Source: Regents of the University of Minnesota submitted to NRP
A MANAGEMENT TOOL FOR SMALL COMMUNITY ONSITE WASTEWATER TREATMENT SYSTEMS: THE COMMUNITY SYSTEM OWNER`S GUIDE
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
COMPLETE
Funding Source
OTHER GRANTS
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0231213
Grant No.
2012-51130-20185
Cumulative Award Amt.
$314,000.00
Proposal No.
2012-03619
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Sep 1, 2012
Project End Date
Jun 30, 2016
Grant Year
2012
Program Code
[110.A]- National Water Resource Proposals
Recipient Organization
Regents of the University of Minnesota
200 Oak Street SE, Suite 450 McNamara
Minneapolis,MN 55455
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
Over 25% of the US population relies on septic systems to safely treat their wastewater. Many of these systems serve clusters of homes through a common septic system with additional management needs. The delivery of proper system management is a key issue to ensure cost-effective and long-term wastewater treatment for both new development and existing communities. The University of Minnesota's Onsite Sewage Treatment Program and its national partners have received a grant to bridge the gap between septic system professionals, regulators, and owners by developing a customizable Community System Owner's Guide (CSOG). The CSOG will help community members and leaders understand how their system works, what management tasks need to occur on a regular basis, and how they can protect their infrastructure from premature failure. A CSOG will be developed using a web-interface tool that will allow an individual to produce an expert-driven and locally-customized manual (electronic or hard-copy) CSOG for any cluster septic system in America. Using this tool, an engineer, septic professional, community facilitator, or educated community member will be able to develop a guide to effective management by entering basic information on the users, system, rate structures and any regional, state, or local differences in regulations that affect the management of community systems. This tool will be useful for thousands of communities across the US to properly manage their septic systems; therefore protecting our ground and surface waters.
Animal Health Component
20%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
5%
Applied
20%
Developmental
75%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
1120320303010%
1330210303050%
1330210302015%
4036050303010%
4030110202015%
Knowledge Area
403 - Waste Disposal, Recycling, and Reuse; 133 - Pollution Prevention and Mitigation; 112 - Watershed Protection and Management;

Subject Of Investigation
0320 - Watersheds; 0110 - Soil; 0210 - Water resources; 6050 - Communities, areas, and regions;

Field Of Science
2020 - Engineering; 3020 - Education; 3030 - Information and communication;
Goals / Objectives
This project's primary objective will be the development of a tool to create a clear and customizable Community System Owner's Guide (CSOG) for every owner and user of a cluster septic system in America. The project will development the content and a web-interface to produce an expert-driven and locally-customized manual (electronic or hard-copy). This tool will provide cluster system owners and users with fundamental information about the operation and management of their wastewater management systems. Using this tool, an engineer, septic professional, community facilitator, or educated community member will be able to develop a management plan for either a new or existing community system. Year 1. Product Development January, 2013: 1) Grant begins, contracts for professional services secured, project team confirmed, development begins 2) Face-to-Face meeting of the Project Development Team (PDT) February, 2013: 1) Draft module framework developed with The Carney Group including: design of the "wire frame" or site map, and the user interface 3) Web-cast to Project Steering Committee (PSC) and quarterly conference call with PDT May, 2013: 1) NIFA Conference Presentation on project scope, goals, and progress 2) Module framework development continues 3) Review by PSC of modules and drafted boilerplate and customized module language 4) Quarterly conference call with PDT to discuss module development and PSC comments August, 2013: 1) Quarterly conference call: Key tasks: Review of changes and updates approved and evaluation instruments confirmed 3) Draft modules sent out to 2 of 5 national reviewers November, 2013: 1) Implementation and testing begins of PHP driven database interface 2) Draft web-interface released/CSOG development experimentation begins to PDT and PSC 3) Webcast meeting for Project Development Team (PDT) 4) Draft manuals sent out to 3 of 5 remaining national reviewers Year 2: Beta-testing 2014: 1) Five community beta-CSOG developed, delivered and evaluated. One each in Arizona, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, and North Carolina February- May, 2014: 1) NIFA Conference Presentation on project progress with opportunity for feedback 2) Quarterly conference calls with PDT to discuss progress with beta-communities August - Nov., 2014: 1) Updated materials sent to PSC for feedback 2) Quarterly conference calls with PDT to discuss comments from PSC and community beta testing Year 3 - Fine Tuning and Dissemination February, 2015: 1) Web Cast meeting of the Project Development Team (PDT) 2) CoP Website Development check-in with Extension Partners 3) Final adjustments made to module database May, 2015: 1) Members of CoP, PDT and PSC network advertise availability of resource 2) National roll-out evaluation in place 3) Quarterly conference call with PDT August, 2015 1) Official launch and ongoing maintenance 2) Presentation at national conference(s) 3) Quarterly conference call with PDT to review final report November, 2015 1) Ongoing learning and evaluation 2) Final report submitted
Project Methods
Each Community System Owner's Guide will be customized to the local site, system, and regulatory requirements and identify the following key aspects: 1. The specific treatment train components and how they work, in addition to the service activities and frequencies. 2. The management issues, challenges, and operations plan each system has identified and implemented to ensure long-term, effective wastewater treatment. 3. The operational responsibilities each system user must accept to protect the infrastructure from preliminary failure. The UMN and project consultants will draft a template of the modules for the Project Development Team (PDT) to review. After their comments are addressed it will be forwarded on to the Project Stakeholder's Council (PSC) to assess content areas, local applicability and the user-friendliness of the web interface. Once agreed upon, the template will give the hard and electronic copies a consistent feel. Each CSOG will be a combination of boilerplate content that has been critically reviewed and accepted by the PDT and locally customized content that enables local rules and regulations to drive recommendations and required service activities and frequencies. Every CSOG will define each community management structure in terms of EPA's Responsible Management Entity spectrum. Tables, figures, and pictures will play a major role in the transfer of information from CSOG developer to CSOG audience. There will be boilerplate and customizable content, images and data. The CSOG developer will ultimately answer a survey about the system that will, in turn, populate the CSOG boilerplate sections. A developer will also be able to enter and upload customized text, graphics, and or photographs that they desire to appear in the manual. This will allow the input of local information such as number of connections, treatment train components, local permitting issues, rate structures, and any regional, state, or local differences in regulations that affect the management of community systems. Working with The Carney Group, a graphic artist and web design firm, the CSOG development will be a PHP interface website with a Content Management System. It will be integrated with a MySQL database system. MySQL is a relational database management system that runs as a server providing multi-user access to a number of databases. The site's architecture will allow users to navigate information by state and local regions, and system relevance. CSOG developers will be able to customize information specific to their requirements. The searchability of this web environment will further improve user efficiency in accessing pertinent information. The resulting product will be a data-driven decision-support tool that allows a decentralized audience of assistance providers to log into a website and prepare a completely customized management guide for communities with shared wastewater infrastructure, making EPA's national guidelines a reality over and over again.

Progress 09/01/12 to 06/30/16

Outputs
Target Audience:This project has two audiences. The first is those who will utilized the tool (H2OandM.com). These are primarily septic system professionals. From state-to-state this varies, but includes engineers, designers, local,state and federal sanitarians/inspectors, private inspectors, operators, service providers, maintainers or pumpers along with community facilitators. It may also include private citizens and developers who are very educated about their septic system. The audience for the guides created by the tool are home or business owner with a private septic system or those connected to a community decentralized system. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?As a result of this project the PDT has an increased knowledge or skill in the developement of online platforms In addition the participation inworkshops, conferences andseminars has increased knowledge. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The results have been disseminated to communities of interest through publication in trade magazines and by offering webinars for those unable to travel to a workshop or conference. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? During this time members of CoP, PDT and PSC network advertise availability of resource. The tool H2OandM.com had its national roll-out with an evaluation in place. We had quarterly conference call with PDT. In November of 2015 the site was official launched and updated as need. Numerous presentation were made at national and local confercnce. In 2016 three webinars were held to show to utulize the tool. As the tool was used and areas for improvement identified they have been upgraded on an on-giong basis.

Publications

  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: The Onsite Journal. 2016. Once It's Installed, Then What? NOWRA Spring 2016, Alexandria, West Virginia.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Onsite Installer and Pumper. 2016. Free Online Tool Helps Educate Onsite System Customers. COLE Publishing May 2016, Three Lakes, WI.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Iowa Onsite Wastewater Association Annual Conference. 01-16-16. Community Septic System Owner's Guide. Coralville, IA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Missouri Septic Association Annual Conference. 01-19-16. Community Septic System Owner's Guide. Columbia, MI
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Southwest Onsite Conference. 02-03-16. Community Septic System Owner's Guide. Laughlin, NV.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2016 Citation: Alberta Onsite Association. 02-27-16. Community Septic System Owner's Guide. Calgary, CA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: National Park Service Annual Operators Meeting. 03-23-16. Community Septic System Owner's Guide. Minneapolis, MN.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Northeast Short Course. 04-06-16. Community Septic System Owner's Guide. Tauton, MA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: WastewaterEducation.org. Multiple offerings. Webinar: Using H2OandM.com - the Community Septic System Owner's Guide. Traverse City, MI.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: UMN Onsite Sewage Treatment Program. Multiple Offerings. Presentation offered at 20 workshops across Minnesota: Using H2OandM.com - the Community Septic System Owner's Guide. St. Paul. MN.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Texas Onsite Conference. 2016. Community Septic System Owner's Guide. Waco, TX.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Ontario Onsite Wastewater Conference. 2016. Community Septic System Owner's Guide. Niagara Falls, ON.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Water & Wastewater Equipment, Treatment & Transport Show. 2016. Community Septic System Owner's Guide. Indianapolis, IN.


Progress 09/01/14 to 08/31/15

Outputs
Target Audience:There are two primary audiences for the project. The audience for the tool is an engineer, septic professional, community facilitator, educator, governmental staff or an educated community member. The audience for the CSOG is property owners across the US who have septic systems. Changes/Problems:Due to delays in the tool development a no cost extension was requested to allow for full testing and roll out of the tool after completion. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Five external partners have been trained on the use of the tool. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?There was a popular press article which referenced this study. The majority of dissemination will be in late 2015 and early 2016 when the tool is complete. A draft article has been prepared for NOWRA conference. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?At the NOWRA conference in November will be the national roll-out of the tool to septic professionals. Then over the winter two online courses will be held and recorded to instruct anddocument the use of the tool.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? This project has developed a PHP website with a Content Management Tool. PHP is a widely-used general-purpose scripting language that is especially suited for web development and is embedded into HTML.The site's architecture allows users to navigate information by state and local regions, and system relevance. CSOG developers are able to customize information specific to their requirements. The searchability of this web environment will further improve user efficiency in accessing pertinent information. The resulting product is a data-driven decision-support tool that allows a decentralized audience of assistance providers to log into a website and prepare a completely customized management guide for communities with shared wastewater infrastructure, making EPA's national guidelines a reality over and over again.PDT members have developed, reviewed, revised and refined materials through cooperative roles based upon experience gained from the other national development programs.In year 3,the project hascontinued to finetuneand test the tool.The primary deliverable is theweb-interface (www.H2OandM.com) that allows an individual to produce an expert-driven and locally-customized manual (electronic or hard-copy) CSOG for any cluster soil-based wastewater treatment system in America.

Publications

  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: COLE Publishing. 2015. Minnesota Onsite Educator Sara Heger Boosts Industry Professionalism Nationwide. Onsite Installer, February 2015. Three Lakes, WI


Progress 09/01/13 to 08/31/14

Outputs
Target Audience: There are two primary audiences for the project. The audence for the tool is an engineer, septic professional, community facilitator, educator. The audiance for the guides themselves are homeowners. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? While presenting information at numerous conference, PI has had the opporunity to learn about other interesting and related water quality research and outreach. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? To date only the beta communities have received results. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? During year 3, we will be fine tuning the tool and output. We plan to begin dissemination in February, 2015. We will hold a Web Cast meeting of the PDT. Final adjustments will be made to module database by May, 2015. Then we will work with partners to advertise availability of resource with a national roll-out evaluation in place. A Web Cast training will be held to educate on the use of the tool.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? During year two the wire frame was finalized. A majority of the year was spent developing and fine tuning the online tool. The PDT then condctedBeta-testing 2014 in five community where guides were developed, delivered and evaluated in Arizona, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, and North Carolina. In October attended the Project Directors meeting in Washington DC and did a poster on project progress with opportunity with feedback. We had monthly conference calls with PDT to discuss progress with tool and beta-communities. Late in 2014, updated materials sent to PSC for feedback.

Publications

  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Heger, S., Kitt Ferrell-Poe , Dendra Best , Dan Olson , David Gustafon, Aaron Wills , Sheila Craig , Jules Inda , Pat Carney, and Nancy Deal. 2014. Community Septic System Owner's Guide. Poster presentation at NOWRA 23rd Annual Conference. Alexandria, VA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Heger, S., Kitt Ferrell-Poe, Dendra Best, Dan Olson, David Gustafon, Aaron Wills, Sheila Craig, Jules Inda, Pat Carney, and Nancy Deal. October 28, 2014. Poster presentation: A Management Tool for Small Community Onsite Wastewater Treatment: The Community System Owners Guide. Project Directors Meeting, Washington, DC.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2014 Citation: Heger, S., Kitt Ferrell-Poe , Dendra Best , Dan Olson , David Gustafon, Aaron Wills , Sheila Craig , Jules Inda , Pat Carney, and Nancy Deal. 2014. Community Septic System Owner's Guide. Soil Science Society of America, Albuquerque, NM.


Progress 09/01/12 to 08/31/13

Outputs
Target Audience: There are two primary audiences for the project. The audience for the tool is an engineer, septic professional, community facilitator, educator, governmental staff or an educated community member. The audience for the CSOG is property owners across the US who have septic systems. Changes/Problems: Nick Haig left the University of Minnesota so his role in the project is being filled by Sara Heger. Minor expenses for a meeting and two conference calls have been covered by the project that were not originally budgeted. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? During the next year we will develop the content and have it externally reviewed. we will then develop the online tool and test it out on five test communities.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? The wireframe has been developed and refined with input from PSC. The appropriate quantity and quality of boilerplate modules have been developed. The appropriate quantity and quality of customized fields are developed.

Publications

  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Deal, Nancy. July 10, 2013. A Management Tool for Small Community Onsite Wastewater Treatment. National Environmental Health Meeting, Washington D.C. Heger, Sara. July 22, 2013. A Management Tool for Small Community Onsite Wastewater Treatment: The Community System Owners Guide. Soil and Water Conservation Society Annual Conference. Reno, NV.