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Introduction to Onsite Wastewater Treatment for Single Family Residences

Introduction to Onsite Wastewater Treatment for Single Family Residences. Texas AgriLife Extension Service. Introduction. Handouts Manual Presentations Evaluation. Introduction to Aerobic Treatment Units . The introduction to aerobic treatment units program provides:

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Introduction to Onsite Wastewater Treatment for Single Family Residences

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  1. Introduction to Onsite Wastewater Treatment for Single Family Residences Texas AgriLife Extension Service

  2. Introduction • Handouts • Manual • Presentations • Evaluation

  3. Introduction to Aerobic Treatment Units • The introduction to aerobic treatment units program provides: • Body of knowledge for homeowners to be informed about aerobic treatment of wastewater and the activities needed to maintain an onsite wastewater treatment system. • Goals of the training are: • Provide basic outline of operation and maintenance activities for an ATU • Make homeowner better consumers in the onsite wastewater treatment industry, and • Help homeowners develop a professional relationship with their service provider.

  4. Introduction to Aerobic Treatment Units • The Homeowner Maintenance training program will not cover: • Detailed instruction on step by step maintenance of an entire onsite wastewater treatment system • Repairs and Troubleshooting To become completely trained in proper operation and maintenance (O&M), an individual must gain additional information on their particular product.

  5. Introduction to Aerobic Treatment Units If an individual attempts to carry out maintenance activities that are beyond the scope of their training the results could include: • Voided warranties • Destruction of components • Generating more problems with the system • Increased cost of repair • Personal injury or even death. Caution

  6. Homeowner Maintenance Exemption 285.7(d)(4) • At the end of the initial two-year service policy period, the owner of an OSSF for a single family residence shall either maintain the system personally or obtain a new maintenance contract. • Limitation: An owner may not maintain an OSSF under the provisions of this section for commercial, speculative residential, or multifamily property. • You are managing a wastewater treatment plant: do you have effluent or sewage in your yard?

  7. Permitting Wastewater Treatment Systems in Texas • Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), Chapter 285, 5000 gallons per day or less • Local Authorized Agent – Usually local Health Department • TCEQ Regional Office • TCEQ, Chapter 217, Greater than 5000 gallons per day.

  8. Onsite Wastewater Treatment System

  9. Malfunctioning Onsite System

  10. Malfunction • Malfunctioning OSSF – An on-site sewage facility that is causing a nuisance or is not operating in compliance with the 285 OSSF regulations. Hard Malfunction Soft Malfunction

  11. Nuisance • sewage, human excreta, or other organic waste discharged or exposed in a manner that makes it a potential instrument or medium in the transmission of disease to or between persons • an overflow from a septic tank or similar device, including surface discharge from or groundwater contamination by a component of an on-site sewage facility; or • a blatant discharge from an OSSF.

  12. What is an Onsite Wastewater Treatment System? • Wastewater Source • Collection and Storage • Pretreatment components • Final Treatment and Dispersal components

  13. Wastewater source • User • Domestic • Commercial • Industrial

  14. Collection Piping from facility with cleanout Blackwater Graywater

  15. Collection Options • Holding tanks • Composting toilets • Incinerating toilets

  16. Pretreatment • Septic tanks • Aerobic treatment units • Media filters • Constructed wetlands • Membrane bioreactors • Disinfection

  17. Final Treatment and Dispersal Components • Trench and bed distribution • Evapotranspiration beds • Low pressure distribution trench • Drip field • Spray field

  18. How do we make the wastewater system work? • Evaluate the wastewater source • Evaluate site • Wastewater treatment • Wastewater acceptance • Choose a final treatment and dispersal component • Choose the appropriate pretreatment system • Operation and Maintenance

  19. Roles with Septic System Management • Site evaluation • Design • Installation • Startup • Inspection • Operation • Maintenance • Monitoring • Pumping

  20. Site Evaluation • Comprehensive evaluation of soil and site conditions for a given land use. Site Evaluator

  21. Design Designer • The process of selecting, sizing, locating, specifying and configuring treatment train components that match site characteristics and facility use as well as creating the associated written documentation. • A design is also the written documentation of size, location, specification and configuration.

  22. Installation • The assembly and placement of components of a system, including final grading and establishment of an appropriate cover Installer

  23. Startup • The process of setting operational controls, verifying component function and documenting initial operating conditions of a system Installer & Manufacturer

  24. Inspection • The evaluation of and reporting on the status of a wastewater treatment system Designated Representative

  25. Operation • The action of assessing whether each component of the system is functioning properly • Each component must be operational if the system as a whole is to achieve the desired performance What is it doing? Maintenance Provider/Technician

  26. Maintenance • The action of conducting required or routine planned performance checks, examinations, upkeep, cleaning, or mechanical adjustments to an onsite system. • Includes Replacement of pumps, filters, aerator lines, valves or electrical components. Taking care of the Pieces Maintenance Provider/Technician

  27. Monitoring • The action of verifying performance for a regulatory authority or a manufacturer Maintenance Provider/Technician

  28. Pumping • The action of removing septage from a wastewater treatment system component Pumper

  29. Repair • Is the action of fixing or replacing substandard or damaged components. • Required repairs • Recommended repairs • Upgrades Fixing a Problem Installer

  30. Why Perform Operation and Maintenance? • Keep systems functioning properly • Maintain effluent quality • Early detection of problems • Public Health • Environmental Protection • System Reliability • Customer Satisfaction

  31. System Benefits • Keep system functioning properly • Maintain effluent quality • Early detection of problems

  32. Public Health Wastewater can contain disease causing Pathogens Bacteria Viruses Parasites Protozoa Ascaris lumbricoides (roundworm) Hepatitis A Virus

  33. Environmental Protection Treat contaminants before they reach Surface or Groundwater • Nutrients • Phosphorus • Nitrogen • Organic Loading • Pathogens • Fecal Coliforms

  34. EPA Water Quality Programs • Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems • Non-point source of pollution • Total Maximum Daily Loads • Coastal Zone Management Program

  35. System Reliability Performance of all system components must be functional to achieve full treatment • Components require maintenance • Service/maintenance should extend life of components

  36. Customer Satisfaction • Satisfied if system works • Enjoys the use of their property • Dissatisfied if system does not work • Complaints • Permitting Authority • State Authority • Legal • Tells Everyone that will listen • Protection of property value

  37. Water Quality Monitoring / Operation and Maintenance • Monitoring system performance • All systems require operation and maintenance • Frequency • Types of activities • Types of inputs

  38. System Cost • Traditional Costs • Installation • Parts replacement • Disinfectant • Electrical • Pumping of sludge • Maintenance contract • Additional Costs • Involvement – time to add disinfectant • Access/use of property • Water use/waste – adjusting lifestyle to match system capability • Property values – systems must be maintained

  39. Summary • Decentralized management will play a vital role in our future infrastructure needs. • Technologies are available for meeting our needs. • Environmental regulations will continue to be more stringent. • Environmental health is ultimate form of public health protection.

  40. Summary • A site evaluation is critical to determining the potential for a site to treat wastewater. • Advanced pretreatment and final treatment and dispersal technologies are available for most situations. • Select the most appropriate technology and scale of system for your site. • Operation and maintenance is critical for long-term function

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