Technical Advisory Council

for

Onsite Wastewater Treatment

October 26, 2004

 

Meeting held, October 26, 2004 at Michigan State University, Agronomy Farm.

 

Members and alternates present:   Ted Loudon, Ron Lindsay, Bob Deatrick, Dan Stock, Wayne Kukuk, Ric Falardeau, Tony Drautz, Larry Stephens, Chuck Cousino, and Regina Young.

 

Guests present:   None 

 

Meeting called to order by Chuck Cousino, Chairman.

 

Motion by Dan Stock, support by Ric Falardeau, that the minutes of the September 8th, 2004 meeting be approved as distributed, with mention to be made under the section on “Guidance Document for Local Units of Government” that Regina will put together a list of her concerns regarding items that need to be addressed.  Motion carried.

 

 

OLD BUSINESS

 

Filter Fabric and Commercial Flow Study --- Ted has made no progress on these issues.  He will be around more in the next month and may be able to tackle these items.

 

Wisconsin Website Access – Approved Product Listings --- Ric will generate directions that should allow the user to navigate the site much easier.

 

Concrete Septic Tank Manufacturer’s Association --- Dan could not make it to today’s meeting, but sent word that the new board was to meet on Nov. 19th, and they will be sending notices to the general membership regarding the first annual meeting to be held in conjunction with the Annual Wastewater Conference in January.  At the meeting they will chart a course for the future and establish a performance standards committee.  TAC members discussed how the regulatory agencies could lend support and ultimately adopt the standards that are established by the C.T.M.A.  We would like to encourage such a group that has stepped up and made the effort to advance their sector of the onsite industry, and need to make sure the playing field is level if standards are established.  Tony will solicit feedback from MALEHA on this item.

 

Statewide Code Taskgroup --- Ric, Larry and Chuck --- Ric updated TAC members on the work of the taskgroup that has now completed the White Paper on the issues concerning the development of a statewide code for onsite wastewater treatment.  The taskgroup is now done with that effort, and the White Paper is posted on the DEQ Website.  DEQ will now be drafting some proposed legislation to be introduced in next year’s legislature.

 

Update of the Regulatory Structure Document --- Ric will update the document for the next meeting to add information on the new fees.  Regina questioned whether it is necessary or wise to even address fees in a TAC publication.  Regina moved that the TAC just put a reference in the Regulatory Structure document with information as to where information on permit fees can be found. Support by Ted.  Motion carried.

 

Training Center Update --- Ted indicated the design course and a soils course scheduled this month had to be cancelled for lack of registrants.  He doesn’t know what the registrations are for the systems maintenance course scheduled for November.  And a course in system inspections and evaluation is to be held in a few days. 

 

Cluster Systems Flow --- Larry presented a methodology for computing expected flows to be used in cluster system design and permitting.  This is part of the follow-up task the TAC planned as part of the Residential Flow Study previously prepared and published.  This will be further researched and discussed at future meetings.

 

 

NEW BUSINESS

 

New Septage Legislation --- HB 5771 (recently passed and became Act 381 of 2004) ---  Will require training of septic tank pumpers.  DEQ is still in the process of formulating the training required.  Discussion that followed raised the question of how the Training Center might be used in this effort.  Ted will consider what might be put together for a course for pumpers.

 

Community Wastewater Systems --- Regina went over a list of issues with regard to the proliferation of proposed cluster wastewater treatment systems.  After much discussion about the need for additional guidance for cluster and community systems, it was decided that Ric will do some checking and get back to us on this. 

 

Iron Bacteria following Sand Filter --- Chuck and Ron ask the TAC members for ideas with regard to a problem they have observed with iron bacteria growth in the pump basin following a sand filter. 

 

Meeting adjourned at 12:50 PM.

 

 

NEXT MEETING

 

Next Meeting – December 13 or 15, 2004 (Chuck will check with others and confirm by email).

 

Location --- To be announced.

 

FUTURE MEETING DATES

 

To be announced.

           

 

                                                                                    _________________________________

                                                                                    Larry D. Stephens, P.E., Sec.