenting Effluent Pumps for Onsite Wastewater Treatment: Selecting the Right Pump for the Job, a non-credit training program, on March 14 as part of the Illinois Plumbing Heating Cooling Expo at the Drury Lane Conference Center, Oakbrook Terrace, Ill. The program is in its certification stage and will become eligible for CEUs. Call Bev Potts at 800/795-7422 or visit www.ilphcc.com.
Florida
Courses are at the Florida Onsite Wastewater Associations Training Center in Polk City unless stated otherwise. An asterisk indicates Master credit hours are available.
Feb. 6 64E-6 Lets Look at the Code, Hialeah
Feb. 7 64E-6 Lets Look at the Code, Tampa
Feb. 11 Artificial Media Treatment Technologies
Feb. 12 Natural Media Treatment Technologies
Feb. 18-19 *Master III-Basic Florida Soils
Feb. 20-21 *Master I-System Design & Function
Feb. 21-22 *Master II-System Materials & Regulation Requirement
March 6 *Master Contractor Maintenance
March 11 Onsite Systems: How Are They Approved?, northeast Florida (TBD)
March 12 Onsite Systems: How Are They Approved?, southwest Florida (TBD)
March 25 Work Smart, Not Hard, southeast Florida (TBD)
March 26 Work Smart, Not Hard, southwest Florida (TBD)
Contact FOWA at 407/830-4381 or www.fowaonsite.com.
Iowa
The Iowa Onsite Wastewater Training Center has the following courses:
Feb. 20 Basic 101, Storm Lake
March 17 Basic 101, Calmar
March 27 Media Filters, Indian Hills
May 14 Drip Irrigation Dispersal Systems, Ankeny
Call Annette Adams at 800/362-2127, ext: 6464 or e-mail Dennis Hayworth at dahayworth@dmacc.edu.
Minnesota
The University of Minnesota Extension has these hands-on workshops:
Feb. 5-6 Design-Continuing Education, Sauk Centre
Feb. 5-7 Design and Large System Combo, Continuing Education, Sauk Centre
Feb. 6-7 Cluster-Continuing Education, Sauk Centre
Feb. 11-13 Pumping/Maintaining, Grand Rapids
Feb. 14-15 General-Continuing Education, Detroit Lakes
Feb. 21-22 General-Continuing Education, Two Harbors
March 11-12 General-Continuing Education, Willmar
March 14 Contractor Safety/Pipelayer Certification, Continuing Education, Mankato
March 25-26 Pumping/Maintaining-Continuing Education, Brainerd
March 31-April 1-2 Introduction To Onsite Systems, Bemidji
April 3-4 Installing Onsite Systems, Bemidji
April 11 Contractor Safety/Pipelayer Certification, Continuing Education, Little Falls
April 14-15 General-Continuing Education, White Bear Lake
April 16-18 Designing Onsite Systems, Detroit Lakes
April 22-23 Inspecting Onsite Systems, Waseca
April 28-30 Introduction to Onsite Systems, White Bear Lake
Call 800/322-8642 (612/625-9797) or visit www.extension.umn.edu.
Missouri
Missouri Smallflows Organization is offering an Operation & Maintenance course on Feb. 19-20 at Hillsboro. The course provides CEUs to renew onsite registration with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. Call 417/739-4100 or e-mail mso@lvbw.net.
North Carolina
North Carolina Soils and On-Site Wastewater Training Academy is offering the following courses at Raleigh unless stated otherwise:
Feb. 14-15 Onsite Wastewater System Inspector
April 22-24 Land Application/Biosolids Operator Training
April 23-25 Subsurface Wastewater Operator Training
May 20 Introduction to Decentralized Wastewater, Fletcher
May 21-22 Onsite Wastewater System Inspector, Fletcher
Call Joni Tanner at 919/515-1678 or visit www.soil.ncsu.edu/training.
Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania Septage Management Association offers the following training on March 19-20 at Grantville:
Vac-Truck Training and Certification
Basic Onlot Wastewater Treatment System Inspection
Advanced Onlot Wastewater Treatment System Inspection
Standards Refresher
New Jersey Septage Management Association members qualify for PSMA member tuition fees. Call Jackie at 610/350-0590 or visit http://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:
Feb. 6-7 Basics of Onsite Sewage, Centralia
Feb. 14 Construction Safety
Feb. 20 Basics of Maintenance, Port Angeles
Feb. 28 Design/Install Subsurface Drip Systems, Spokane
March 5 Markup and Profit
March 13 Control Panel Wiring
March 19-20 Exam Review
April 2 Maintenance Basics
April 16 Pumpers
April 23 Design/Install Subsurface Drip Systems
May 6-7 Combined Basics of Onsite Sewage
May 14-15 Installation Basics, Part 2
May 20 Mounds/Sand Filters
May 22 Maintenance Basics, Bremerton
Call John Thomas at 253/770-6594 or visit www.wossa.org.
Wisconsin
Wieser Concrete has a six-hour, general continuing education seminar that provides the necessary credits for installers, sanitarians, designers, and others working in the onsite wastewater treatment field,
Feb. 28 Portage
March 6 Shell Lake
March 13 Fond du Lac
March 20 Wieser Concrete Maiden Rock Facility
March 28 Rhinelander
Call 800/325-8456 or visit www.wieserconcrete.com.
Calendar of Events
Feb. 13-14
Nebraska On-Site Waste Water Association Annual Convention and Trade Show, Embassy Suites Hotel, Lincoln. Call Diane Snapp at 402/476-0162.
Feb. 14-15
Utah On-site Wastewater Association Convention, E-Center, Murray. Call Judith Sims at 435/797-3230 or visit www.neng.usu.edu/uwrl/training.
Feb. 15-16
Wisconsin Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association Convention, Country Springs Hotel, Waukesha. Call 608/256-7757 or visit www.wowra.com.
Feb. 27-March 1
Pumper & Cleaner Environmental Expo International, Kentucky Exposition Center, Louisville, Ky. Education Day Feb. 27; exhibits open Feb. 28-March 1. Call 800/257-7222 or visit www.pumpershow.com.
March 2-4
Ontario Onsite Wastewater Association Conference, Deerhurst Conference Centre, Huntsville. Call 905/372-2722 or visit www.oowa.org.
March 3-5
Minnesota Onsite Wastewater Association Convention, Craguns Resort, Brainerd. Call 888/810-4178 or visit www.mowa-mn.com.
March 11-13
Northeast Onsite Short Course, Marriott Hotel and Spa, Groton, Conn. Call 978/323-7929 or www.neiwpcc.org.
March 24
Granite State Designers and Installers Association Septic System Conference & Exhibition, Radisson Hotel, Manchester, N.H. Call 603/228-1231 or visit www.gsdia.org.
April 7-10
National Onsite Wastewater Association Conference, Cook Convention Center, Memphis, Tenn. Call 800/966-2942 or visit www.nowra.org.
April 15-17
North Carolina On-Site Wastewater Treatment Conference, North Carolina State University, Raleigh. Call Joni Tanner at 919/515-1678 or visit www.soil.ncsu.edu, then Training, Short Courses and Workshops.
April 27-May 2
North American Society for Trenchless Technology No-Dig Show, Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center, Grapevine, Texas. Visit www.nodigshow.com.
May 12-15
California Onsite Wastewater Association Conference and Exposition, DoubleTree Hotel, Sacramento, Calif. Call or visit 707/579-4882 or visit www.cowa.org.
