So Pumper is 30 years old this month? To mark the milestone reached by a critical environmental trade publication — which matured right along with the septic service industry — I’d like to share a few recollections. In 1979, as COLE Publishing sent Pumper to the printer for the first time, I was employed as an Extension Agricultural Engineer at the University of Minnesota.

I became involved with COLE Publishing through an onsite professional who had attended several of the onsite sewage treatment workshops I conducted throughout Minnesota. Ray Kari, from Ely, Minn., had also attended a number of tradeshows sponsored by COLE. Kari was appalled at the lack of basic knowledge shown by attendees of those early Pumper & Cleaner Environmental Expos. He told me the material we presented at our workshops would be great information for those attending the emerging Expo for pumpers.

Kari talked to COLE co-founder Bob Kendall about the Minnesota Workshops and suggested having an educational seminar at the Pumper & Cleaner Expo. Kendall and I spoke about our workshops, and he decided an educational seminar might be appropriate for the Expo.

The Superdome in New Orleans was the site of the first Expo where I presented an onsite sewage treatment seminar. The seminar was reduced in length from our usual workshop agenda, but I presented the basic facts of septic tanks and onsite sewage treatment. The seminar was well attended and I was asked to present the seminar for the next Expo. I presented educational seminars at the early events held at the Superdome, then moved along with the Expo to Nashville.

THE ANSWER MAN IS BORN

Many questions were asked at those seminars and time was not adequate to give an answer to all of them. As I recall, some of these questions, along with my answers, were published in Pumper — and so began the Septic System Answer Man column.

I don’t remember the date of the first column in Pumper, but it may have been about 1995. At first, the column ran only periodically, but then started running every month as the number of reader questions grew.

And here we are in 2009, and the Septic System Answer Man is still hangin’ in there! I have now been retired for as many years as I worked for the Extension Service. During that time, many new techniques and products have emerged to enhance the professional services provided by the pumping and onsite system installation industry. Improved systems and better training have translated into higher quality sewage treatment and better longevity of septic systems for homeowners.

But the fundamental facts about the biomat, anaerobic bacteria, aerobic bacteria, partially saturated flow, Long Term Acceptance Rate, suitable soil texture (and I could go on and on) haven’t changed.

The educational offerings provided by Pumper have gone well beyond my column. The magazine features valuable articles about buying and financing equipment, customer relations and many aspects of running a successful business as an onsite sewage treatment professional.

CONTRACTOR PRIDE

Just as Pumper has beefed up its editorial content over the years, I believe the mood of the industry has changed to one of contractors showing more pride in their work. I would hope the days of advertisements with sayings like “you dump, we pump” are over. Education has given the personnel of service companies a basic knowledge on why the septic tank has to be regularly cleaned and pumped. Information has also been available on how the entire onsite sewage treatment system is supposed to operate.

I continue to get comments and questions that tell me the educational work is still not done. I have enjoyed writing the column and the many responses I have received from my readers. The following response is a classic and I want to share it with you. I told the writer, in this case a homeowner rather than an onsite professional, about the simple fruit jar test to determine the quality of toilet paper.

Thank you so much for your reply. It is most helpful!

My eyes and mouth were ROUND after I tried your shake-the-paper-in-the-jar experiment! My old toilet paper broke up into tiny pieces beautifully with one simple shake. The toilet paper that I had bought (to try to save money with a coupon) did not break up on one, two, or three good shakes, and only started to look a little tattered on the fourth hefty shaking! No wonder it clogged my toilet. Well, I now know how to use a snake (toilet auger), and even better, because of you, I now know how to actually test the toilet paper for the septic tank. I had called this paper company first, and they insisted their paper was great for septic tanks, but we can't believe everything we’re told, can we?

I put out a neighborhood newsletter, and we are all on septic tank lots, so I will put in some of your good advice. Thank you for responding to me and for all the great information.

Of course, I also get comments from readers who disagree with me, but they are welcome as well. It is important that we learn together. Most of what I have learned about onsite sewage treatment practices has been from professionals in the industry.

As we celebrate 30 years of Pumper, my message to the onsite sewage treatment industry is simple: Keep up the good work. Continue to be a proud professional in your activities with onsite sewage treatment.