Grease Trap Cleaning Hub

Zoyda Boisvert — Admitted Student Frequently Asked Questions

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Admissions decisions have been released and we have been receiving some great questions. While there are many events coming up for both admitted and prospective students, we wanted to share some of the most common questions answered by Liz Plascencia (MEM Candidate, 2022)…

Zoyda Boisvert — Virtual Conference Highlights

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Authored by Liz Plascencia (MEM Candidate, Class of 2022) As a first-year Master of Environmental Management (MEM) candidate at the Yale School of Environment (YSE) in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic – it’s safe to say that this has…

Zoyda Boisvert — Welcoming the newest YSE admissions ambassador,...

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Hola! My name is Liz Plascencia (she/her/hers) and I am a first-year Master of Environmental Management (MEM) from Los Angeles, California. As a Queer, Latinx, First-Generation Mexican American – I am extremely interested in the intersectionality of environmental issues while…

Zoyda Boisvert — Camper Catastrophes: Why You Should Never Empty RV...

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Even though RV holding tanks and home septic systems both handle “household” waste, there is one important distinction between them. An RV is designed only to transport the waste, while a septic system is designed to treat the waste…

The post Camper Catastrophes: Why You Should Never Empty RV Holding Tanks into Your Septic System appeared first on Supeck Septic Services.

from Supeck Septic Services https://supeckseptic.com/blog/rv/

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Zoyda Boisvert — Clearing the Clog: Which Plunger Should You Be...

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Most people don’t realize different style plungers are intended for different uses. Do you know the differences between the most common plunger styles? This guide will help you know which plunger to reach for the next time you encounter a clog.

The post Clearing the Clog: Which Plunger Should You Be Using? appeared first on Supeck Septic Services.

from Supeck Septic Services https://supeckseptic.com/blog/plunger/

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Zoyda Boisvert — Chemical Grouting: A Solution to Infiltration

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Editor’s Note: We want to thank Avanti International for permission to use their photo as Figure 1 in this post.

Infiltration is defined as an excess of unwanted water entering a sanitary wastewater system from groundwater or storm water. More specifically, infiltration occurs when groundwater enters the sanitary sewer through defects in pipes and manholes (Figure 1). This excess water can cause damage to the collection system when sewers are forced to transport more flow than they are designed to handle. Increased effluent also raises wastewater treatment costs because the facility must treat harmless storm water and groundwater with the sewage. This added flow increases wear on equipment, electrical cost, and overall operation and maintenance expenses. In addition, if the capacity of the collection system or treatment plant is exceeded, untreated wastewater may be discharged into the environment.

Figure 1. Potential Sources for Infiltration

As with most utility problems, there are many potential solutions. For infiltration where defects are localized, some of these solutions include mechanical point repair, injection methods, or rerounding. A discussion of the chemical grout injection option is given below.

The chemicals used for grouting have been available since the early 1960s. They are usually urethane based and when they come in contact with water react to form a polymer material that is a barrier to water flow. The conditions/steps required for grouting are:

Zoyda Boisvert — Chemical Lawn Treatments & Your Septic System

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We spread chemical lawn treatments – fertilizers, pesticides, and weed killers – to help our lawns remain healthy and robust throughout the summer and winter months. If you’re a septic owner, you may worry about how these chemicals affect your system

The post Chemical Lawn Treatments & Your Septic System appeared first on Supeck Septic Services.

from Supeck Septic Services https://supeckseptic.com/blog/chemical-lawn-treatment/

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Zoyda Boisvert — Preventing & Responding to Security Threats

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Facility and infrastructural security are an important component of any emergency response plan. Whether the outcome can result in vandalism, theft, terrorism, or a threat to staff or community safety, suspicious activity should always be taken seriously. When the city of Woodland Hills was alerted of trespassing at their water storage tank, the utility promptly issued a boil order until they could confirm that their water was safe to drink. These actions prevented any potential harm due to contamination leaving community members safe and reassured that their utility was taking an active role in water security. Evaluating risk to malevolent acts will allow your system to initiate or upgrade preventive measures and develop an appropriate response plan to protect staff and the community.

To prevent malevolent acts, start by taking an assessment of your facility’s vulnerabilities. Consider entry points, security code accessibility, chemical tanks, storage tanks, vehicles, utility equipment, hazardous chemicals, and infrastructure within the distribution or collection system. Infrastructure essential to operations and limited in redundancy or identified to be at greater risk to malevolent acts may require more meticulous security measures. To assess physical security threats, check out the Security Vulnerability Self-Assessment Guide for Small Drinking water Systems.

The goal in a vulnerability assessment is to determine where prevention measures can be implemented and develop a response plan to suspicious activity. According to the Minnesota Department of Health, many facilities increase security by locking entry points, using external lighting, posting warning signs, requesting law enforcement patrol, fencing in critical infrastructure, or installing motion sensors, alarm systems, and video cameras. Once all preventive measures have been taken, develop a response protocol for each potential threat. The Association of State Drinking Water Administrators has developed response guidelines for security violations. In each response scenario, utilities should plan for how they can maintain internal, interagency, and external communication.

Utilities should practice emergency response exercises regularly and keep track of necessary changes to response protocols. During these exercises reserve time to monitor which staff have access to key entry points at the utility. Successful security programs will also build and maintain a close relationship with local law enforcement. This relationship will allow utilities to respond swiftly and efficiently in coordination with law enforcement when suspicious activity does occur.

Remember that final goal of these measures is to prevent any interruption in services, damage to infrastructure, and safety threats to staff and the community. For more information on Malevolent Acts check out the EPA’s Baseline Information on Malevolent Acts for Community Water Systems.

Zoyda Boisvert — Featured Video: Infusing Innovation into the DNA...

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There are many factors that drive the current utility model for wastewater operations. With traditional values in play, we have reached difficult economic and operational challenges. In order to address these challenges, we must adapt a new mindset and new utility model to push affordability for water customers, better equipment management, and increased compliancy.

Adapting a more innovative approach and mindset:

Our current utility practices suggest that our societal and business values coincide with “extraction, use, and waste disposal”. This creates a motivation that is, at bare minimum, driven by public engagement, capital investment, and operations & maintenance. As a result our current water resources are being utilized inefficiently and ultimately running low. We must instead adapt a Resource Recovery business model for a circular economy. Focus must be shifted from regulatory compliance, utility impact, and traditional utility models to pivot toward ecological uplift, collective impact, and a transformative entrepreneurial business model. This new business model should include focus on resource recovery and watershed health as well as pump, plant, and pipe health.

The start of a new, innovative, and effective approach might be slow but can grow exponentially. Water organizations must start with efficiency and work their way to optimization, which will lead into investments for bigger ideas and new intellectual property such as smart meters, efficient pumps, proper monitoring equipment, better facilities, and so forth. Collective cooperation and corresponding mindsets will keep the industry on the same track with the addition of new water personnel and management turnover.

In this week’s featured video by the Water Research Foundation, Diane Taniguchi-Dennis, Deputy General Manager at Clean Water Services, presents a case study for how her organization is improving utility functionality through a culture of innovation.

Zoyda Boisvert — How to Find Free Webinars on WaterOperator.org

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Our staff at WaterOperator.org work hard to make sure operators can easily find all potential training opportunities for their water or wastewater operator certification using our national training calendar. This calendar currently links to over 11,000 events each year, all of which are pre-approved for operator continuing education credits and many which are free. Whether it’s a training hosted by your primacy agency, the Rural Community Assistance Partnership, a subsection of the American Water Works Association, or another local training provider, we strive to list them all.

Given the increased demand for virtual training opportunities, we’ve recently created a tutorial to help you optimize your search for live, online training. We hope that this video will help you to more easily meet the training requirements under your certification.

Please note, that these opportunities all have a time and date associated with their registration. We do not list on-demand training in our calendar. If you require assistance searching for pre-approved, on-demand training opportunities, please email us at info@wateroperator.org.

Zoyda Boisvert — Water Conservation Tips for Septic Owners

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Most people do not give a lot of thought to their day-to-day water usage. These tips will help make you more mindful about your household’s water usage and offer some easy methods of conserving water throughout your day.

The post Water Conservation Tips for Septic Owners appeared first on Supeck Septic Services.

from Supeck Septic Services https://supeckseptic.com/blog/water-conservation/

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Zoyda Boisvert — Featured Video: Sewer Dye Testing

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A municipal sanitary sewer system is designed to collect and transport wastewater from homes, offices, businesses, restaurants and other sources to a municipal wastewater treatment plant for treatment and safe discharge into the environment. If other sources of water are allowed to enter the sewer system, the collection system and wastewater treatment plant can become over loaded allowing untreated water to be discharged. This is defined as sanitary sewer overflows, or SSO’s. One of the biggest sources of excess water is infiltration of storm water and groundwater into the sanitary sewers. A method to detect this infiltration is through dye testing.

Dye testing is a simple procedure where storm drains, yard drains, and the outside of the foundation walls of the house, or other areas are flooded with water to simulate a period of heavy rainfall. The colored water is pumped through the ground and storm water system and appears in the sanitary sewer collection system where leaks occur. This test is simple and complements smoke testing that may have been done previously.

The dye testing procedure can be accomplished in the following steps.

Zoyda Boisvert — H2Ohio Funding for Failing Septic Systems

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While the H2Ohio funds have specifically been earmarked for seven counties within the Maumee River Watershed and Lake Erie Tributaries, statewide assistance for tackling failing septic systems is also available through the Water Pollution Control Loan Fund (WPCLF).

The post H2Ohio Funding for Failing Septic Systems appeared first on Supeck Septic Services.

from Supeck Septic Services https://supeckseptic.com/blog/h2ohio-funding/

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Zoyda Boisvert — A Year at YSE

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Authored by Bipul Mayank (MEM Candidate, Class of 2021) It’s hard to believe that it was a year ago on July 26th when I left India to begin my journey at Yale School of the Environment. The memory of my…

Zoyda Boisvert — Inspiring the Future of Women in Wastewater

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Editor’s Note: We want to thank NYC Environmental Protection for permission to use this photo.

Despite such worthwhile career prospects, in 2018 women made up only 5.8% of water and wastewater operators according to statistics by the U.S. Census Bureau. As the water workforce ages and experienced operators retire, the water and wastewater industry can benefit by recruiting more women into the field. Mutually so, inquisitive women with interests in protecting public health and sustaining our environment have much to receive from the opportunities available within the industry.

In the field of wastewater treatment specifically, professionals can exercise their curiosity in the sciences while building technical and mechanical skills. The wastewater operator career not only offers extensive opportunity for growth and advancement, but starting positions often pay well, sustain job security, and will provide on-the-job training. The duties of an operator are an essential public service that require knowledge of wastewater safety, math, chemistry, microbiology, treatment processes, and utility operations and maintenance. Those with a penchant for problem solving and mechanical skills will fare well in the field. Other skills women can develop as a wastewater operator involve communication, presentation, collaboration, and eventually, management.

In the Empowering Women Podcast, Christen Wood, wastewater operations administrator of Summit County Department Sanitary Sewer Services and three time participant of WEFTEC’s operations challenge (with two of her teams making it all the way to nationals), describes the “happy accidents” that allowed her to stumble upon the field. She explains why she continues to hold such passion for her position noting that work as a wastewater operator is a career path, not a job. Listen to Christen’s interview to get a better idea about the type of tasks involved in the day to day work of an operator and the significance of those tasks in public and environmental health.

Still not convinced? NYC Water offers an excellent summary of the benefits a wastewater career will offer to women interested in the field. If you get anything out of this video, we hope its that you start to consider how you can fit into the wastewater industry! Find more information about the experience of women in the water industry at the Words on Water Podcast’s Inspiring Women in Water podcast series. The same podcast produced a separate interview with Mel Butcher, an engineering consultant at Arcadis. Her interview discusses how challenges that women do face as minorities in the industry can be overcome through honest conversation.

Workforce diversity leads to new ideas, innovation, and progress. Consider how you can bring your skills to wastewater treatment.

Zoyda Boisvert — The Lowdown on Fabric Softener and Your Septic...

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Many septic owners are extremely careful about what they flush into their systems, making sure to only flush items on the approved list. For many, one of the most surprising “banned” items is fabric softener. What’s not to love about fabric softener? It leaves your laundry cuddly soft, smelling fresh, and static-free. But when you consider that, like any other … Read More

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from Supeck Septic Services https://supeckseptic.com/blog/the-lowdown-on-fabric-softener-and-your-septic-system/

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Zoyda Boisvert — AWWA & RCAP Release AWIA Small Systems E-Training

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The America’s Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA) was signed into law in October 2018, requiring drinking water systems serving more than 3,300 people to develop or update risk and resilience assessments (RRA) and emergency response plans (ERP) within the deadlines determined by system size. With this Act, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) developed guidance documents to help systems comply with these new requirements. These resources include a qualitative RRA Checklist specifically designed for small systems as well as an ERP template. The purpose of these materials is to help systems achieve the minimum compliance under AWIA Section 2013.

To complement these small system resources, the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP) have partnered to build a free e-learning program with funding from the U.S. EPA. The on-demand training condenses ANSI/AWWA standards for security, risk management, and resilience as well as the AWWA’s Risk and Resilience Certification Program to help systems comply with AWIA. This new AWIA Small Systems Certificate Program contains four courses:

Zoyda Boisvert — Ponds & Toxic Algae Blooms: Is Your Septic System...

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While some algae growth can be a good thing, harmful algae blooms can be toxic – even deadly. Did you know one of the biggest contributors to pond algae growth are improperly maintained or failing septic systems?

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from Supeck Septic Services https://supeckseptic.com/blog/ponds-toxic-algae/

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Zoyda Boisvert — Promoting Equality and Equity: Resources for the...

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Editor’s Note: We want to thank NYC Environmental Protection for permission to use their photo in this post.



Our team at WaterOperator.org was pleased to see organizations such as the Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP), Water Environment Federation (WEF), and the American Water Works Association (AWWA), make public statements in support of the racial justice movement. Our program is committed to promoting and upholding the principles of inclusion in everything we do.

Racial injustice affects all of us — at home, at work, and in our daily societal interactions. Times like these define who we are, shed light on our world view, and, most importantly, are an opportunity to affect change. We all play an important role in developing and maintaining equitable places to work and live. Here are just a few resources that might be helpful as your organization navigates this call to action:

A Water Utility Manager’s Guide to Community StewardshipHighlighted by David LaFrance, CEO of the American Water Works Association, in his message to the water industry from a Water Online commentary, this manual features a chapter on human resources identifying how to promote welcoming cultures and increase diversity in the workplace.

Host: American Water Works Association

Could This Be What Employees Experience in Your Workplace?On page 26 of the February 2018 edition of the APWA Reporter, author and operations manager for St. Paul Public Works Department, Beverly Ann Farraher, highlights how public works employee Antione Posey faced racial discrimination in the workplace. The objective of this article is to invigorate readers to consider how they can take positive action to support diversity and inclusivity.

Host: American Public Works Association

U.S. Businesses Must Take Meaningful Action Against RacismFeatured in a recent WEF Smart Brief, this article outlines ways that industry leaders can support minority employees to feel physically and psychologically safe in their workplace during such difficult times of racial injustice.

Host: Harvard Business Review

Water Equity ClearinghouseThis online database showcases organizations and the practices they implement to make water and wastewater service accessibility more equitable and inclusive.

Host: U.S. Water Alliance

Working Toward the Utility of the Future by Understanding and Addressing BiasPresented at a 2016 conference hosted by the Pacific Northwest Section AWWA, these slides teach readers how the brain processes information to form subconscious biases. Water industry professionals will learn how to negate these biases to produce and foster a more innovative and diverse workforce.

Host: Pacific Northwest Section American Water Works Association

Echoed by RCAP CEO Nathan Ohle in his statement on the death of George Floyd, there is more diversity found in rural and tribal communities than most people realize. This diversity is one of the many things that make them so extraordinary. We encourage all systems and the communities that they serve to examine how they can promote diversity and remove any barriers that hinder its livelihood both inside and outside of the workplace. With that, we will leave you with a quote taken from a Workforce Diversity article by Rachel Gilbert included in the AWWA Journal:

“The concept of Diversity & Inclusion needs to be regarded as a value — not just a program or priority. Priorities change — values don’t.”

Zoyda Boisvert — A Message from Nathan Ohle, RCAP CEO

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Editor’s Note: WaterOperator.org is proudly funded through a partnership with the Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP). In this blog post we have highlighted a recent statement by RCAP CEO Nathan Ohle in response to the death of George Floyd and the protests that followed.

Throughout the past few weeks, we have witnessed yet another systemic injustice with the death of George Floyd and the protests that followed. Over four decades, the RCAP Network has always stood for the common good, including a fair and just society that fosters healthy conversations, true collaboration and equitable partnerships. We strive to celebrate and lift the incredibly diverse make up of rural and tribal communities that we see every day through our work.

We do not have all the answers to address the inequity taking place across the country, or yet know what role the RCAP Network can play in this conversation. However, it is clear that we need to create a space for those conversations to take shape, and to elevate the voices of the rural communities that are working collaboratively with people from all walks of life. We work on regionalization and regional collaboration projects across the country, helping to facilitate tough conversations and bridge differences between and among communities. Those tough conversations are critical to ensuring that we create equitable opportunity for all communities.

What we see happening today in America is not just happening in big cities, it lives in communities of all sizes. Everyone wants to feel safe, secure, and valued, but too many people in this country do not.

Rural communities are much more diverse than most people realize. It is the diversity that exists in rural communities that makes them so special. Ensuring that everyone has affordable access to safe drinking water and sanitary wastewater disposal was the founding principal of RCAP, with a specific focus on the most vulnerable populations across the country. As we consider where we can play a role, we are always here to listen, learn and to support important conversations in whatever form they should take. RCAP will continue to focus on creating and lifting up positive stories, encouraging continued collaboration, providing venues for fruitful conversations, and ensuring that rural communities of color have an equitable opportunity.

Zoyda Boisvert — Pathogens & Your Septic System: Is Your...

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The Ohio Department of Health estimates there are more than a million households in Ohio that depend on septic systems to treat wastewater. In 2015, the ODH estimated that 31% of them were failing to some degree. Regulations to further protect Ohioans from septic failure have gone into effect since 2015, but many homeowners still wonder what pathogens may be … Read More

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Zoyda Boisvert — ELCM specialization changed to ‘Ecosystems...

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Authored by Viola Taubmann (MEM Candidate, 2021) With the longest title among all MEM specializations, the name Ecosystems and Land Conservation and Management (ELCM) continued to raise confusion among students and employers alike (is it EMLC? ECML? What exactly does…

Zoyda Boisvert — The Lytton Tribe Manages Government to Government...

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Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in the June 2020 edition of our Tribal Utility Newsletter. You can subscribe to this newsletter or find past editions here.

In 1961 federal recognition of the Lytton Band of Pomo Indians was unlawfully terminated. While this recognition was restored in 1991, the Tribe was only granted federal recognition of a reservation in December of last year. During this time the Lytton Tribe built its success by establishing a San Pablo casino. Funds from the casino were used to purchase 500 acres of land near Windsor, California. Since then the Tribe has been working with Sonoma County to develop 147 housing units as well as a resort and winery.

Now that this ongoing development can be performed on land officially held in trust by the U.S. federal government, the Tribe is no longer subject to local land use restrictions. As such, the Lytton Tribe must assess all potential options to best meet future wastewater needs. Collaboration with their Windsor neighbors as well as an environmental assessment identified two primary options:

Zoyda Boisvert — How COVID-19 Affects Your Septic System

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Learn how COVID-19 may be affecting our septic systems.

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from Supeck Septic Services https://supeckseptic.com/blog/covid-19/

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Zoyda Boisvert — Covid & Commencement: A Virtual F&ES Graduation...

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Authored by Sundara Bhandaram (MEM Graduate, Class of 2020) I can definitively say that when I arrived at FES in Fall 2018, I did not imagine that my graduation would take place on a virtual landscape courtesy of a YouTube live…

Zoyda Boisvert — Preparing for Your Septic Tank Pumping

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Depending on the size of a home and the number of occupants, a septic tank should be pumped every 1-3 years. Several factors contribute to requiring more frequent cleanings, such as having a garbage disposal (which we adamantly advise against), the age and design of the septic system, and the type and amount of solids being flushed into the system. … Read More

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from Supeck Septic Services https://supeckseptic.com/blog/preparing-for-your-septic-tank-pumping/

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Zoyda Boisvert — Featured Video: Sewer Cleaning in Los Angeles...

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For roughly 30 years Kent Carlson worked for the City of Los Angeles to bring innovation and new technology to the Department of Public Works’ Bureau of Sanitation. When the Bureau observed that new technology was falling behind on their collections side, Kent was brought over to assist with tool development and the standardization of sewer cleaning procedures. Under the mission to reduce sewer overflows and recognize increasing drought in southern California, one of his favorite inventions featured a sewer nozzle designed to reduce water use and save time during cleaning.

In his article with CWEA Water News he offers his predictions on the future of the sewer profession asserting, “I think it’s an exciting future – technology is exploding in this sector – CCTV, GIS, computers on the trucks. Sewer workers of the future will be much better with technology. Rather than using rudimentary brute force for cleaning we’ll get smarter, more strategic and more efficient at what we do.”

Kent’s enthusiasm for tool development is demonstrated in this week’s featured video. The 5-minute video highlights the history of sewer cleaning in Los Angeles as well as a demonstration of how his team tests and develops their sewer cleaning tools. Back in the day, sewer cleaning featured manual removal of clogged pipes and sewer mains. Today, his team takes advantage of high-pressure tools and robotics. Kent says the best tools for sewer cleaning are designed or personally modified by the facility staff. These tools ultimately help the Bureau of Sanitation affordably maintain approximately 6,500 miles of pipe, some of which was originally installed as far back as 1883. We hope this week’s featured video inspires your system to find new and innovative ways to help your utility operate more efficiently.

Zoyda Boisvert — Septic System Mapping – From Your Toilet to Your...

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Welcome to our latest post on septic systems. In this article we’ll be diving into how the system actually processes waste from toilet to drain field. The process of collecting solid waste in the tank to properly processing the effluent on site is a much simpler process than one would think.

Zoyda Boisvert — Opinion: Challenges Quantifying COVID-19 Cases...

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Editor’s Note: The views expressed in this post are the sole opinion of the author and not those of WaterOperator.org, our sponsors, or the University of Illinois.

In the May 5, 2020 edition of the WaterOperator.org newsletter, we highlighted ongoing research that uses wastewater-based epidemiology to monitor the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Especially in locations where no confirmed cases have been identified, any samples positive for SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA implies that there are people infected in that community excreting it. For that purpose, wastewater monitoring shows real promise as an approach to early detection. By monitoring wastewater influent, scientists hope we can develop an advanced warning system for outbreaks.

There has been significant buzz about using wastewater to quantify the actual number of people infected within a given service area, but there are some issues with quantifying cases I want to discuss. In our newsletter we highlighted MIT research aiming to quantify the number of infected from a large area in Massachusetts. In that article, the researchers point to concerns about meeting the litmus test of sound science.

The wastewater system they studied had 450 confirmed cases at the time of sampling. Results from this monitoring suggested the number of people infected could be much higher. They estimated somewhere between 2,300 and 115,000 infected people. A range this wide does little to help planners or health officials prepare for what might be coming during a pandemic.

Quantifying the number of people infected with COVID-19 using wastewater samples requires a much more comprehensive data set that we cannot gather today in any cost effective way. Here are a few of the problems I see in quantifying the positive COVID-19 population within a given wastewater system: