Trevor Baggiore, P.E.
Director ADEQ Water Quality Division
APP Rule Update on 1.5, 2.0 and the 5-year plan
ADEQ has been engaged in a multi-year effort to modernize Arizona’s on-site wastewater treatment facility regulations. Join us to learn more about where we are in the process of creating a program that better protects Arizona's precious water resources while offering more flexibility to use cutting edge products, sooner.
Mark Gross, P.E., Ph.D.
MDB, Inc. and the U.S. EPA’s Closing America’s Wastewater Access Gap Initiative
Design Reviews and Install Issues
Reviewing wastewater project designs with complete and accurate information enhances installation quality. Key elements to include in plan sets are accurate scaled drawings, component elevations with hydraulic profiles, and detailed callouts with sizes, models, and specifications. Additionally, precise as-built drawings with measurements are valuable for maintenance providers and contractors needing to modify or adjust the system in the future.
Common Install and O&M Issues
Reviewing wastewater project designs with complete and accurate information enhances installation quality. Key elements to include in plan sets are accurate scaled drawings, component elevations with hydraulic profiles, and detailed callouts with sizes, models, and specifications. Additionally, precise as-built drawings with measurements are valuable for maintenance providers and contractors needing to modify or adjust the system in the future.
Paula Kehoe
Director of Water Resources, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC)
Public Health Concerns with Trending Water Reuse Applications
Risk-based water reuse is becoming more popular in the U.S. This presentation will explain the main ideas behind these methods, focusing on how scientists and other professionals set treatment goals for different types of recycled water used for drinking or other purposes.
Gina Kirkpatrick
Co-owner of Septic Technologies, Inc.
Pitfalls of Transfer Inspections-
When selling a home in Arizona, state statutes require properties serviced by an OSWT system to undergo a Notice of Transfer (NOT) inspection by a certified technician. However, not all inspections are straightforward or go as planned, and sometimes repairs or replacements are necessary. This interactive presentation will engage the audience in a discussion of common issues encountered during NOT inspections.
Bruce Lesikar, P.E., Ph.D
Contract engineer to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
Incorporating Flexibility and Robustness Features into an OWTS
The design of an onsite wastewater treatment system (OWTS) starts with evaluating the property's current use, wastewater characteristics, and site capacity. The designer selects appropriate system components, provides detailed specifications, model information, and supporting literature, and educates the customer on how the system interacts with facility management. The goal is to ensure that the OWTS protects public health, safety, and the environment while remaining flexible enough to accommodate future operational changes
Selling YOUR value as a Maintenance Provider using operational data
Onsite wastewater treatment systems require ongoing operation and maintenance to remain effective, and the needed level depends on the system's technology and loading rate. Owners can manage maintenance themselves or hire a service provider. The most valuable providers offer comprehensive, proactive services—including inspections, maintenance, component replacement, troubleshooting, and data analysis—rather than just reactive fixes. Utilizing telematics and remote continuous monitoring helps providers accurately diagnose issues and perform maintenance before problems escalate, thereby reducing system malfunctions and enhancing owner satisfaction.
Effectively incorporating timed dosing flow equalization into a Onsite Wastewater Treatment System (OWTS).
Flow equalization tanks improve wastewater treatment by capturing peak flow events and releasing the effluent gradually through a timed dosing system. This steady distribution allows downstream treatment components to operate more effectively at a consistent flow rate. Typically placed after the initial septic/trash tank, these tanks not only balance daily or weekly flow variations but also offer design features—such as multi-plant dosing, controlled pump discharge, and duplex pumping—that enhance operational flexibility. Additionally, factors like tank buoyancy during low water levels must be managed to prevent flotation. Overall, these tanks are key in optimizing system performance and easing operation and maintenance requirements for facility owners.
The impact of operational characteristics of RV Parks and Short-term rental on the hydraulic and organic loading to an Onsite Wastewater Treatment System (OWTS).
Recreational vehicle parks and short-term rental facilities vary widely in their waste stream characteristics due to differences in management practices and available amenities. This variability makes it difficult to establish a single set of guidelines for estimating organic loading. Data from Texas AgriLife Extension demonstrates that specific amenities are linked to differing levels of organic waste, highlighting the need for tailored approaches in waste stream assessment.
Michael Mezzacapo, M.S
EPA: Office of Water
EPA Region 9 CAWAG (Closing America’s Wastewater Access Gap)
An estimated 2.2 million people in the U.S. lack basic running water and indoor plumbing in their homes. Inadequate and failing wastewater infrastructure poses direct health risks to families and stymies economic growth and community vitality. This initiative—along with historic funding availability through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and other federal funding programs for water infrastructure—will change the odds for rural communities who are burdened by the lack of adequate wastewater services.
Kathryn Mills, P.E
Principal Engineer and Owner of Mills Engineering
Individual Permits vs General Permits
In Arizona, the Aquifer Protection Permit (APP) program is designed to safeguard surface and groundwater quality by regulating facilities that discharge pollutants. The program offers two primary permitting options: Individual Permits and General Permits. The choice between these permits depends on factors such as the facility's design flow, ownership, and potential environmental impact.
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Kitt Farrell-Poe
Emerita Professor, Biosystems Engineering Dept., University of Arizona
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the Arizona Onsite Wastewater Industry
Often, Arizona has been compared to the wild West. After about 25 years of involvement in the onsite wastewater industry, Kitt will reflect on the changes she's witnessed (the good, the bad, and the ugly) and her vision for the future.
Soil Treatment – What you need to know about effective soil treatment
Did you know that when properly sited, designed, installed, and maintained septic-tank effluent can be cleaned to an acceptable risk equal to or better than a wastewater treatment plant? During this discussion, you will learn what it takes to provide aerobic treatment in soil using either gravity or pressure distribution systems and how soil actually treats wastewater effluent.
Albert Robert (Bob) Rubin
Emeritus Professor,
Biological and Agricultural Engineering at North Carolina State University
Source Separation and Reuse
The onsite wastewater community is increasingly focusing on advanced wastewater treatment and liquid dispersal technologies due to challenging site and soil conditions. These technologies enhance wastewater conditioning before soil treatment and utilize dosing and resting cycles to extend system lifespan. Effective management of this onsite wastewater infrastructure is essential.