An Onsite Wastewater Treatment System Owner’s Manual

Management Model 1 - Homeowner Aware

This model covers appropriate management practices where treatment systems are owned and operated by an individual PROPERTY OWNER in areas of low environmental sensitivity and less dense development. This model is applicable where treatment technologies are limited to standard systems, which are passive and robust. Standard systems can provide acceptable treatment under suitable site and soil conditions with limited attention by the system OWNER. System MALFUNCTIONS that might occur and continue undetected for a time will pose a relatively low level of risk to public health and water resources.

The objectives of this management model are to ensure that all systems are sited, designed, and constructed in compliance with minimum construction standards and that system OWNERS are informed of the MAINTENANCE needs of their systems. The model is intended to raise homeowner’s awareness of basic system MAINTENANCE requirements and to better ensure that the homeowners attend to those deficiencies that threaten public health or water resources.

Management Model 2 - Maintenance Contract Required

This program specifies appropriate MANAGEMENT practices where more complex system designs are employed to enhance the capacity of the soils to accept and treat WASTEWATER or where small cluster systems are used. For example, pre-treating WASTEWATER to further reduce organic materials and suspended solids that typically pass through a septic tank may enhance subsurface infiltration system performance on marginal sites (sites with limited area, slowly permeable soils, or shallow water tables).

However, such pretreatment units can have mechanical components and sensitive treatment processes, which require routine observation and MAINTENANCE if they are to perform satisfactorily. MAINTENANCE of these more complex systems is critical to sustaining acceptable protection, especially in areas of greater environmental sensitivity. Therefore, these systems should be used only where trained SERVICE PROVIDERS are under contract to perform timely OPERATION and MAINTENANCE. This model builds upon the principles described in Model 1 as follows.

Management Model 3 - Maintenance Contract Required

This program is utilized where sustained performance of ONSITE WASTEWATER TREATMENT SYSTEMS is critical to protect public health and water quality. Examples of locations where this program might be appropriate include areas adjacent to lakes or streams where excessive nutrient concentrations may be a concern or situation where a source water assessment has identified onsite systems as potential threats to drinking water supplies. This model’s requirements ensure that the ONSITE WASTEWATER TREATMENT SYSTEMS continuously meet their performance criteria. Limited-term operating permits are issued to the PROPERTY OWNER and are renewable for another term if the OWNER demonstrates that the system is in compliance with the terms and conditions of the permit. In some areas where it is appropriate to use conventional onsite system designs, the operating permit may contain only a requirement that routine MAINTENANCE be performed in a timely manner and the condition of the system be inspected periodically.

With complex systems, the treatment process will require more frequent INSPECTIONS and adjustments, so process monitoring may be required. An advantage to implementing the program elements and activities of this MANAGEMENT PROGRAM is that the design of treatment systems is based on performance criteria that are less dependent on site characteristics and conditions. Therefore, systems can be used safely in more sensitive environments if their performance meets those requirements reliably and consistently. The operating permit provides a mechanism for continuous oversight of system performance and negotiating timely corrective actions or levying penalties if compliance with the permit is not maintained. This model builds upon the principles described in Models 1 and 2 as follows.

Management Models 4 and 5 - Responsible Management Entity

The RESPONSIBLE MANAGEMENT ENTITY (RME) models focus on large numbers of onsite and cluster systems that must meet specific water quality requirements because the density of the systems or the sensitivity of the environment is high. Frequent and highly reliable OPERATION and MAINTENANCE is required to ensure water resource protection. Issuing the operating permit to an RME instead of the PROPERTY OWNER provides greater assurance of control over performance compliance. This allows the use of performance based systems in more sensitive environments than Model 3.

For a service fee, an RME takes responsibility for the OPERATION and MAINTENANCE of the system. In the RME ownership model, they can provide a higher level of control because the RME directs planning and management as well as OPERATION and MAINTENANCE. These approaches can reduce the number of permits and the administration functions performed by the ADMINISTRATIVE AUTHORITY. System failures are also reduced as a result of routine and preventive MAINTENANCE. The operating permit system is similar to that of Model 3 except that the permittee is a public or private RME.