2010 OOWA PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT GRANT RECIPIENTS
The recipient of our 2010 Professional Development Grant for the public sector is Wendy Hanna, Hocking County Health Department. The recipient for the private sector is Ron Robinson, Spoerr Precast Concrete Inc. This is the sixth year that grants of up to $500.00 each have been awarded. One is available each year to an OOWA member from the private sector (e.g. installer, engineer, supplier) and one from the public sector (e.g. educator, regulator, research scientist). The funds may be used for any type of training or conference related to the onsite wastewater field.
NOMINATIONS FOR OOWA BOARD OF DIRECTOR POSITIONS
We are soliciting nominations for Board of Director positions. Current terms for the following Directors will expire at the end of this year: Kenneth Evans, Wendy Hanna, George Hess, Nathan McConoughey, and Doug Ruehl. The five positions that will be open include three from the Private sector and two from the Public sector. The Directors will serve a three-year term from 2011 through 2013. If you are interested in serving on the Board click here for further information and a nomination form.
OOWA 2011 ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND TRADE SHOW
The 2011 OOWA Annual Conference and Trade Show will be held January 18-19, 2011 at the Ramada Plaza Hotel and Conference Center in Columbus, Ohio. Vendors will have their products in the Exhibit Hall Tuesday, January 18, beginning at 7:00 AM and the day will end with a reception from 4:30 PM to 7:00 PM.
NAWT FIFTH ANNUAL WASTE TREATMENT SYMPOSIUM
On September 15 and 16, 2010, the Fifth Annual Waste Treatment Symposium will be held at the home farm and facility owned and operated by Dave Hapchuk in Washington, PA. On the first day of the symposium, a classroom session will give participants an in-depth view of all the aspects needed to develop their own treatment facility. Case histories of operating facilities and other important information will be presented. Something new this year in the classroom will be a second, more advanced track of presentations for those who have operated facilities and have attended previous symposia. The classroom training, lunches, and social hour and dinner will be held at the Hapchuk home farm, 226 Rankin Rd, Washington, PA. Hotels are located 3 to 4 miles west in Washington. The Hapchuk site is a model example of what a septic company shop should look like. It is immaculate and functional. The field trip will be to Liquid Assets Disposal, Dave’s treatment facility in Wheeling, WV, about 40 minutes away. There will be special activities for lunches and the social gatherings in the evening!
Registration is only $275 per NAWT member ($375 for non-members) includes both the classroom presentation opportunity and the field demonstration. Lunch for two days and dinner on day one is also included. Register by phone at the NAWT office at (800) 236-6298 or the NAWT website at http://www.nawt.org/symp/2010symp.shtml.
NOWRA’s 19th ANNUAL TECHNICAL AND EDUCATION CONFERENCE
“Surface Discharge: Challenges and Solutions”
This year’s NOWRA Conference will be held October 25-27 at the Millennium Hotel in St. Louis, Missouri. In addition to education, you’ll be able to:
- Meet with dozens of manufacturers and suppliers in the tabletop Expo
- Participate in a field trip visiting several onsite systems-related facilities
- Connect with colleagues from all segments of the industry
CONTRACTOR UPDATE CONCERNING OHIO SEWAGE TREATMENT SYSTEMS
Sewage treatment systems in Ohio are regulated through state law, state rules, and in many cases more stringent local regulations adopted by local health districts. Chapter 3718 of the Ohio Revised Code (ORC) is the section of law that governs sewage treatment systems in Ohio. Section 3701-29 of the Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) is the section of state rules that governs sewage treatment systems. This information is being provided to update sewage treatment system contractors in Ohio concerning recent and upcoming changes to these sections of law and rule. Below is a list of three important dates and a description of the changes that will happen on each date.
July 1, 2010 – Sections of ORC 3718 Become Unsuspended
Amended Substitute House Bill 119 of the 127th General Assembly passed on July 1, 2007. The bill rescinded rules in effect at that time. When those rules were rescinded, the old statewide minimum rules, which had been in effect prior to January 1, 2007, were brought back and local health departments were able to adopt more stringent standards for their area. The bill also suspended several sections of law for two years while legislators met with interested parties to decide how it should be changed. This suspension was extended twice and then ended July 1, 2010. When the suspension ended several sections became available for local health districts for enforcement of state and more stringent local rules. These sections allow the prosecuting attorney to take legal action against any person who is violating the sewage treatment system law or conditions of a registration or permit, and the court may assess a civil penalty of up to $100.00 a day. The law also states persons who purposely violate the sewage law shall be fined up to $1,000.00 a day by the health department. A 25% late fee for sewage installer, service provider or septage hauler registrations, or permits is also established. Although the suspended sections of law were brought back, the rescinded rules are not. The current statewide minimum rules and more stringent local standards remain effective and will be used by local health departments.
September 17, 2010 - Provisions of Sub. Senate Bill 110 Become Effective
Substitute Senate Bill 110 was passed by the Ohio Senate and House of Representatives in June, 2010 and signed into law by Governor Strickland on June 18, 2010. This bill becomes effective September 17. On September 17 several sections of the sewage law will be changed. These changes include:
• Definitions for public health nuisance, bedrock, gray water recycling, infiltrative surface, soil, vertical separation distance, and water table, and inspection.
• Approval of sewage treatment systems that are not creating a public health nuisance
• The law requires that new statewide rules be drafted. These rules will be adopted after January 1, 2012.
• Applications for installation permits accepted prior to January 1, 2012 are valid for three years from the date of submission of a complete application and fee and are effective.
• An installation permit issued by a board of health prior to January 1, 2012 is valid through January 1, 2013 unless extended for six months by the board. Permits issued after January 1, 2012 will be valid for the period of time specified in the rules.
• Establishes the sewage treatment system appeals board as an alternative appeals process for those homeowners who want to appeal the decision of a board of health and do not want to go through the court of common pleas process.
No Sooner than January 1, 2012 – New Rules Adopted by the State of Ohio
Sub. SB 110 requires that new statewide rules be adopted and requires that these rules:
• Require a site evaluation for a proposed installation of a sewage treatment system.
• Allow for the progressive alteration or repair of a system to replace a failing system.
• Include specifications for vertical separation distances (VSD).
• Include reductions for required VSD (soil depth credits) including subsurface drains (perimeter, interceptor or engineered), pretreatment of sewage, and soil elevation.
• Allow local health districts to petition the Director to approve an increase in the VSD.
• Establish requirements for the reasonable maintenance of systems.
• Require statewide bonding for installers, service providers, and septage haulers as a condition of registration, and requires a cost methodology in rules to set the bond and local registration fee amounts.
• Require standards for the inspection of septage hauling tanks.
• Ensure that all types of septic and related tanks are structurally sound and watertight.
• Require boards of health to give notice and opportunity for a hearing regarding board of health actions.
Proposed Rule Development Process and Information Access by Stakeholders
The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) will participate in writing new rules and will spend as much time as needed to build support for the new rules. ODH will follow the law while writing the rules and:
• ODH will create a rule advisory committee with representation from a wide variety of stakeholders. ODH anticipates that contractors will be represented by multiple representatives from the Ohio Onsite Wastewater Association (OOWA). The rule advisory committee will meet at least monthly and smaller workgroups may be established to work on different rule sections.
• ODH hopes to offer participation and/or viewing of the committee meetings on the web or by conference calls.
• ODH hopes to establish a SharePoint website to facilitate an open and transparent rules development process. Stakeholders will be able to access the website via login and password. At the website you will be able to download and view draft rules, participate in discussion boards, access technical references, and view recorded rules advisory committee meetings. SharePoint users can set alerts to be notified when new information is posted on the website.
• The effective date of the rules will be established based on recommendations of the rule advisory committee to ensure adequate time for training of local health districts sanitarians, sewage installers, designers, service providers, septage haulers and soil scientists, and for implementation during the non-construction season.
Contact Information
Questions or comments regarding this guidance and the proposed rule development process should be directed to Residential Water and Sewage staff at:
Email: BEH@odh.ohio.gov
Mail: Ohio Department of Health
246 N. High St.
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: (614) 466-1390
Fax: (614) 466-4556
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