OSTDS Management: An overview of EPA management models, case studies, and financing options

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OSTDS Management An overview of EPA management
models, case studies, and financing options

• Jaime Boswell
• Environmental Scientist
• Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program

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What is an OSTDS (On-site Sewage Treatment and
Disposal System)?

• Conventional Septic Systems
• Aerobic Treatment Units
• Advanced Systems
• Cluster Systems

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Do we need management of OSTDS?

• 114,800 septic systems in Lee County
• Pre-1983 systems are not properly sited
• 8675 new systems in 2006
• Homeowners with little understanding of proper
  maintenance
• Sensitive Environment
• Increasing Nutrients
• Elevated Fecal Coliform

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OSTDS Management

• Incorporates plans for future
• Protects Human Health
• Protects Environmental Health
• Helps with groundwater recharge
• General cost savings compared to sewer expansion
  in low/medium density areas
• Can play a part in watershed management and
  nutrient reductions

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Are increasing nutrients and high bacteria counts
a result of septic systems?

• Sources are unknown
• sewer, animals, and other nutrient sources.
• Septic systems
• non-point source of pollution
• expensive and difficult to trace specific sources
  through monitoring.
• Septic systems require maintenance
• homeowners are not aware of proper system care
• Current LCHD practices for siting septic systems
  has significantly improved
• older systems may have high (undetected) failure
  rate.

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On-site systems can experience two types of
failure

• Operational Failure
• Wastewater is not removed from home
• Can affect families health and quality of life
  generally taken care of right away
• Functional Failure
• Wastewater is not properly treated prior to
  discharge
• Can affect communities health and water quality
  generally goes unnoticed by homeowner.

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EPA on OSTDS Management

• if a community chooses to utilize on-site
  technology to handle its wastewater, the public
  must be insured, via a sound management program,
  that all systems are operating and functioning
  properly .the public must be insured that their
  health and the environment are being protected
  via professional management of the systems, just
  as they receive the same protection in the use of
  a large central sewer system.

http//www.epa.gov/seahome/decent.html
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Is on-site playing a formal role in Lee County
Waste Water Management?

• Recent CDM report to SFWMD presumes sewer
  expansion to all Lee County Utilities service
  areas by 2050 is this realistic/cost-effective?
• Onsite systems are a viable, environmentally
  friendly, cost-effective, long-term solution if
  designed, sited, and maintained properly
• Low Medium density communities may benefit from
  a plan for OSTDS wastewater management

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EPA Voluntary National Guidelines for Management
of Onsite and Clustered Wastewater Treatment
Systems

• 5 Management Models
• Variable levels of involvement by homeowners,
  maintenance providers, and regulatory agencies
• Level of environment and public health protection
  increases with each level.
• Communities pick and choose components of each
  model to suit individual needs.

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Model 1 Homeowner Awareness

• Prescribed Criteria for Systems
• Homeowner Education
• Inventory of Systems
• Reminders of Maintenance Needs
• NO Compliance required

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Model 2 Maintenance Contracts

• Inventory of Systems
• Service Contracts
• Service Contract Tracking System
• NO built in compliance enforcement mechanism

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Model 3 Operating Permits

• Inventory of Systems
• Tracking System
• Performance and Monitoring Criteria
• Revocable/Renewable Permit
• Compliance is Enforceable
• In effect for commercial and advanced treatment
  systems in Florida

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Model 4 RME Operation Maintenance

• Maintenance and Operations are performed by a
  Responsible Management Entity (RME)
• Must be bonded, but can be public or private
• Ensures consistent performance and maintenance of
  on-site systems

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Model 5 RME Ownership

• Responsible Management Entities own, operate and
  maintain individual and cluster systems within
  specified service area.
• Provides greatest level of protection to the
  homeowner and to the environment
• Similar to central sewer management

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Case Studies

• 8 Case Studies
• Popn. 700 -
• Economic analysis of a hypothetical community
• Cost effective
• Less up front

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Charlotte County, FL(popn. 140,000 in 2000)

• Problem abundance of relatively small lots in
  areas with high water table and poor soil
  conditions
• 1988 State rejected countys comprehensive plan
  -gt water and sewer study
• Proposed sewer expansion to all service areas met
  extreme opposition due to cost and
  unsubstantiated need

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Charlotte County, FL

• Solutions
• Revised Comprehensive Plan in 1997
• Mini-expansions of sewer service
• Require aerobic systems on small lots and lots
  near surface water, or density reduction through
  purchase of double lots with conservation
  easement taxed for single lot
• Planned to develop septic system management plan
• Planned to develop water quality monitoring
  program
• County Ordinance approved Oct 6, 1998.

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Point of Sale Inspections

• Massachusetts
• New Mexico
• Minnesota
• Arizona
• Sedgwick County, KS
• Washtenaw County, MI
• Jefferson County, CO
• Boulder County, CO proposed
• www.septicsmart.org

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Greatest Challenge Obtaining Adequate Funding

• Sources of funding (survey from 60 agencies)
• 40 User and Other Fees
• 24 Property and Other Taxes
• 17 Operational Fees
• 12 Other funding (includes federal grants)
• 6 State Grants
• Section 319 Non-point Source Management Program
• Clean Water State Revolving Fund

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Solutions from other States

• PA uses state funds to provide low interest
  loans to homeowners for repairs
• TX fines from pollution violations go towards
  funding reduction programs
• MA
• Tax credit for homeowners that upgrade systems to
  meet state standards
• CWSRF scoring procedures allows for OSTDS
  management plans to be competitive
• WA allows CWSRF to fund counties with low
  interest loans that in turn provide low interest
  loans to individual homeowners for repairs

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Local OSTDS Workshop

• Participants generally agreed that a
  comprehensive mandatory maintenance program would
  be beneficial, keeping in mind the following
  critical aspects
• funding source (e.g., taxes, SRF, grants)
• disposal of septage waste (municipal treatment)
  sustainability
• mechanism of enforcement and education
• mechanism of intergovernmental coordination
• Continued research to ensure proper siting, for
  example in regards to sea level rise and wetlands
• In general pre-1983 systems are not meeting
  todays standards, and generally these older
  systems should be upgraded.
• point of sale inspections
• central sewer - more effective in some areas
• Should include this as part of BMAP for TMDLs

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Resources

• National Onsite Demonstration Program
• www.nodp.wvu.edu
• National Environmental Services System
• www.nesc.wvu.edu
• National Small Flows Clearing House
• www.nsfc.wvu.edu
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• www.epa.gov.owm/septic/
• Florida Onsite Wastewater Association
• www.fowaonsite.com