Connecticut Soils Training Workshop

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Connecticut Soils Training Workshop

• Amanda Clark, R.S.
• Environmental Analyst 3
• CT Department of Public Health

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Getting started Regulatory Responsibility

• Conventional SSDS 5000GPD or less
• Local director of health
• Permitting
• Site investigation
• Assure accuracy of testing
• Percolation tests
• Deep test pits
• Plan approval (2000-5000 DPH approval)
• Inspections
• As-built review
• Final permit to discharge

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Getting Started Access Current Training

• Mandatory training offered by CT DPH
• Phase 1 Subsurface Sewage Disposal
• Investigate
• Inspect
• Review installer plans
• Standardize code interpretation
• Phase 2
• Review and approve engineered designed plans
• Minimum 1 year field experience inspecting and
  investigating SSDS for a local health department

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Getting Started Access Current Training

• Phase 1 and 2
• 8 classroom days
• Lecture style training
• Memorization of code requirements
• Design and construction of a SSDS
• Scientific concepts
• Investigations and inspections
• No field training associated with certification

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Getting Started Access Current Training

• Local health departments
• Field train newly certified individuals
• RS supervisors for inspections and investigations
  until proficient
• The problem
• Shortage of qualified staff
• Increasing number demands on the locals
• Site evaluations not standardized across CT
• Insufficient field training prior to inspection
  and assuring accuracy of soil testing.

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Why Soils Training?

• Accurate site and soil evaluation is a key
  component in siting a SSDS
• Wrong location, size, type, inadequate protection
  of public health and the environment
• System failure
• Big picture of property
• how property responds to hydraulic loads
• Identifying restrictive layers

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Why Soils Training?

• Natural soil vs. fill
• Whats the big deal?
• Down gradient soils
• Where will the sewage go?
• Wet season testing
• Why is it important?
• Additional testing requests
• sieve tests, permeability, soil scientists
  assessments
• When is it needed?

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Getting Started Need for Training

• It is the shame of many agencies that they hire
  new staff, give them minimal training, then send
  them out...
• Gary
  Barnes, REHS
• Regulator Relations
• Onsite Installer
• August 2008

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Financing

• Show me the money
• Grants
• State budget
• Local organizations
• Non-profits

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Financing

• Grants
• www.grants.gov
• Federal grants

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Financing

• WWW.ct.gov/dep
• Search grants

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Grant Writing Scope

• Project Summary
• Impairment
• Load Reduction
• Management Measures
• Tech and Financial Assistance
• Public Information and Education

• Management Measures
• Milestones
• Performance
• Monitoring
• Deliverables
• Budget
• Match funds

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Grant Money

• "This project is funded in part by the CT DEP
  through the US EPA Nonpoint Source grant under
  section 319 of the Clean Water Act"
• After securing grant funding
• Distribution of funds
• Grant reporting
• Budget audits
• Required submittals
• Deliverables

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Establish Stakeholders

• Gather input from group
• CT Environmental Health Association (CEHA)
• CT Association of Directors of Health (CADH)
• CT Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association
  (COWRA)
• CT Engineers in Private Practice
• CT Society of Civil Engineering
• USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
  (NRCS)
• CT Department of Public Health (DPH)
• CT Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)

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Stakeholders

• Develop a training outline
• Training needs
• Consistent vocabulary
• Redox vs. Mottles
• Tools and Skills
• Understanding landscapes
• Using resource materials
• Soils horizons, color, texture, structure and
  consistency

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Budget

• Develop a workshop budget
• Supplies- field books, pencils and tape measures
• Printing- binders
• Food- to feed or not to feed?
• Location- donations
• Rentals- car, van, backhoe
• Contracts- training provider
• Marketing- postage, hosting domain
• Insurance

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Develop Training Curriculum

• Hire a training provider to draft training
  curriculum and present information
• Experience establishing training programs for
  regulatory agencies, soil scientist, educator and
  knowledgeable in CT soils types.
• Solicit expert volunteers for presentation
• NRCS-Soil scientists for presentations and pit
  evaluation
• CEHA- Experienced sanitarians participate at pit
  locations
• DEP- Sanitary engineer presents
• DPH- Regulations review

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Location, Location, Location

• Where will your training be held?
• How many days?
• Easy to get to
• Parking
• Facility size and acoustics
• Dates available
• Kitchen facilities
• Good variety of soils
• Ability to dig test pits

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Agenda and Schedule

• Organize presentations and speakers
• Breaks
• Lunch
• Field activities
• Group organization

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Marketing

• How will you get people to come?
• Circular letters
• News paper articles
• Direct mailings
• Posting to websites
• E-mail
• Word of mouth

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Registration and fees

• Come one come all
• How many can you train and how much will they
  pay?
• Open registration or limited
• local health officials
• Installers
• engineers
• What happens if you have more people than spots
  available?
• Waiting list
• Pre-registration into another workshop

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Train the Trainers

• Mandatory training for all workshop volunteers
• Presentations compared for overlap
• Pit excavation and discussion
• Roles of each volunteer
• Pit assignments and discussion topics
• Clean-up and Setup

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Pre/Post Test and Evaluations

• a means of measuring progress
• Statistical analysis on pre and post test results
• Identify area to improve training
• Identify successes
• Improve future trainings
• Comments and ratings from participants

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DEP Grant Reporting

• Required progress updates every six months
• Stakeholder meetings
• Training curriculum
• Train the trainer
• Workshop participants
• Number of workshops held
• Summary and feedback from evaluations and
  pre/post tests
• Budget
• Match documentation

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Soils Training Workshop

• Next workshop will be October 23 and 24, 2008 at
  the Tolland County Agricultural Center in Vernon.
• Registration for June 2009 Soils Training
  Workshop located at Sessions Woods in Burlington
  will be open in a few weeks
• https//ct.train.org

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