1. Texas AgriLife Extension Service
Introduction to Onsite Wastewater Treatment for Single Family Residences
I would like to welcome you to the Homeowner Maintenance training program. We will be discussing information that is important to you the homeowner that is essential to providing proper O&M for your onsite system.
The instructors for this program are … (provide your name and affiliation. Also describe some of your background experiences to develop some basis for the audience to accept you as an expert on this topic)
Now would also be a good time to identify sponsors for the program, distribute and discuss the agenda for the program, discuss how refreshments will be handled, meals will be handled, and identify the location of the restrooms.
Texas AgriLife Extension Service

2. Introduction Handouts Evaluation Manual Presentations
You are provided several resources to assist in covering this material. A training manual containing the operational checklists and text describing information contained on the checklists.
A copy of the presentations are also provided to assist in recording information discussed during the lecture.
You will receive an evaluation for this training that we will use to help improve this course in the future. (You may decide to hand out the evaluation at the beginning of the class so that the participants can write down any comments as the class takes place.)
An examination is being offered for …. (If an exam is being given, discuss how this will occur, who will be administering the exam, when will the exam be given, how long will they have to wait to receive the results, and how will they be able to retake the exam if they do not pass.)
We talked about every item in the packet and how to use them.

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.
In general, the O&M Homeowner Program was developed to give homeowners providing service to their onsite wastewater treatment system the training they need. O&M are critical in regards to keeping systems working.
The materials presented are approved by the TCEQ and meet many of the requirements of the training mandated by the legislature. This training should be supplemented with training specific to the homeowner’s individual system given by the system manufacturer or installer.

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.
The Homeowner Maintenance training program will not cover:
Detailed instruction on step by step maintenance of an entire onsite wastewater treatment system
The maintenance activities are discussed and an overview is provided in the section covering general procedures.
Repairs and Troubleshooting required specific knowledge and in-depth understanding of system operation. This course cannot achieve this goal.
To become completely trained in proper operation and maintenance (O&M), an individual must gain additional information on their particular product. This material can be obtained from the manufacturer’s web site, installer or service provider.

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.
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: Remember that you are working with wastewater and the hazards associated with it. There are confined spaces, pathogens and other dangers associated with the system.
Its not drinking water coming out of the system!
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?
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.
This gives the potential to maintain your own system. This does not apply to commercial or rental property.
Its important to remember that you are managing a wastewater treatment plant in your yard. It needs to be in compliance. Effluent is clarified wastewater and is present in a working system. Sewage is present in the yard of a malfunctioning system.

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.
TCEQ is the regulating entity for wastewater treatment systems in Texas. The main office is located in Austin with regional offices located around the State.
TCEQ Chapter 285, 5000 gallons per day or less: Onsite wastewater treatment systems
Local Health Department is usually the entity that handles permitting at the local level.
However some areas do not have an authorized agent and the TCEQ regional office handles permitting of OSSFs in these areas.
TCEQ Chapter 217, Greater than 5000 gallons per day: Centralized or municipal systems

8. Onsite Wastewater Treatment System
What is an Onsite Wastewater Treatment System?
When people are asked this question they often associate a Septic System as the green spot in the yard. This area is green because of the water and nutrients present in the effluent and being distributed in the lawn.

9. Malfunctioning Onsite System
This is a picture of a malfunctioning system. There is a blatant discharge of wastewater into the ditch. This wastewater is a public health and environmental health risk.

10. Malfunction Hard Malfunction Soft 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
What we mean by malfunction is that when I went out there and looked at it or to take care of it, it was not doing what it was supposed to be doing. This could be due to a nuisance or noncompliance with 30 TAC chapter 285.
A Hard Malfunction is a public health risk. The treatment system is not working. Example: no chlorine, wastewater on top of the ground.
Soft Malfunction: not an immediate public health risk. The system is still providing effective treatment but some component is not functioning like it is supposed to. Ex: Alarm not working
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.
When a system is a considered a nuisance is defined in the regulations. Specifically we can have three instances when a system is causing a nuisance:
1. 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;
2. 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
A residential onsite wastewater treatment system is a system at or near the residence that collects, treats and disperses wastewater generated at the home. Specifically, the treatment train will include a wastewater source, collection and storage, a pretreatment component and final treatment and dispersal.
Each of these four steps in the treatment process need to be checked as part of the O&M process. When these components are put together properly, and when all are functioning as they are intended, they achieve the goal of providing effective wastewater treatment.
This is not your typical definition of pretreatment. We are pre-treating the wastewater to where it can be handled by the soil. The soil is the final treatment process.

13. Wastewater source User Domestic Commercial Industrial
The wastewater source is the water from inside the facility. That is the homeowner with our residential systems, that are generating the wastewater that we are having to deal with. As a service provider, you usually wont be looking at the wastewater source, but the homeowner should be aware that anything they do in the home could end up affecting the system.

14. Collection Piping from facility with cleanout Blackwater Graywater 14
Collection is the piping from the facility. It may be the 4-inch pvc pipe that takes it from the building to the septic tank, which may be a short piece of pipe ten feet long with the clean up. The collection could also be holding tanks, it could be the quality or differentiation of the components of the graywater system, and dealing with the incineration toilet or composting toilet. 14

15. Collection Options Holding tanks Composting toilets
Incinerating toilets
The collection could also be holding tanks, it could be the quality or differentiation of the components of the graywater system, and dealing with the incineration toilet or composting toilet.

16. Pretreatment Septic tanks Aerobic treatment units Media filters
Constructed wetlands
Membrane bioreactors
Disinfection
The collection system then leads into some sort of pretreatment component. Examples of Pretreatment include septic tanks, ATUs, Media filters, constructed wetlands, membrane bioreactors, and disinfection. A treatment train may only have one pretreatment component or utilize multiple components.

17. Final Treatment and Dispersal Components
Trench and bed distribution
Evapotranspiration beds
Low pressure distribution trench
Drip field
Spray field
Examples of Final Treatment and Dispersal are trench and bed distribution, ET beds, low pressure distribution, drip field, spray field system. The quality of the water coming from the pretreatment system often influences the selection of final treatment and dispersal.

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
Guidelines used to choose the technology for a site and ensure performance:
Look at the source and determine the amount of flow and the waste stream.
What is the ability of the site to treat and accept the wastewater?
Once the source and the site conditions are known, the proper treatment and dispersal method can be selected.
Choose the appropriate pre treatment system.
Does the homeowner want the operation and maintenance associated with the system?

19. Roles with Septic System Management
Site evaluation
Design
Installation
Startup
Inspection
Operation
Maintenance
Monitoring
Pumping
There are many people involved in the management of a septic system. The next slides will define each of them.

20. Site Evaluator Site Evaluation
Comprehensive evaluation of soil and site conditions for a given land use.
Site evaluation is performed by a site evaluator. They evaluate a site and determine its ability to accept and treat wastewater.
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.
The designer is the one who determines the best option for the property owner. The system design is also based on the lifestyle of the property owner.

22. Installer Installation
The assembly and placement of components of a system, including final grading and establishment of an appropriate cover
The assembly and placement of components of a system, including final grading and establishment of an appropriate cover.
Installer 2: Advanced Systems
Installer 1: Conventional Systems
Installer

23. Installer & Manufacturer
Startup
The process of setting operational controls, verifying component function and documenting initial operating conditions of a system
Startup is the process of preparing the system for use. This is typically performed by the installer in conjunction with the manufacture guidelines.
Installer & Manufacturer

24. Designated Representative
Inspection
The evaluation of and reporting on the status of a wastewater treatment system
The inspector is the Designated Representative. They visit the site to inspect the installation, verifies its relation to planning materials, and the systems compliance within the rules. This is also your local permitting authority.
Designated Representative

25. Maintenance Provider/Technician
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?
Operation is checking it. For example, consider the septic tank. The operational step would be (a) make sure there's a septic tank, (b) measure the sludge and scum in the septic tank, (c) make sure that there are all the pieces there. So the actual activities of checking is operation. It involves evaluating every component in the system and assessing it’s functionality.
Operation starts after the system has been inspected.
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
Maintenance Provider/Technician

26. Maintenance Provider/Technician
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
Operation is the activities of checking, maintenance is then taking action to carryout routine activities to take care of the individual components.
In the septic tank example this would include making sure the effluent screen had been cleaned.
As far as the checklists that we will be giving you, these last two terms are going to be the most critical. The checklists will have the steps of checking operation and then the activities that are done as maintenance.
Texas’s definition of maintenance basically covers all activities with system management.
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.
Maintenance Provider/Technician

27. Maintenance Provider/Technician
Monitoring
The action of verifying performance for a regulatory authority or a manufacturer
The action of verifying performance for a regulatory authority or a manufacturer.
This is performed by either a maintenance provider or technician.
Maintenance Provider/Technician

28. Pumping
The action of removing septage from a wastewater treatment system component
Pumping is the action of removing septage from a wastewater treatment system component. Both aerobic and conventional systems need to be pumped. The truck operator often has the most interaction with system owners.
Pumper

29. Installer Repair Fixing a Problem
Is the action of fixing or replacing substandard or damaged components.
Required repairs
Recommended repairs
Upgrades
Repair actually encompasses fixing and upgrades. And the reason that we have repair as a separate item, is that repair might be something that you approve outside of the requirements.
Repair is not necessarily part of O&M. What is and is not repair may be covered by state codes. In some states, repairs require permits.
Example: A septic tank has a broken baffle. This is a required repair, because it needs to be fixed for the system to be acceptable. Adding a riser to access the system is a recommended repair. Adding an effluent screen would be an upgrade.
Texas’ definition of Repair – To replace any components of an OSSF in situations not included under emergency repairs according to § of this title (relating to Emergency Repairs), excluding maintenance. The replacement of tanks or drainfields is considered a repair and requires a permit for the entire OSSF system.
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
The main thing to look at there is preparing to keep the system functioning properly. As part of this, we are ensuring that systems that are supposed to provide a specific quality of water are achieving the required effluent quality. Service visits can also detect potential problems before the system becomes a public health hazard or detriment to the environment. A properly maintained system is a more reliable system. Overall, when the system is reliable, functioning properly, and is not causing problems for the homeowner, you will achieve customer satisfaction.

31. System Benefits Keep system functioning properly
Maintain effluent quality
Early detection of problems
Performance of operation and maintenance helps technologies function as they should. All technologies need operation and maintenance to keep them functioning properly.
The system components were selected to meet some type of requirement for effluent quality. Properly functioning systems should be meeting the effluent quality requirements.
The recording of information regarding operational status can help identify when items will need future maintenance. This may be moving into diagnostics but it will help people prepare for the future bills.
Early detection of problems warns consumers of upcoming costs.

32. Public Health Ascaris lumbricoides (roundworm) Hepatitis A Virus
Wastewater can contain disease causing Pathogens
Bacteria
Viruses
Parasites
Protozoa
Ascaris lumbricoides
(roundworm)
Plants, animals, and people all rely on water to sustain life. If water sources become polluted by wastewater, it will impact human and environmental health. Wastewater is a public health concern because it can contain disease causing bacteria and viruses. For the most part, the water from a residential onsite system is dispersed back into the same watershed that provides the source of drinking water for the residence. For this reason, these pathogens need to be removed before it reaches surface or ground water.
The goal is to protect public health.
Hepatitis A Virus 32

33. Environmental Protection
Treat contaminants before they reach Surface or Groundwater
Nutrients
Phosphorus
Nitrogen
Organic Loading
Pathogens
Fecal Coliforms
Changes in O&M requirements for onsite wastewater treatment systems are often heavily influenced by concerns for environmental protection. Contaminants of concern such as nutrient levels or organic matter must be removed from the wastewater before it returns to the watershed.
Bays and estuaries: Phosphorus affects the quality of fresh water, turns the water green
Nitrogen affects salt water quality
Organic loading depletes oxygen, and causes challenges for water

34. EPA Water Quality Programs
Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems
Non-point source of pollution
Total Maximum Daily Loads
Coastal Zone Management Program
The EPA has implemented many programs such as the Total Maximum Daily Load or Coastal Zone Management Program, both of which impact The onsite wastewater treatment industry since onsite systems all are considered a nonpoint source of pollution. The TMDL program relates to stream segments and CZMP applies to coastal water resources.
There is a TMDL for phosphorous on the Bosque River. This means the system needs to be operational. This is accomplished by inspections for all systems. CZMP is looking at a nitrogen requirement.

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
To keep these systems functioning properly we need to provide proper maintenance. Each individual component will require some sort of maintenance to ensure it is contributing to full treatment. Not only will a properly maintained system have improved performance, but maintenance will provide the potential for extending the life of the components and the system.
Car maintenance example: Do you have to change or add oil to your car? NO. But if you do not change or add oil, the maintenance cost will be excessive. Maintenance should extend the life and reduce costs.

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
A properly performing system is key to customer satisfaction. A satisfied customer tends to enjoy the property, the dissatisfied person tends to start complaining. They will tell anybody that will listen, they'll tell the permitting authority, they'll tell the state, they may even potentially look into legal options. And from the standpoint of the overall industry, if that dissatisfied customers complaining to the right entity may result in the on-site system no longer being a permanent part of the infrastructure in that particular area.
If system works, then onsite is the first choice. If they don’t work, then onsite is the last choice.
Texas population 20 million.
Permitted Systems: 97-current, 35,000-50,000 a year; 15,000-20,000 are not documented. 25,000 a year permitted.
254 Counties
176 counties are less than 40,000 population
450,000 ATU’s with spray. Close to 2 million people have ATU with spray. 5 to 10% is mad about ATU/service.

37. Water Quality Monitoring / Operation and Maintenance
Monitoring system performance
All systems require operation and maintenance
Frequency
Types of activities
Types of inputs
Taking care of the system is directly related to the activities that are involved and the frequency of operation.
The frequency is set by TCEQ, Health Department, product manufacture, or system designer.

38. System Cost Traditional Costs Additional 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
On conventional systems the tradition cost was installation and occasional pumping. Electricity and maintenance are added to the traditional cost of an aerobic system.
The aerobic treatment units, disinfection and spray field have many additional costs. These costs can be financial as well as enjoyment of the property. It is critical for people to consider all of the costs and not just the upfront costs for having a system.
There are many different options and payback periods. Because of the different on-going costs, some people may choose a system with a higher upfront cost that may have a lower O&M cost.

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.
OSSF are here to stay. We need technologies that take care of the environment and public health.

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
Selecting the appropriate system for the site is critical for long-term success.
If you do the maintenance you are going to save money in the long run.