Many homeowners rely on both a private well for water supply and a septic system for wastewater treatment. To ensure a clean and healthy water supply both systems need to function properly. The most likely source of contamination to a drinking water well is a nearby septic system failure, and typically, the nearest septic system is your own. If your home has a septic system of any type you are responsible for maintaining it. There are many different types of septic system designs. The most common type used for single family homes is a traditional septic system that consists of a single chamber septic tank and drain/leach field. The tank receives the toilet and drain waste water from the house and allows the solids to settle down to the bottom of the tank where the anaerobic bacteria that live in the tank digest the organic materials while the effluent (water around all that stuff) flows out to the leach field to be purified by passing through soil until it reaches the groundwater. Scum consisting of oil and grease floats on top of the water layer and can be pulled into the leach field limiting its effectiveness. The septic tank effluent water is either pumped or allowed to flow to a leach field where it percolates into the soil, which provides final treatment by removing harmful bacteria, viruses, and nutrients.
Suitable soil is necessary for successful wastewater treatment. The “percolation rate” is the rate at which water moves through soil. The acceptable rates are between one minute and one hour per inch of soil. Take either more or less time for the water to pass through your soil and the natural soil is unsuitable for treatment of the waste water. If the water moves too slowly through the soil the leach field will flood with contaminated, foul smelling water or the water will back up into the house. If the water moves too quickly thought the soil the water will not be adequately treated and contaminate nearby ground or surface water. Other types of septic systems are grouped together and called alternative on-site sewage systems, AOSS. One example of an AOSS is an aerobic system consists of a multi chamber tank or several tanks. After separation of solids in the first tank waste is forced through a filter into a second chamber or tank where air is pumped in to enhance aerobic bacteria which decomposes the organic material. The waste then flows into a third chamber or settling chamber which collects the bacteria and passes the liquid on to the leach field or drip field. Aerobic systems can remove more than 90% of the organic material and suspended solids within the tanks themselves, but require much more maintenance. Other type of AOSS include traditional septic tanks followed by treatment with tanks filled with peat, or sand mounds, or other soil absorption system that provide the secondary treatment.
In Virginia all AOSS are required to have a licensed operator maintain the system and be inspected at least annually. For more information on AOSS regulations and requirements see the Guidance Document from the Virginia Department of Health. Indoor water use in the typical single-family home is between 50-70 gallons per person per day. Septic systems are sized by bedrooms, which is an estimate of the number of people living in a home. However, even if the number of people living within your home is appropriate for the size of the septic system, you can still overload the system. Use too much water in a short period of time and the system will be overwhelmed. Each time the system is overwhelmed untreated sewage will leave the tank and begin to clog the leach field. If the amount of wastewater entering the system is chronically more than the system can handle, the wastewater containing raw sewage eventually backs up into the house or yard and creates a health hazard. By the time you can smell or see a problem, however, the damage to the leach field might already be done. Replacement of a leach field can run to the tens of thousands of dollars. So caring for your septic system not only cares for the earth but also cares for your wallet.
By limiting your water use and spreading out peak demands on the system you can reduce the amount of wastewater your system must treat. When you have your system inspected and pumped as needed, you reduce the chance of system failure. The US EPA’s Homeowner’s Guide to Septic Systems is a terrific basic guide to caring for and maintaining your septic system. Follow the Dos and Don’ts and your septic system may last for decades. Remember though, what goes into your septic system goes into the earth. Rethink the products you use to clean your house. Paint, solvents, gasoline, insecticides and poisons should never go down your drain. Every chemical you pour down your drain is buried in your yard. In a multitude of ways your yard is part of the earth’s yard. The functional lifetime of a traditional septic system is limited. The system is designed so that with proper maintenance it will last 20 to 30 years, under the best conditions. Many other factors can cause early failure of a septic system. Pipes blocked by roots, soils saturated by storm water, compacting of the drain field by parking vehicles or heavy objects on the top of the field, improper location, poor original design or poor installation can all lead to major problems. Septic systems and AOSS fail because they are abused, improperly maintained or just old. Remember that the entire functioning of a septic system is based on natural ecological cycles. It needs to be treated kindly and kept in balance. When a system is poorly maintained and not pumped out on a regular basis, sludge (solid material) builds up inside the septic tank, and then flows into the leach field, clogging it beyond repair. Excessive load from toilets, garbage disposal, putting grease, coffee grinds, kitty litter down the drain will shorten the life of and potentially overload the system.
Even with proper use and maintenance the system will wear out. Eventually, the soil around the leach field becomes clogged with organic material, forcing sewage upward into the yard or back into the house. Before that happens, however, there are warnings signs that you need to pay attention to.
Signs that a Septic System is Failing
1. Sewage backup in your drains or toilets. This is often seen as an unpleasant smelling black liquid.
2. Slow flushing of all or most of your toilets. Many of the drains in your house will drain much slower than usual, despite the use of plungers or drain cleaning products (which by the way should not be used with a septic system). Unfortunately, this is often gradual and goes unnoticed.
3. Liquid seeping along the surface of the ground in the back yard near the leach field. It may or may not have a noticeable odor associated with it. Lush green grass growing over the absorption field, even during dry weather or visual stripes in the grass texture and quality is often an indication that an excessive amount of liquid from your system is moving up through the soil, instead of downward, as it should. While some upward movement of liquid from the leach field is expected, too much could indicate major problems.
4. The presence of nitrates or bacteria in the drinking water well. This indicates that liquid from the system may be flowing into the well through the ground or over the surface. Annual water testing will indicate if you have this problem.
With alternative septic system assessing functionality is relatively simple for a qualified inspector (as required in Virginia). AOSS require maintenance to keep functioning properly and so AOSS regulations in Virginia require that these systems are installed with conservative horizontal set backs, are operated and maintained by a licensed operator, are sampled by a licensed operator every five years (with some older AOSS exempt from the sampling requirement), and an operating manual and records maintained on site. Remember that AOSS also need to have their primary tank pumped regularly and these expensive systems need to be treated with care.
Showing posts with label emergency septic regulations. Show all posts
Showing posts with label emergency septic regulations. Show all posts
Monday, April 18, 2011
Thursday, January 27, 2011
HB 2492 Proposes an Amendment to Alternative Septic and Homeowner Responsibilities
Timothy D. Hugo, member of the Virginia General Assembly for the 40th District (Centerville) has introduced a bill HB 2492 in the current session of the Virginia General Assembly: “Onsite sewage systems; certain owners may be exempt from requirements for operation and maintenance.”
This bill contains several provisions restricting the scope and applicability of the new Alternative Onsite Sewage System, AOSS, regulations and the recently implemented Emergency AOSS regulations. The bill would exempt AOSSs installed prior to January 1, 2010, with flows of less than 1,000 gallons per day serving a single-family, owner occupied dwelling from the requirements for the operation and maintenance of the system. In addition, the bill would prevent local autonomy in deciding if these systems can be installed and need to be maintained as recommended by the manufacturer, as currently required by the Department of Health in individual counties. By reducing the authority of the Department of Health and counties to require the maintenance of AOSSs this bill threatens drinking wells with contamination from other properties and is entirely counter to the provisions of the Virginia Watershed Implementation Plan and good stewardship.
Let’s look at how requiring operation and maintenance might protect public health and the environment. A real world example would be a geologically unfavorable groundwater rich location. The small development where I live is located within the northeast quadrant of the Culpeper basin in Prince William County. Groundwater flows under ambient pressure from Bull Run Mountain towards Bull Run, the river flowing west to east. The soils in our neighborhood are described by the USGS as Balls Bluff Siltstone with a gravel, sand and clay type bedding plane. (That is the technical name for the flat plane, edged orange red rocks that are everywhere you put a shovel.) In the siltstone bedding plane, the fractures within the rock run predominately north south. Thus while ground water flows generally speaking west to east, water or a contaminant that catches a fracture will carry the contaminant to drinking water depth in a north south pattern. Contaminants can enter the groundwater at these fractures and zigzag through the neighborhood. There is no natural attenuation in a fractured system. Any malfunctioning septic system, improper disposal, or spill on any property has the potential to impact the drinking water well of other residents to the south, southeast or east.
The alternative septic regulations require me and all my neighbors to properly operate and maintain our AOSSs. This will hopefully prevent the neighbor’s septic system from contaminating the drinking water wells in the neighborhood. (I already have an operation and maintenance contract and my septic alarms to an automatic dialer to the maintenance company and my e-mail.) A cracked septic tank, malfunctioning system, improper management of stables, dumping of chemicals down the drain or in the yard, all have the potential to impact large sections of the neighborhood and need to be diligently guarded against by all residents to protect or drinking water supply. Unfortunately, many homeowners are unaware of how septic systems work and what is necessary to maintain them. Their wish to be exempted from the septic regulations is so that they can ignore problems instead of taking appropriate responsibility for their systems without some sort regulations and enforcement. The proper operation and maintenance AOSS would serve to ensure the proper operation of these AOSSs and serve to protect neighboring properties and drinking water supplies from contamination.
The need to negotiate the best rates for AOSS contracts may offer the opportunity for the home owners to create a buying group and educate their neighbors. This could serve to protect all our drinking water. That remains to be seen; in the meantime I will be testing my water twice a year.
This bill contains several provisions restricting the scope and applicability of the new Alternative Onsite Sewage System, AOSS, regulations and the recently implemented Emergency AOSS regulations. The bill would exempt AOSSs installed prior to January 1, 2010, with flows of less than 1,000 gallons per day serving a single-family, owner occupied dwelling from the requirements for the operation and maintenance of the system. In addition, the bill would prevent local autonomy in deciding if these systems can be installed and need to be maintained as recommended by the manufacturer, as currently required by the Department of Health in individual counties. By reducing the authority of the Department of Health and counties to require the maintenance of AOSSs this bill threatens drinking wells with contamination from other properties and is entirely counter to the provisions of the Virginia Watershed Implementation Plan and good stewardship.
Let’s look at how requiring operation and maintenance might protect public health and the environment. A real world example would be a geologically unfavorable groundwater rich location. The small development where I live is located within the northeast quadrant of the Culpeper basin in Prince William County. Groundwater flows under ambient pressure from Bull Run Mountain towards Bull Run, the river flowing west to east. The soils in our neighborhood are described by the USGS as Balls Bluff Siltstone with a gravel, sand and clay type bedding plane. (That is the technical name for the flat plane, edged orange red rocks that are everywhere you put a shovel.) In the siltstone bedding plane, the fractures within the rock run predominately north south. Thus while ground water flows generally speaking west to east, water or a contaminant that catches a fracture will carry the contaminant to drinking water depth in a north south pattern. Contaminants can enter the groundwater at these fractures and zigzag through the neighborhood. There is no natural attenuation in a fractured system. Any malfunctioning septic system, improper disposal, or spill on any property has the potential to impact the drinking water well of other residents to the south, southeast or east.
The alternative septic regulations require me and all my neighbors to properly operate and maintain our AOSSs. This will hopefully prevent the neighbor’s septic system from contaminating the drinking water wells in the neighborhood. (I already have an operation and maintenance contract and my septic alarms to an automatic dialer to the maintenance company and my e-mail.) A cracked septic tank, malfunctioning system, improper management of stables, dumping of chemicals down the drain or in the yard, all have the potential to impact large sections of the neighborhood and need to be diligently guarded against by all residents to protect or drinking water supply. Unfortunately, many homeowners are unaware of how septic systems work and what is necessary to maintain them. Their wish to be exempted from the septic regulations is so that they can ignore problems instead of taking appropriate responsibility for their systems without some sort regulations and enforcement. The proper operation and maintenance AOSS would serve to ensure the proper operation of these AOSSs and serve to protect neighboring properties and drinking water supplies from contamination.
The need to negotiate the best rates for AOSS contracts may offer the opportunity for the home owners to create a buying group and educate their neighbors. This could serve to protect all our drinking water. That remains to be seen; in the meantime I will be testing my water twice a year.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
New Septic Regulations for Alternative Septic Systems in Virginia
The Emergency Alternative Onsite Sewage System (AOSS) Regulations published on November 16, 2009 by the Virginia Department of Health were approved by Governor McDonnell on April 6, 2010, and are now in effect.
The emergency regulations implement the 2007 legislation and require professional operators certified by DPOR to operate and maintain all alternative on site septic systems, AOSS, including those of single family homes in the Commonwealth of Virginia. While I object to routine sampling requirements for functioning single family AOSSs, and I feel there should be provisions within DPOR regulations for homeowners to become qualified to operate and maintain their own systems; overall I believe that these regulations are good and will ensure the proper functioning and operation of existing and future AOSSs in Virginia, The Emergency Alternative Onsite Sewage System Regulations despite their flaws will serve to protect the waters of the state and public health, and will set a higher standard of performance for these on site systems.
Single family homeowners with alternative systems need to comply with these new regulations. Every owner of an AOSS must hire a licensed operator to operate and maintain their system as evidenced by a contract. This portion of the regulations should ensure that these systems are properly operating and protecting the waters of the state. The other requirements of the regulations will all be handled by the licensed operator so the most important step is to hire a licensed, and qualified operator. Since there are no provisions in the regulation for a homeowner to become qualified to maintain their own system even homeowners who work for the Department of Health, are Professional Engineers or in other ways might be capable of and interested in operating or maintaining their own system, there is little a homeowner can do to reduce the costs associated with this regulation. Perhaps when the final regulations are developed they will be less burdensome for the single family homeowner and allow for a homeowner to become licensed to operate their own systems.
Effective July 1, 2009, Virginia law required that soil evaluators, installers, and operators of on site sewage systems must be licensed by the Board for Waterworks and Wastewater Works Operators and Onsite Sewage System Professionals at the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR). The new regulations require the same operation, maintenance, sampling, record keeping behavior in single family home owners as required of clustered systems of up to 39,999 gallons per day. These regulations require that for single family homes, in addition to being operated and maintained by a licensed operator, have samples and taken by a licensed operator every five years (or at the operator’s discretion after an incident) and analyzed at the homeowner’s expense and maintain an operating manual and records on site.
Here are the basics of the new regulations:
Owner responsibilities. The owner of an AOSS must:
Maintain a relationship with a licensed operator as evidenced by a contract.
Have the AOSS operated by a licensed operator;
Have a licensed operator visit the AOSS at the frequency outlined below;
Minimum Operator visit frequency for AOSS up to 1,000 gallons per day of average daily flow:
Initial Visit must take place within 180 calendar days of the issuance of the operation permit Regular Visit after Initial Visit -Every 12 Months
Have the licensed operator collect all samples required by the regulation and have the analysis performed by an accredited laboratory;
SAMPLING REQUIREMENTS FOR AOSS under 1,000 gallons per day :
1. The Flow must be Estimated (The basis for this estimation is unknown since the licensed operator is only on site one day a year unless there is an incident)
2. BOD and TSS- a Grab sample must be taken every 5 years
3. TRC, Contact Tank (if there is one)- a Grab sample must be taken every 5 years
4. Fecal Coliform- a Grab sample must be taken every 5 years
Keep a copy of the log provided by the operator on the property where the AOSS is located, make the log available to the Department of Health upon request, and make a reasonable effort to transfer the log to any future owner;
Keep a copy of the Operation and Maintenance Manual (O&M Manual) on the property where the AOSS is located, make the manual available to the Department of Health upon request, and make a reasonable effort to transfer the O&M Manual to any future owner. For existing systems they will have to have their licensed operator create an O&M Manual.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Commonwealth of Virginia HB 332 Alternative Onsite Sewage Systems-Improving the Emergency AOSS Regulations
On October 28, 2009 the Virginia Department of Health published their long awaited and needed Emergency Alternative Onsite Septic System, AOSS, regulations after public comment. The purpose of these regulations is to ensure that these more effective treatment systems are designed and installed appropriately and maintained in a manner to allow them to function properly to be protective of the environment and public health.
For single family homes the new Emergency AOSS regulations require that these tested and approved systems are installed with conservative horizontal set backs, are operated and maintained by a licensed operator, grab samples taken by a licensed operator every five years (and analyzed by an EPA certified laboratory), and an operating manual and records need to be maintained on site.
HB 332 maintains the essential point of the regulations that these effective AOSS are maintained in a manner that makes them function properly for the protection of the environment and public health. However, this bill prevents the Department of Health from requiring routine sampling and analysis of single family AOSS with flows of less than 1,000 gallons a day. The sampling required under the Emergency Regulations was without technical merit or standard protocol. The sampling was statistically invalid, and potentially counter productive to the safety of the system. Developing an effective sampling protocol is impossible because the end of treatment for many AOSS systems is below ground surface and above groundwater. A monitoring well would remain dry and incapable of being sampled. Even if there were a way to sample the effluent at the end of treatment, testing of a septic system operation at a single point in time every five years can be impacted by volume, load, temperature and humidity and is not representative of overall performance. Results from a single test taken every five years can be expected normally to vary from acceptable overall average results and so are statistically misleading and not representative of sound sampling methods.
HB 332 also creates a provision in the law allowing for a homeowner to become trained to operate their own system. This would minimize the burden on many homeowners who are currently fully capable of operating and maintaining their systems or who can be trained to do so and is more in keeping with Virginia’s history and traditions of individual responsibility and self-reliance. Self regulation is a proven and effective model that can work here. Also, HB 332 would allow all Professional Engineers, registered environmental health specialists/sanitarians, authorized onsite soil evaluator or wastewater works operators licensed in the Commonwealth of Virginia to operate and maintain their own single family AOSS without further training.
Finally, HB 332 requires all field technicians working for a licensed operator to be trained to an adequate level to properly maintain the AOSS. This is to prevent licensed operators from hiring untrained and unqualified workers to respond to mandated demand and creates a minimum level of knowledge necessary for anyone working on an AOSS to ensure that these systems are maintained according to manufacturers’ guidelines.
For single family homes the new Emergency AOSS regulations require that these tested and approved systems are installed with conservative horizontal set backs, are operated and maintained by a licensed operator, grab samples taken by a licensed operator every five years (and analyzed by an EPA certified laboratory), and an operating manual and records need to be maintained on site.
HB 332 maintains the essential point of the regulations that these effective AOSS are maintained in a manner that makes them function properly for the protection of the environment and public health. However, this bill prevents the Department of Health from requiring routine sampling and analysis of single family AOSS with flows of less than 1,000 gallons a day. The sampling required under the Emergency Regulations was without technical merit or standard protocol. The sampling was statistically invalid, and potentially counter productive to the safety of the system. Developing an effective sampling protocol is impossible because the end of treatment for many AOSS systems is below ground surface and above groundwater. A monitoring well would remain dry and incapable of being sampled. Even if there were a way to sample the effluent at the end of treatment, testing of a septic system operation at a single point in time every five years can be impacted by volume, load, temperature and humidity and is not representative of overall performance. Results from a single test taken every five years can be expected normally to vary from acceptable overall average results and so are statistically misleading and not representative of sound sampling methods.
HB 332 also creates a provision in the law allowing for a homeowner to become trained to operate their own system. This would minimize the burden on many homeowners who are currently fully capable of operating and maintaining their systems or who can be trained to do so and is more in keeping with Virginia’s history and traditions of individual responsibility and self-reliance. Self regulation is a proven and effective model that can work here. Also, HB 332 would allow all Professional Engineers, registered environmental health specialists/sanitarians, authorized onsite soil evaluator or wastewater works operators licensed in the Commonwealth of Virginia to operate and maintain their own single family AOSS without further training.
Finally, HB 332 requires all field technicians working for a licensed operator to be trained to an adequate level to properly maintain the AOSS. This is to prevent licensed operators from hiring untrained and unqualified workers to respond to mandated demand and creates a minimum level of knowledge necessary for anyone working on an AOSS to ensure that these systems are maintained according to manufacturers’ guidelines.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Commonwealth of Virginia HB 332 Alternative Onsite Sewage Systems; Routine Testing-Looking for Support
A new bill HB 332 Alternative onsite sewage systems; routine testing is being carried by Delegate Bob Marshall and is looking for support please contact your Virginia State General Assembly Delegate and Senator and urge them to support and or co-patron it. The bill is currently in House Health, Welfare and Institutions Committee. Let’s work together to get this change done to improve the Alternative Onsite Sewer System regulations. The summary of the bill is below, but the full text can be accessed at the Virginia General Assembly site.
Alternative onsite sewage systems; routine testing; who may test. Prohibits the Department of Health from requiring that owners of alternative onsite sewer systems with flows of less than or equal to 1,000 gallons per day and serving a single-family dwelling provide analyzed samples of effluent on a routine and recurring basis. The Board for Waterworks and Wastewater Works Operators and Onsite Sewage System Professionals must develop licensure for (i) employees or agents of licensed operators and (ii) owner-operators of an individual single-family dwelling that have demonstrated the competence and knowledge to operate, monitor, and maintain their own alternative onsite sewage system. Any professional engineer with a current license in the Commonwealth may elect to be deemed an owner-operator without the demonstration of further competence.
On October 28, 2009 the Virginia Department of Health published their Emergency Alternative Onsite Septic System, AOSS, regulations after public comment. The purpose of the regulations is to ensure that these more effective treatment systems are designed and installed appropriately and maintained in a manner to allow them to function properly to be protective of the environment and public health. The US EPA states in the “Volunteer National Guidelines for Management of Onsite and Clustered Treatment Systems” that improper design, construction, installation, operation and/or maintenance are the source of onsite waste treatment failures. The EPA estimates that 29-30% of Virginia households have septic systems and that 8% of theses systems are AOSS.
For single family homes the new Emergency AOSS regulations require that these systems are installed with conservative horizontal set backs, are operated and maintained by a licensed operator, grab samples taken by a licensed operator every five years (and analyzed by an EPA certified laboratory), and an operating manual and records need to be maintained on site. The HB 332 maintains the essential point of the regulations that these effective AOSS are maintained in a manner that makes them function properly for the protection of the environment and public health. However, the bill prevents the Department of Health from requiring routine sampling and analysis of single family AOSS with flows of less than 1,000 gallons a day. The sampling required under the Emergency Regulations was without technical merit or standard protocol. Developing an effective sampling protocol is impossible because the end of treatment for many AOSS systems is below ground surface and above groundwater. A monitoring well would remain dry and incapable of being sampled. Even if there were a way to sample the effluent at the end of treatment, testing of a septic system operation at a single point in time can be impacted by volume, load, temperature and humidity and is not representative of overall performance. Results from a single test can be expected normally to vary from acceptable overall average results and so are statistically misleading and not representative of sound sampling methods.
The bill also creates a provision in the law allowing for a homeowner to become trained to operate their own system. This would minimize the burden on many homeowners who are currently fully capable of operating and maintaining their systems or who can be trained to do so and is more in keeping with Virginia’s history and traditions of individual responsibility and self-reliance. Self regulation is a proven and effective model that can work here. Also, HB 332 would allow all Professional Engineers licensed in the Commonwealth of Virginia to operate and maintain their own single family AOSS without further training. Finally, the bill requires all field technicians working for as licensed operator to be trained to an adequate level to properly maintain the AOSS. This is to prevent licensed operators from hiring untrained and unqualified workers to respond to mandated demand and creates a level of knowledge necessary for anyone working on an AOSS.
Alternative onsite sewage systems; routine testing; who may test. Prohibits the Department of Health from requiring that owners of alternative onsite sewer systems with flows of less than or equal to 1,000 gallons per day and serving a single-family dwelling provide analyzed samples of effluent on a routine and recurring basis. The Board for Waterworks and Wastewater Works Operators and Onsite Sewage System Professionals must develop licensure for (i) employees or agents of licensed operators and (ii) owner-operators of an individual single-family dwelling that have demonstrated the competence and knowledge to operate, monitor, and maintain their own alternative onsite sewage system. Any professional engineer with a current license in the Commonwealth may elect to be deemed an owner-operator without the demonstration of further competence.
On October 28, 2009 the Virginia Department of Health published their Emergency Alternative Onsite Septic System, AOSS, regulations after public comment. The purpose of the regulations is to ensure that these more effective treatment systems are designed and installed appropriately and maintained in a manner to allow them to function properly to be protective of the environment and public health. The US EPA states in the “Volunteer National Guidelines for Management of Onsite and Clustered Treatment Systems” that improper design, construction, installation, operation and/or maintenance are the source of onsite waste treatment failures. The EPA estimates that 29-30% of Virginia households have septic systems and that 8% of theses systems are AOSS.
For single family homes the new Emergency AOSS regulations require that these systems are installed with conservative horizontal set backs, are operated and maintained by a licensed operator, grab samples taken by a licensed operator every five years (and analyzed by an EPA certified laboratory), and an operating manual and records need to be maintained on site. The HB 332 maintains the essential point of the regulations that these effective AOSS are maintained in a manner that makes them function properly for the protection of the environment and public health. However, the bill prevents the Department of Health from requiring routine sampling and analysis of single family AOSS with flows of less than 1,000 gallons a day. The sampling required under the Emergency Regulations was without technical merit or standard protocol. Developing an effective sampling protocol is impossible because the end of treatment for many AOSS systems is below ground surface and above groundwater. A monitoring well would remain dry and incapable of being sampled. Even if there were a way to sample the effluent at the end of treatment, testing of a septic system operation at a single point in time can be impacted by volume, load, temperature and humidity and is not representative of overall performance. Results from a single test can be expected normally to vary from acceptable overall average results and so are statistically misleading and not representative of sound sampling methods.
The bill also creates a provision in the law allowing for a homeowner to become trained to operate their own system. This would minimize the burden on many homeowners who are currently fully capable of operating and maintaining their systems or who can be trained to do so and is more in keeping with Virginia’s history and traditions of individual responsibility and self-reliance. Self regulation is a proven and effective model that can work here. Also, HB 332 would allow all Professional Engineers licensed in the Commonwealth of Virginia to operate and maintain their own single family AOSS without further training. Finally, the bill requires all field technicians working for as licensed operator to be trained to an adequate level to properly maintain the AOSS. This is to prevent licensed operators from hiring untrained and unqualified workers to respond to mandated demand and creates a level of knowledge necessary for anyone working on an AOSS.
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