Model for success in on-site wastewater management. (Guest Commentary).Management of water on site is one approach to providing comprehensive wastewater treatment services. Figure 1 illustrates the basic differences between on-site wastewater management and conventional sewer SEWER. Properly a trench artificially made for the purpose of carrying water into the sea, river, or some other place of reception. Public sewers are, in general, made at the public expense. Crabb, R. P. Sec. 113. service with wastewater treatment. Both approaches have treatment systems, though they use different technologies, and both rely on operators to ensure that the systems work well enough to protect the public health and the environment. The methods differ in that the conventional approach discharges to a stream whereas on-site wastewater management allows for "zero" discharge of pollutants pollutants see environmental pollution. to streams. In conventional sewer systems Noun 1. sewer system - facility consisting of a system of sewers for carrying off liquid and solid sewage sewage system, sewage works facility, installation - a building or place that provides a particular service or is used for a particular industry; "the with wastewater treatment, the sewers are the most expensive portion of the system (Figure 2). Many authors have extolled the benefits of on-site wastewater management in reducing costs, protecting the environment, and enhancing rural development (Winneberger & Burgel, 1977; Office of Technology Transfer, 1977; Comptroller General of the United States The Comptroller General of the United States is the director of the Government Accountability Office (GAO, formerly known as the General Accounting Office), a legislative branch agency founded by Congress in 1921 to ensure the accountability of the federal government. , 1978; Krishnan, 1979; Otis, 1977; Lenning & Hermanson, 1977; Humenik, 1979). A report by the Comptroller General of the United States (1978) points out many of the public policies and attitudes that limit the application of this money-saving concept. Instead of focusing on the obstacles, this paper will examine the successes and present a model for successful on-site wastewater management. The model was developed out of input from a panel of experts and an examination of four long-term management entities: * Lake Panorama, Panora, Iowa--established in 1980; * Crystal Lakes Crystal Lakes is the name of two places in the United States:
* Auburn Auburn (ô`bərn). 1 City (1990 pop. 33,830), Lee co., E Ala.; inc. 1839. The city's economy centers around Auburn Univ.; there is some manufacturing. 2 City (1990 pop. 24,309), seat of Androscoggin co. Lake Trails, Cool, California--established in 1985; and * Stinson Beach, Stinson Beach California--established in 1978. The model shows that successful on-site wastewater management occurs over two phases. The first phase forms the management program, and the second phase sustains the program. Each phase requires special considerations, resources, and even personalities. Phase 1: Forming a Successful On-Site Wastewater Management Program Resource Protection Protection of natural resources is a major motivation for managing on-site wastewater treatment systems. "Keep the lake clean!" is a goal expressed by the Lake Panorama management district leadership, its staff, and everyone in the community Preserving a rural lifestyle may also be an important consideration. On-site wastewater management programs have been adopted as a way to protect natural resources, in balance with the rural nature of the community. Statements like "It is hoped that the rural atmosphere and the individualistic in·di·vid·u·al·ist n. 1. One that asserts individuality by independence of thought and action. 2. An advocate of individualism. in character of the village can be preserved" (Stinson Beach Planning Group, 1975) illustrate the importance of rural character to the residents. Strategic- and Empathic-Thinking Leaders It is easy to find mission statements for each successful management program. For example, the Lake Panorama Onsite Wastewater Management District (1981) placed the statement "to extend the useful life of all existing on-site wastewater treatment systems within the district without causing undue cost or hardship to the owner" on the first page of its program's rules and regulations. The leaders of newly formed management programs have been more than just strategic; they also have been sensitive to the feelings and concerns of the property owners in the community Leadership's empathy empathy Ability to imagine oneself in another's place and understand the other's feelings, desires, ideas, and actions. The empathic actor or singer is one who genuinely feels the part he or she is performing. with community residents is evident in statements like "We're taking a slow progression--too fast a change gets people upset" or "We do a lot of the worrying for them." Creativity in Searching for Appropriate, Existing Legal Authority Instead of claiming they could not act because they did not have the authority, leaders identified what was needed and found a possible solution. In Guthrie County, for example, a county ordinance A law, statute, or regulation enacted by a Municipal Corporation. An ordinance is a law passed by a municipal government. A municipality, such as a city, town, village, or borough, is a political subdivision of a state within which a municipal corporation has been was passed (Guthrie County Board of Supervisors The examples and perspective in this article or section may represent an unduly geographically limited view of the subject. Please [ improve this article] or discuss the issue on the talk page. The Board of Supervisors is the body governing counties in the U.S. , 1980) under existing county powers to establish a special-purpose management district. In Crystal Lakes, septic septic /sep·tic/ (sep´tik) pertaining to sepsis. sep·tic adj. 1. Of, relating to, having the nature of, or affected by sepsis. 2. systems are being managed as a part of a water augmentation AUGMENTATION, old English law. The name of a court erected by Henry VIII., which was invested with the power of determining suits and controversies relating to monasteries and abbey lands. plan developed under state water law (Water Division No. 1, 1983). On-site wastewater management formed the basis for settlement of a lawsuit brought by homeowners against the developer at Auburn Lake Trails (Cunningham, 1996), and a resolution from the Regional Water Quality Control Board allowed for management of septic systems at Stinson Beach (Stinson Beach County Water District, 1982). Communication with Residents Successful management entities use various forms of communication. Each management entity has a property-owner board to help shape and direct the programs. While public participation in board meetings is minimal the meeting minutes are printed in local newspapers or newsletters. News articles, letters to property owners, brochures, postings on community bulletin boards, and videos on local access cable all are used to communicate with residents. Phase 2. Sustaining a Successful On-Site Wastewater Management Program Once a successful program has been developed, the day-to-day tasks of keeping on-site wastewater treatment systems operating becomes the focus of successful management entities. Not surprisingly, this phase involves a different set of elements and even a different group of stakeholders Stakeholders All parties that have an interest, financial or otherwise, in a firm-stockholders, creditors, bondholders, employees, customers, management, the community, and the government. than were involved in forming the management program. Four elements, discussed in the subsections below, have emerged from the expert panel and studies of successful management entities. Creative Problem Solving Creative problem solving is the mental process of creating a solution to a problem. It is a special form of problem solving in which the solution is independently created rather than learned with assistance. Creative problem solving requires more than just knowledge and thinking. Inspectors interact one-on-one with homeowners concerning property and landscaping. Advances in technology and changes in lifestyle over the years present inspectors with a wide range of systems, from brand new to over 20 years old. Auburn Lake Trails, as an example, hired a soil scientist to conduct a detailed community assessment, develop a map, and make system recommendations appropriate for the community Using this information, the developer "redrew" lot lines so that every lot could be served by an on-site system. Homeowner-association design committees also contribute by working closely with the staff of the on-site wastewater management program to ensure that buildings, fences, decks, and landscape changes do not damage septic systems. Strategic- and Empathic-Thinking Staff Inspectors hired by successful on-site wastewater management programs are from the area so that they can more easily identify with residents. Inspectors also have a strong interest in protecting natural resources in the community. For example, Crystal Lakes' new inspector is described as "a long-time resident ... [with a] unique combination of skills and experience ... [in] construction, budgeting, planning and personnel management, developed over a highly successful career with the Department of Defense ... [who] has shown a strong commitment to the area" ("Dick Rosencrans Selected," 1988). Dependable Financing Dependable and adequate financing is an important element of successful management programs. In the programs studied, current financing appears to be adequate, and none of the management entities expressed concern about future financing. Since the communities depend in part on on-site wastewater management to protect their rural lifestyle and property values, and since the costs have not been excessive when compared with those of a conventional sewer system, continued financial support seems likely Table 1 summarizes the current costs and sources of support. Keeping Useful Records Records are kept and updated for every managed on-site system. Inspectors and management review records and use them to schedule inspections, follow up on repairs, and identify trends in system operation. Summary reports are presented to boards and regulators. Using the Model Much can be learned from visiting a community where on-site wastewater treatment systems are managed. Although climate, geology geology, science of the earth's history, composition, and structure, and the associated processes. It draws upon chemistry, biology, physics, astronomy, and mathematics (notably statistics) for support of its formulations. , soil characteristics, wastewater treatment technology, political jurisdictions, and laws are all unique to each community, the concepts are similar. The model presented here recognizes two distinct yet interlinked phases, with four elements in each phase. It can serve as a framework for gathering information and insights, and as a guide for the formation of action plans in communities that want to establish a management entity In addition, it can be used to help diagnose diagnose /di·ag·nose/ (di´ag-nos) to identify or recognize a disease. di·ag·nose v. 1. To distinguish or identify a disease by diagnosis. 2. problems with a struggling management entity so that resources can be focused to strengthen a missing element. In all these ways, the model is intended as a tool for communities who wish to protect the public health and the environment without constructing sewers. The success of the communities discussed here--and others--in providing ongoing maintenance and management of on-site wastewater systems shows that onsite systems can work well for decades with no discharge of pollutants to streams.
FIGURE 2
Relative Cost of Conventional Wastewater Treatment System Components
(Smith & Eilers, 1970)
Overhead 60%
Operation & Maintenance 14%
Plant 15%
Sewers 60%
Note: Table made from pie chart
TABLE 1
Financial Arrangements for On-Site Wasterwater Management Entities
Lake Panorama
No. of systems 693
Major system types Septic systems,
septic-tank-effluent sewer
system
Inspection frequency 1 per year/full time,
1 every 2 year/part time,
Other services --
Property owner pays On site, no assessement;
septic-tank-effluent sewer
system, $365/year
Other support sources County Board of Supervisors
Overall cost per house [approximately equal to]$30
per year
Crystal Lake
No. of systems 713
Major system types Holding tanks,
septic systems,
cluster soil absorption system
Inspection frequency As requested
Other services Pumping service,
groundwater testing
Property owner pays $117/year developed lots;
$59/year undeveloped;
$75 per pumpout
Other support sources --
Overall cost per house [approximately equal to]$100
per year
Auburn Lake Trails
No. of systems 767
Major system types Septic systems,
mound systems,
cluster soil absorption system
Inspection frequency 1 per year/septic,
2 per year/mound
Other services Flushing laterals,
minor repairs,
ground- and surface-water
testing
Property owner pays On-site system, $150/year
developed lot,
$75/year undeveloped;
cluster system,
$273/year developed lot,
$111/year undeveloped
Other support sources Design & permit fees
Overall cost per house [approximately equal to]$260
per year
Stinson Beach
No. of systems 685
Major system types Sand filters,
septic system
Inspection frequency From 6 months to 3 years
Other services Ground- and surface-water
testing
Property owner pays $340 per year
Other support sources Design & permit fees
Overall cost per house [approximately equal to]$390
per year
Acknowledgements: Project support was provided by the Ohio State University Ohio State University, main campus at Columbus; land-grant and state supported; coeducational; chartered 1870, opened 1873 as Ohio Agricultural and Mechanical College, renamed 1878. There are also campuses at Lima, Mansfield, Marion, and Newark. Extension and the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) is the research institution of the Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences. . Additional support was provided through a grant from the National Onsite Demonstration Program at West Virginia University West Virginia University, mainly at Morgantown; coeducational; land-grant and state supported; est. and opened 1867 as an agricultural college, renamed 1868. . The author gratefully acknowledges the input of the expert panel members: Paul Chase
REFERENCES Comptroller General Noun 1. Comptroller General - a United States federal official who supervises expenditures and settles claims against the government functionary, official - a worker who holds or is invested with an office of the U.S. (1978). Community-managed septic systems--A viable alternative to sewage treatment Sewage treatment Unit processes used to separate, modify, remove, and destroy objectionable, hazardous, and pathogenic substances carried by wastewater in solution or suspension in order to render the water fit and safe for intended uses. plants. Washington, DC: General Accounting Office. Cunningham, C. (1996). Twenty-five years. Cool, CA: Trail Views, Auburn Lake Trails. Dick Rosencrans selected as new manager. (1988, February). Crystal Gazer 3(7), 3. Guthrie County Board of Supervisors. (1980). Guthrie County Ordinance No. 2, Lake Panorama On-site Management District Ordinance. Guthrie Center, IA: Guthrie County Auditor's Office. Humenik, F.J. (1979). Waste management and countryside engineering (Rep. No. 79-2583.). St. Joseph, MI: American Society of Agricultural Engineers. Krishnan, S.B. (1979). An approach to concept and design of wastewater treatment facilities for rural and semirural sem·i·ru·ral adj. Having both rural and urban characteristics: a semirural town; a semirural environment; a semirural way of life. communities and fringe areas fringe area n. A zone just outside of the range of a broadcasting station in which signals are weakened and distorted. of cities. Individual onsite wastewater systems. Proceedings of the fifth national conference, National Sanitation sanitation: see plumbing; sanitary science. Foundation, October 1978, Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, city (1990 pop. 109,592), seat of Washtenaw co., S Mich., on the Huron River; inc. 1851. It is a research and educational center, with a large number of government and industrial research and development firms, many in high-technology fields such as Michigan, 5, 69-74. Lake Panorama Onsite Wastewater Management District. (1981). Rules and regulations. Guthrie Center, IA: Guthrie County Health Department. Lenning, DA., & Hermanson, R.E. (1977). Management guidelines guidelines, n.pl a set of standards, criteria, or specifications to be used or followed in the performance of certain tasks. for onsite sewage systems sewage system Collection of pipes and mains, treatment works, and discharge lines (sewers) for the wastewater of a community. Early civilizations often built drainage systems in urban areas to handle storm runoff. . Proceedings of the second National Home Sewage Treatment Symposium symposium In ancient Greece, an aristocratic banquet at which men met to discuss philosophical and political issues and recite poetry. It began as a warrior feast. Rooms were designed specifically for the proceedings. , American Society of Agricultural Engineers, December 1977, Chicago, Illinois, 2, 236-242. Mancl, K. (2000). Onsite wastewater management (Rep. No. AEX-750). Columbus, OH: Ohio State University Extension. Office of Technology Transfer. (1977). Alternatives for small wastewater treatment systems--Onsite disposal/septage treatment and disposal. Washington, DC: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), independent agency of the U.S. government, with headquarters in Washington, D.C. It was established in 1970 to reduce and control air and water pollution, noise pollution, and radiation and to ensure the safe handling and . Otis, R.J. (1977). Onsite wastewater facilities for small communities and subdivisions. Individual onsite wastewater systems. Proceedings of the third national conference, National Sanitation Foundation, October 1976, Ann Arbor, Michigan  “Ann Arbor” redirects here. For other uses, see Ann Arbor (disambiguation). Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. , 3, 245-275. Smith, R., & Eilers, R.G. (1970). Cost to the consumer for collection and treatment of wastewater, Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Advanced Waste Treatment Research Laboratory. Stinson Beach County Water District. (1982). Report on the Stinson Beach Onsite Wastewater Management District. Sacramento, CA: State Water Resources Control Board. Stinson Beach Planning Group. (1975). Stinson Beach community plan. San Rafael San Rafael (săn rəfĕl`), residential city (1990 pop. 48,404), seat of Marin co., W Calif., a suburb of San Francisco on the northern shore of San Francisco Bay; inc. 1913. , CA: Marin County Planning Department. Water Division No. 1. (1983). Application of Crystal Lakes Development Co. amended a·mend v. a·mend·ed, a·mend·ing, a·mends v.tr. 1. To change for the better; improve: amended the earlier proposal so as to make it more comprehensive. 2. combined plans for augmentation. Fort Collins, CO: Larimer County Recorder County Recorder may mean any of the following, in the context of a county:
Winneberger, J.T., & Burgel, J.A. (1977). Onsite wastewater management districts (Onsite Waste Management, Vol. VI). Findlay, OH: Hancor, Inc. Corresponding Author: Karen Mancl, M.S., Ph.D., Professor of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Ohio State University, 590 Woody Hayes Wayne Woodrow “Woody” Hayes (February 14, 1913 – March 12, 1987) was a college football coach who is best remembered for his 28-year tenure at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, from 1951-1978. Dr., Columbus, OH 43210-1057. E-mail: <mancl.1@osu.edu>. |
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