1 / 37

Overview: Decentralized Approach and Community Process

Overview: Decentralized Approach and Community Process. Regional Extension Educators. Laurie Brown Cloquet Regional Center 888-241-0724; 218-726-6475; brow1198@umn.edu Doug Malchow Rochester Regional Center 888-241-4536; 507-280-5575; malch002@umn.edu Valerie Prax Mora Regional Center

macy
Download Presentation

Overview: Decentralized Approach and Community Process

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Overview: Decentralized Approach and Community Process Regional Extension Educators • Laurie Brown Cloquet Regional Center 888-241-0724; 218-726-6475; brow1198@umn.edu • Doug Malchow Rochester Regional Center 888-241-4536; 507-280-5575; malch002@umn.edu • Valerie Prax Mora Regional Center 888-241-4528; 320-225-5054; malmq002@umn.edu http://septic.umn.edu www.extension.umn.edu

  2. Please turn off or silence your cell phoneThanks!

  3. Professional Training – Designers, Inspectors, Pumpers, Installers • Research and Demonstration • Homeowner Operation & Maintenance • Small Community Wastewater Education Program

  4. Sewage Treatment Options Three Approaches to Wastewater Treatment Conducting a Complete Assessment Community Process for Making Wastewater Treatment Decisions

  5. Effective treatment – protect health & environment Affordable life-cycle costs: installation, operation, maintenance, repairs, monitoring, replacement Sustainable – water supply & economics Esthetically acceptable Reliable Manageable Adequate space Flexible – flow & waste strength Consistent with community values & culture Consistent with land use plan Fits a long range plan Community solution criteria

  6. 1) Centralized: Collection network (many homes) Central treatment facility(ies) Discharge - surface 2) Decentralized: Individual or small group of homes On-site treatment facilities (near site) Discharge - subsurface 3) Combination Three approaches to wastewater treatment -

  7. Typical Cost Range per Connection in Low Density Areas • Design & Installation: • Decentralized - $6000 to $15,000 • Centralized - $13,000 to $40,000+

  8. Anatomy of a Septic System • Plumbing: wastewater collection • Septic tank: primary treatment • Soil treatment system: final treatment/dispersal Homeowner Education

  9. EPA: “Decentralized approach will work” • 1997 - EPA suggested ‘decentralized’ systems as a solution to many sewage treatment problems • Why? • Now have good on-site treatment systems • Cost is usually lower than centralized • Report: • www.epa.gov/ow-owm.html/decent/index

  10. Decentralized systems: • Individual or multi-household (cluster) • Standard - trenches, mounds, at-grades • Alternative Systems- • pre-treatment • final treatment/dispersal • separation • Water supply options

  11. Typical assessment: Compliant & Non-compliant More complete assessment: Compliant & ‘Could be’ Compliant & ‘Can’t be’ Compliant Determining ‘decentralized’ feasibility

  12. Map of parcels Records: Permits Age of systems Maintenance Identify: Likely compliant Spot check Properties to be checked: No records Older than XX years Suspected problems Map of findings Well location Property boundaries Setbacks Other (Soils, ?) Conducting a more complete assessment

  13. Typical Assessment Minnesota Lake 35 parcels Comply (10) Don’t Comply (25)

  14. More Complete Assessment Minnesota Lake 35 parcels Comply (10) Could Comply (15) Can’t Comply (10)

  15. Typical Assessment w/Central Treatment Cost to Community $15,000 per parcel Total Cost = $525,000 Minnesota Lake 35 parcels Comply (10) Don’t Comply (25)

  16. Complete Assessment w/Decentralized Treatment Cost to Community 10 x $0 =0 15 x $10,000 = $150,000 10 x $15,000 = $150,000 Total Cost = $300,000 Minnesota Lake 35 parcels Comply (10) Could Comply (15) Can’t Comply (10)

  17. Jefferson German Septic StatusGreen= ’96/later Red= pre-’96 White= no record

  18. Small Community: • Communities not currently served by centralized systems - “unsewered” • Include: • incorporated • unincorporated • villages • shore lands • ‘groups of homes’

  19. What might be ‘unique’ about these small communities? • Small lots • Low overall density (perimeter of a lake) • Poor Soils • Especially valuable natural resource (I.e. lake, river) • Mix of seasonal & full-time residents • Growing or decreasing population • Income levels

  20. How is wastewater currently being handled in ‘unsewered’ areas? • On-site Disposal - • pipe to ditch/lake • non-compliant system • other? • On-site Treatment - • compliant system

  21. Characteristics of Successful Communities • Understand current situation clearlybefore looking at possible solutions • Use the ‘civic engagement’ model to involve diverse interests/views from the community • Have or develop effective leadership from within the community

  22. Characteristics continued • Recognize the bias’s and self-interests of professionals they’re working with • Defines an appropriate goal and boundaries • Identify and examine all options • Keep all affected parties informed

  23. Success or failure? Success or failure in finding a viable solution is frequently more dependent on a sound community process than on the availability of treatment options and financing!

  24. Exploring Small Community Wastewater Treatment • Treatment Options • Management • Community Structures • Costs & Financing

  25. Form a Task Force • Wide range of interests • Citizens and local leaders • Provides leadership for process • Oversees the process (i.e. gathers information, point of contact) • Shares information with stakeholders (especially residents)

  26. Develop a Community Vision for Treatment • Socially acceptable • Cost effective • Provides viable treatment option(s)

  27. Establish Appropriate Boundaries

  28. The Community Process Finding a Viable Solution That provides: • Effective treatment - protects human & environmental health • Reasonable cost - Life cycle costs = capital costs & O & M • Remember homeowners need to move from costs of occasional tank pumping to regular maintenance costs. • Socially acceptable - community values, culture, esthetics • Is well managed.

  29. Managing Small Community Wastewater Involves • Education • Process for community to select options • Treatment Options • Management of Systems • Community Structures • Costs & Financing • Working with Professionals • Community Process

  30. Citizens of communities that succeed … • Clearly understand their current situation before they start looking for solutions • Know that only they can make the best decisions for their community • Take responsibility for and ownership of the problem • Have or develop members with strong leadership abilities • Have a clearly defined vision and mission, and set appropriate goals

  31. Citizens of communities that succeed … • Take the time and energy to identify and examine all options before making decisions • Gather information from as many sources as possible before taking action • Keep all affected parties involved and informed all along the way • Identify criteria for making decisions and use all identified criteria.

  32. Communities do not succeed … • When a small group makes the decisions and expects everyone to agree – and pay the bill • When the community lets engineers, consultants or funding sources dictate their choices • Result in chaos, bickering among neighbors, elected officials getting “un-elected,” and a loss of sense of community.

  33. A community ‘vision’ or plan Civic engagement – Responsibility Ownership Setting the appropriate goals: Treatment Affordable Community values/ character Effective leadership Understanding that all professionals have biases & self interests Identify & evaluate all options Involve all interests at the table Keep everyone informed. Keys to Success Remember: This is a LOCAL project not the funders not the consultants not the engineers It belongs to the residents

  34. Message from all of this • Heading towards everyone having a properly operating system and improved management at an affordable cost (ISTS/community) • Goal: protect human health and environment

  35. The Pitfalls of Improper Planning!

More Related