Association News – September 2013

MICHIGAN

Association wages battle over disposal

A Michigan Court of Appeals ruling against Gmoser’s Septic Service, Whitney Blakeslee and the Michigan Septic Tank Association set a precedent for septage disposal. The plaintiffs argued that local ordinances first banned land application, then mandated that septage pumped within the local unit of government be disposed of at the municipal facility, thus creating a monopoly free to charge an arbitrary price for the service.

The Court of Appeals ruled local governments are within their rights with the requirements. A lack of preemption in MCL 324.11715(1) allows local governments to make stricter requirements than the law states, such as restricting haulers to dispose of septage originating within their boundaries at only their facility. Consequently, more townships and counties are taking steps to enact similar provisions.

MSTA president Joe Hall, writing in the association’s summer issue of Professional Pumper, reports the effect increased disposal rates have had on pumpers and their customers. Leoni Township wastewater treatment plant reported receiving 3.7 million gallons of septage (14 septic tanks per day) in 2007. The plant reported 2.3 million gallons (9 septic tanks per day) in 2011, after increasing the disposal fee to $210 for dumping 1,000-gallons of septage. In comparison, the current rate to dispose of 1,000 gallons of septage is $10 at the Munising plant, $15 at the Ludington plant and $25 at the Alpena plant.

MSTA legislative consultant Judy Augenstein and State Rep. Ken Goike (R-Ray Township) are drafting legislation that would allow haulers to go to the facility of their choice. The bill also would remove the 2025 ban on septage storage facilities.

GEORGIA

Septage survey ongoing

The Georgia Onsite Wastewater Association has asked everyone in the state’s pumping industry to complete an online survey to help determine the extent of the septage disposal problem. Officials will use the results to persuade legislators to mandate more disposal options. Go to http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e7bw9slphffohqpz/start.

NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA

Mandatory effluent filters

As of May, Nova Scotia required effluent filters on all new residential septic tanks. The Waste Water Nova Scotia Society commissioned lawyer Ian MacLean to suggest ways onsite professionals could limit their liability. Besides recommending they do quality work and educate the homeowner, MacLean drafted a form for homeowners to sign, verifying that they understood they have an effluent filter and the importance of regular maintenance. A copy of the form is in the May 2013 newsletter at www.wwns.ca (scroll down). The form may be modified.

The association also created three educational onsite videos and plans to add more to its online library. Currently available are Selecting and Constructing a Raised Drainfield, Construction of a Pressurized Drainfield, and Flushing an Onsite Sewage Disposal System.

NOWRA

NOWRA Nuggets

The field trip associated with the National Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association’s annual conference Nov. 17-20 in Nashville will cover a large cluster facility in the planning stage, another in the construction stage and a third in the operational stage. The conference will also have a three-hour session to explore establishing an industry standard for advanced onsite system design.

NOWRA is participating in a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency project to identify tools to help designers, engineers and community leaders decide whether large decentralized systems are better alternatives than municipal sewers. “Making it easier for communities faced with that crucial decision to find useful information on decentralized systems has been one of our industry’s biggest challenges,” says Eric Casey, NOWRA executive director. “The EPA’s efforts will help put decentralized systems more on a par with centralized options.”

Casey believes many tools that ought to be part of EPA’s toolbox are already available or in development. Examples include the decentralized wastewater cost estimation tool developed by John Buchanan, an effort spearheaded by the University of Minnesota to create a Community Septic System Owner’s Guide, and other projects from the Decentralized Wastewater Resources Collaborative. “One benefit of the effort may be to identify gaps where additional tools and resources should be developed,” says Casey.

NOWRA also is active in the U.S. Water Alliance, established to advance the nation toward watershed-based approaches to water quality and quantity challenges. Alliance executive director Ben Grumbles invited NOWRA to participate, as he felt decentralized wastewater treatment was a big part of the answer.

“The alliance is an excellent platform from which to implement one-water management, and move away from managing stormwater, drinking water and wastewater as separate entities,” says Casey. “One-water management is about diversifying our industry, creating jobs and changing people’s attitudes to accept large decentralized systems as viable alternatives to sewers. NOWRA wants those systems to become a stronger leg of the stool supporting the industry.”

To that end, NOWRA and the Water Environment Federation are cosponsoring a seminar on Oct. 6 in Chicago at WEFTEC 2013 that will make the case to engineers and utility managers that large decentralized systems can be profitably built and maintained at lower cost than conventional sewers.

NOWRA is renewing its efforts to secure more money from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund for individual, commercial and community-based onsite systems. Board member Bob Himschoot will chair the association’s Government Affairs Committee and spearhead the effort to lobby Congress. “If we can persuade Washington to change the rules, it will make a tremendous difference for our industry,” says Casey. “Our goal is always to improve conditions, support our members and sustain them in the future by providing more options.”

TRAINING & EDUCATION

Alabama

Licensing classes are the joint effort of the Alabama Onsite Wastewater Association and University of West Alabama. Courses are at UWA Livingston campus unless stated otherwise:
•  Oct. 2-4 – Advanced Installer I
•  Oct. 24-25 – Continuing Education, Mobile
•  Nov. 6-8 – Advanced Installer II
The first day of continuing education classes is for installers and the second day is for pumpers and portable restroom operators. Call the training center at 205/652-3803 or visit http://aowatc.uwa.edu.

Arizona

The University of Arizona Onsite Wastewater Education Program has a Soil and Site Evaluation for Onsite Wastewater Systems course Oct. 28-29 in Camp Verde. Contact Kitt Farrell-Poe at 520/621-7221, kittfp@ag.arizona.edu, or http://ag.arizona.edu/waterquality/onsite.

California

The California Onsite Wastewater Association is offering these classes:
•  Oct. 2-3 – NAWT Operation and Maintenance Level 1, Napa
•  Oct. 17 – System Controls, Sonora
•  Nov. 12-13 – Integrated Water Technologies, Sacramento
Call Kit Rosefield at 530/513-6658 or visit www.cowa.org.

Delaware

The Delaware Technical Community College-Owens Campus has these courses:
•  Online: Pumps, Motors and Controls – enrollment 9/15 to 12/13.
•  Sept. 18 – Lagoon Treatment & Spray Irrigation of Treated Wastewater: An Operator’s Guide
•  Sept. 21 – Basic Surveying Principles
•  Sept. 27 – Onsite Disposal System Hydraulics
•  Oct. 3, 10, 17 – OSHA (1926) Construction Safety Course
•  Oct. 1 – Basic Principles of Onsite Pumping Systems
•  Oct. 2-3 – Operation and Maintenance of Onsite Septic Systems for Service Providers Workshop
•  Oct. 7 – Confined Space Entry
•  Oct. 9 – Excavation Safety
•  Oct. 21 – Pumps: Motors and Controls
•  Oct. 22 – Dec. 3 (7 sessions) – Onsite License Preparation Course
•  Oct. 23 – Inspection of Onsite Wastewater Systems
•  Oct. 28 – Membrane Technology & Application for Selective Pollutant Removal
•  Oct. 30 – Designing Drip Irrigation Onsite Systems
•  Nov. 7 – Innovative and Alternative Onsite Systems
•  Nov. 7 – DOT Regulations Review for Pumpers
•  Nov. 8 – Pumps: Installation, Maintenance and Repair
•  Nov. 13 – Risers, Baffles and Filters: Installation and Repair
•  Nov. 13 – Vacuum Truck Basics
•  Nov. 13 – Operation and Maintenance of Innovative and Alternative Systems
•  Nov. 14 – Aggregate-Free Alternatives for Onsite Disposal Systems
•  Nov. 15 – Pump Hydraulics
•  Nov. 20 – Alternative Treatment and Disposal Options for Wastewater Facilities
•  Nov. 22 – Onsite Control Systems
•  Nov. 22 – Submersible Pumps
•  Nov. 26 – Soils-Based Approach to Siting Wastewater Disposal
•  Nov. 27 – Replacement of Onsite Systems
Call Hilary Valentine at 302/259-6384.

Iowa

The Iowa Onsite Waste Water Association has these courses:
•  Oct. 9 – Basic System Design and Installation, Charles City
•  Nov. 22-23 – Installation Overview with CIOWTS Test, Knoxville
Contact Alice Vinsand at 515/225-1051, execdir@iowwa.com, or visit www.iowwa.com.

Minnesota

The University of Minnesota Onsite Sewage Treatment Program has these classes:
•  Oct. 3 – Soils Continuing Education, Brainerd
•  Oct. 22-25 – Intermediate Onsite System Design and Inspection, Brainerd
•  Nov. 20-21 – General Continuing Education, St. Cloud
Call Nick Haig at 800/322-8642 (612/625-9797) or visit http://septic.umn.edu.

Missouri

The Missouri Smallflows Organization has these CEU courses:
•  Oct. 9-10 – High Strength Waste, Maryland Heights
•  Oct. 30 – Earthen Structures, Camdenton
•  Oct. 31 – Hydraulics, Camdenton
•  Nov. 5-6 – Operations & Maintenance, Liberty
•  Nov. 19-20 – Operations & Maintenance, Springfield
Call Tammy Trantham at 417/739-4100 or visit www.mosmallflows.org.

New England

The New England Onsite Wastewater Training Center at the University of Rhode Island in Kingston has these courses:
•  Oct. 1 – Technology Vendor Field Demo
•  Oct. 3 – Bottomless Sand Filter Design and Installation
•  Oct. 31 – Rhode Island Designer Examination Prep
•  Nov. 5 – AutoCALCS – Automated Support Materials for Pump Timers, Tanks, Chambers, Bottomless Sand Filter Sizing, and Buoyancy Calculations
•  Nov. 14 – Identifying and Managing High Strength Wastewater
•  Nov. 21 – Rhode Island Regulatory Setbacks and Buffers
Call 401/874-5950 or visit www.uri.edu/ce/wq.

North Carolina

The North Carolina Septic Tank Association has these classes:
•  Oct. 14 – Installer/Inspector, Mooresville
•  Oct. 28 – Installer/Inspector, Bolivia
•  Oct. 29 – Pumper and Land Application, Bolivia
•  Nov. 11 – Installer/Inspector, Greensboro
•  Nov. 12 – Pumper and Land Application, Greensboro
Call the association at 336/416-3564 or visit www.ncsta.net.

The North Carolina Pumper Group and Portable Toilet Group have an educational seminar on septage management and land application Dec. 14 in Raleigh. Call Joe McClees at 252/249-1097 or visit www.ncpumpergroup.org or www.ncportabletoiletgroup.org.

Oregon

The Chemeketa Community College in Salem has a Maintenance Operator class on Nov. 4-5. Call 503/399-5181 or visit www.chemeketa.edu/busprofession/ccbi/customizedtraining/deq/classes.html.

Utah

Utah State University has onsite wastewater treatment certification and renewal workshops in Logan on:
•  Oct. 8-10 – Level 3 Certification
•  Oct. 16 – Level 3 Renewal
Call Ivonne Harris at 435/797-3693 or visit http://uwrl.usu.edu/partnerships/training/classes.html.

Pumper invites your state association to post notices and news items in this column. Send contributions to editor@pumper.com.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Oct. 6-8 Virginia Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association Annual Conference, Sheraton Roanoke Hotel and Conference Center, Roanoke. 540/465-9623; www.vowra.org.

Oct. 8-10 Onsite Water Protection Conference, Jane S. McKimmon Conference & Training Center, Raleigh, N.C. Contact Joni Tanner at 919/513-1678, soils_training@ncsu.edu, or visit www.cvent.com/events/29th-annual-onsite-water-protection-conference/event-summary-733a0e99dfd84a8eb17f28e297bc425d.aspx.

The Flying Pumper

When you look at the cover of Pumper this month, you might wonder about the photo. It shows three men in an open-cockpit winged contraption parked in front of a vacuum truck. It’s a great photo of the owners of J.L. Bishop Contractor Inc., one of our featured profile companies this month, but I need to put that photo in context.

At the controls of the flying machine is Bill Keller, and he’s flanked by partners Robbie Leonard, left, and Dick Nance. The trio runs the successful pumping company that specializes in environmental cleanup, cleaning grease traps and septic service. They bought the company in 2005 and have demonstrated a passion for the wastewater industry.

But you’ll pardon Bill Keller if he has an even bigger passion in life. And, it’s obvious from our cover photo, that passion is flight. And not just any kind of flying, but the seat-of-the-pants excitement of piloting an experimental aircraft. What you see on the cover is the Breezy airplane Bill built by himself in a part-by-part manufacturing process that took three years and 2,000 to 3,000 hours.

“The challenge really is building an airplane. Very few people build airplanes anymore and most of them are from a kit,’’ Bill explains. “But building an airplane from scratch from tubes and welding metal is very challenging. Then psyching yourself up to fly it and do it safely is very difficult. Few people have built their own airplanes and made a first flight. There’s a tremendous sense of accomplishment to do that.’’

BUILDING THE BREEZY

Growing up in Ohio, Bill started taking flying lessons at 16 and had his license at 17, as soon as he was legally able to get it. He spent the next 43 years flying everything from single-engine prop planes to multi-engine jets. He’s got a commercial pilot’s license, though he’s never flown for pay, just for fun.

Then, in 2000, after owning and flying many planes, he decided to build his own. He chose the Breezy, which looks like a few chairs on wheels connected to a large fixed wing and an engine in the back. He said the first Breezy was cobbled together in the 1960s by a group of “drunken airport bums’’ who wrote down suggestions about how to repeat the process and started selling plans.

One of the early Breezy pilots gave Bill a ride and he was hooked.

“I thought it was the greatest thing since sliced bread. There’s nothing in front of you and nothing underneath you. Unless you’ve flown in one, it’s hard to describe. Part of the appeal and charm is it appears to be minimalistic. There appears to be nothing there and you wear a leather helmet and goggles.’’

LEARN TO WELD

Bill has flown the Breezy for 10 years, and at 60, hopes to soon be able to take enough time off from running the pumping business to make trips to Florida and to Wisconsin for the annual Experimental Aircraft Association AirVenture. The flights will be long ones in a plane that cruises along at less than 70 mph, but he’ll enjoy every minute in the air.

Building a plane and flying it requires the same type of self-reliance and determination a pumper needs to succeed in business in the face of new technologies and constant competition. Like someone running a septic service business, Bill never gave up during the daunting process that saw him spend a dozen hours manufacturing a part the size of a quarter and attending vocational school to learn the TIG welding techniques necessary to build a strong fixed wing.

In our profile feature about J.L. Bishop, Bill talks at length about how his business has grown over the years. But all you have to do it ask him a question about flying and the conversation can get sidetracked for hours. He says fewer people today understand the freedom of flight or even have the chance to go up in a small plane, and it saddens him.

“People are more content to play a flight simulator game as opposed to going out and actually flying the plane,’’ he says. But he wants to encourage people to recapture the fascination with flight Americans had 100 years ago in the time of the Wright Brothers. If they’re interested, he tells people to pursue their dreams to fly.

STICK TO IT

“If you’re motivated enough and want to do it, you’ll find a way,’’ he says. “Just go out and do it. It’s a learning experience. And you’ll meet a lot of nice people. Some of the nicest people are pilots.’’

Bill plans to make another trip next February, to attend his first Pumper & Cleaner Environmental Expo International in Indianapolis. I can’t imagine he’ll wing in to Indiana behind the controls of the Breezy, but don’t put anything past this can-do pumper.

“There have been some nice days of weather in February,’’ he says.

Be sure to check out the exclusive online content at Pumper.com

Readers tell me they read Pumper cover-to-cover and the pages get dog-eared from all their employees taking turns paging through the magazine. If you enjoy Pumper that much, we have a bonus for you – additional online-only content that can be accessed instantly from your computer, tablet or smartphone. Find more of the latest wastewater industry news – from product releases to videos and podcasts to my editor’s blog – at www.pumper.com. Here’s just a sampling of the latest content you can find online:

APOLOGIZE: THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT

The customer is always right. Or so claims the popular, and seemingly motivational, poster so often seen in break rooms and reception areas. However, every service provider knows that the customer is not always right. In fact, sometimes the customer may be quite unreasonable. These days the motto is so deeply ingrained in the consumer consciousness that it’s both a customer expectation and the way in which a company must conduct business to remain competitive. Portable sanitation marketing expert Beverly Lewis shares her top reasons to develop an apology plan, as well as 10 tips for handling customer complaints in a professional manner.

TROUBLESHOOTING: HOMEOWNER EDUCATION AND WATER USAGE

Providing septic system owners with the necessary information on proper system care and water usage constraints is one of the most important services you provide. Any time you’re working with the homeowner is an opportunity to educate them on system do’s and don’ts. If you let the homeowner know how to avoid problems in the future, your business will benefit in the long run through a regular maintenance schedule and through their referrals. So says Jim Anderson in his online exclusive Troubleshooting column. Jim reviews some of the most important water usage issues you need to discuss with homeowners.

FORMER PSAI EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ASSISTANT FACE MULTIPLE FELONY CHARGES

William F. Carroll, former executive director of the Portable Sanitation Association International, and a fired association assistant face multiple felony charges of embezzlement in Minnesota. Criminal complaints allege that Carroll, 66, took hundreds of fraudulent disbursements from PSAI accounts to support spending on gambling and drinking. The complaint indicates Carroll took $32,000 in transactions at or immediately outside a casino. A payroll audit revealed more than $350,000 had been misappropriated over three years. The fired assistant, Cynthia Rudiger, 68, received thousands of dollars in cash payments authorized by William Carroll, then concealed the payments by coding them for “insurance’’ or “payroll adjustment,’’ Carroll, Rudiger and Carroll’s wife, D. Millicent Carroll, the fired PSAI industry/regulatory standards director, are being sued in civil court by the trade association, which alleges the trio stole $650,000 to $1 million from the organization.

Premier CV Series Hydroexcavator Offloads Debris Without Raising Tank

Making its trade show debut at the 2013 Pumper & Cleaner Environmental Expo International, the CV Series hydrovac from Premier Oilfield Equipment Co. drew attention from several sectors, including the industrial vacuum loading market, says Ian Dickinson, Premier’s chief executive officer.

“The Pumper & Cleaner show provided an ideal opportunity for Premier to showcase our innovative and proprietary CV Series hydrovacs, and with it, our unique partnership with Caterpillar. We received tremendous feedback, both from customers and other people in the industry,” Dickinson says.

“They certainly liked the patented Sweep design in our hydrovac units and the safety and efficiency it provides,” he says of the mechanized Mud Sweep offloading system that eliminates the need to raise the debris tank and avoid potential overhead hazards.

Dickinson says customers were also interested in the Caterpillar partnership and of the chassis optimization. “The show was a great success,” he says. “We met with many current and potential customers. The response was fantastic and has driven significant opportunity for our products. We will be sure to attend this premier event in the coming years. We have a number of interested customers that we are working on orders for and received a significant amount of interest in the machines and order inquiry.”

Simple in design, the CV Series with carbon steel tank is available in four models (CV100 with tandem axle, CV100T with tandem axle and pusher axle, CV200 with tri-drive and CV300 with tri-drive and pusher axle). Water capacity ranges from 1,620 gallons in the CV100 to 2,340 gallons in the CV300, with debris capacity of 13 and 14 yards (CV300).

“You don’t see a lot of components added on,” says company founder and chief operating officer Gary Harms between demonstrations. “You have your debris and water tank integrated as one, a couple of silencers, a filter, blower and boom. It’s simple to maintain and simple to work with every day.”

Developed in Canada, Premier purchased the patented Mud Sweep and Mud Slide offloading system three years ago. “You open the back door and the dirt and water fall out [approximately 60 percent],” Harms says. “And we sweep out the rest.”

The mechanically assisted Mud Sweep system also makes compacted debris easier to offload, he says. “It eliminates taking the tank into the air, which is inherently dangerous. You close your door and about two minutes later you’re on the road.”

Harms says the company has put about 400 trucks with the Sweep system tank body on the road since 2002.

The truck’s boom is mounted to the elliptical head of the debris tank, rather than the top shell, for added structural strength. The boom, seated along the passenger side rear fender when traveling, swings door-to-door and is controlled by wireless remote. It has a 26-foot reach and excavating depth of 20 feet without additional piping.

“We use the Robuschi blower system. It pulls about 6,200 cfm at 27 inches of mercury,” Harms says. A Cat pump feeds water to the van-mounted boiler.

Mounted on a Caterpillar chassis, the hydroexcavator is powered by Cat CT13 (12.4 L, 410-475 hp) and CT15 (15.21 L, 450-550 hp) six-cylinder diesel engines and performance matched to the Cat CX31 automatic transmission (six forward speeds and one reverse). 970/542-1975; www.poequipment.com.

Woody’s Septic Tank Service

Owner Jerry Thompson has added this 2010 International 7600 with a 4,200-gallon steel tank from Lely Manufacturing Inc. The rig is powered by an International MaxxForce II 390hp engine tied to an Allison 4000 automatic transmission, and the tank is served by a Robuschi RBDV-65 blower. For better visibility on the road, a Star 2420 SLDA Razor Light Bar was added over the cab. Tool holders are built into the rear bumper. The tank features sight glasses and polished aluminum wheels. The truck has an air-ride driver’s seat. Colorful graphics were provided by Sign Power. Driver Larry Robinson uses the truck for commercial and residential septic pumping and grease trap service.

Insuring Human Assets

Among your employees, one or a couple probably stand out. Have you thought about what would happen to your business without these employees?

Consider this situation: You have a technician who handles half of your work and is so good with customers that you have a great deal of repeat business and new business. This technician can handle minor equipment repairs, explain septic system maintenance clearly and can handle the business when you’re sick.

What would happen to your business if this wonderful employee were killed in a auto accident? Obviously you would have to hire a replacement, but it could take a couple of years before the replacement reaches the same level of skill and customer satisfaction. And meanwhile you may lose some business and revenue because you cannot be everywhere. And what about the repairs? You would have the added expense of hiring someone to do those. All of this would cost your company money, which you may not have or would be hard to come by.

CRITICAL WORKERS

How do you protect your business from the consequences? One way is with a particular type of life insurance called “key person” or “key man” insurance. The coverage is intended to help your business survive the transition after the loss of a critical employee.

If you haven’t thought about this, you’re not alone. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners performed a survey a couple of years ago and found that although seven out of 10 businesses said they were very dependent on a few key people, fewer than a quarter of those dependent businesses held policies to compensate for the loss of those employees.

Mike Rice, an agent with the Thomas Ward Insurance Group in Chicago, has an idea about why so few businesses have key person insurance: They’re not thinking very far ahead. It’s understandable because people who have businesses are worried about pressing short-term, day-to-day problems, he says. They have the necessary or required property insurance – on the building and equipment, for example – but there is no protection for a different, more remote threat, he says.

Key person insurance can help by providing the amount of money your business needs to get past the loss of an employee and fully back on its feet. In the event that key person is your business partner, the insurance could provide a sum sufficient for you to buy out your partner’s heirs. To do any of this you must have the consent of your employee, Rice says. It is illegal to take out insurance on people if they don’t know about it.

Premiums for these policies are typically paid by the business taking out the insurance, and the payouts flow to the company. But nothing prevents you from stipulating that part of a payout goes to the lost employee’s survivors. They, too, will have suffered a loss, and their financial condition in the absence of a primary provider may be more stressful than the situation your company is in. Also, a key person policy may be transferred to an employee upon retirement, providing an extra bonus for years of good service to your company.

LENGTH OF TERM

When you consider this type of insurance, you need to determine the length of the policy term. Key person policies may be either term insurance or permanent (also called “whole life” or “universal life” insurance). Permanent insurance remains in force forever. A term policy has a specific end date. The type you choose depends on your circumstances.

If you and your key employee are both young and plan to remain together until you retire, permanent insurance may be the way to go. If your key employee plans to retire in 10 years and move out of state, or if in eight years you feel the business will be strong enough to withstand the loss of the employee, think about a term policy. You could set a goal for the end of a term policy, for example the hiring of a third technician or a second office assistant. The big difference in these policies is cost. Term policies tend to be considerably less expensive than permanent policies.

If you want to pursue this type of insurance, keep a few things in mind:

First, deal with an insurance agent who has experience helping small businesses. What you are able to purchase is governed by the insurance laws of your state, and there is no substitute for a knowledgeable guide who knows what questions you need to answer.

Second, dealing with an independent agent can help. As with any type of insurance, an agent who deals with a variety of underwriters can shop your needs around and get you the best deal. This is especially true in life insurance, where the market is very competitive.

Third, have an idea of what rate class your employee may fit into, for example a non-tobacco user. The rate class will affect the cost of the premium. Potentially dangerous work site tasks, such as confined-space entry or operating heavy machinery, are not hazardous enough to increase the premium, however. You have to be a police officer or firefighter for that to happen.

Fourth, ask about premium discount thresholds. These may make the cost of higher coverage cheaper. For example, you may pay one rate for $450,000 worth of coverage, but if you cross the $500,000 mark, a discount kicks in, lowering premiums below those for the lesser amount of coverage.

AVERT DISASTER

Key person insurance can help your company withstand disaster and perhaps stay in business, and it can do good for the loved ones of the people you depend on. That builds a stronger relationship between your company and your employee, and we all know that businesses thrive on good relationships.

Message from NAWT’s Executive Director

Greetings National Association of Wastewater Technicians members! I’m honored to be your new executive director and look forward to working with your great organization. As I write this, we are busy transitioning management responsibilities and planning for 2013-14. I encourage you to contact us if there is anything we can do for you, or just to introduce yourself.

The Center for Association Resources offers management services that bring together experience and innovation, infrastructure, technology and talented specialists skilled in all aspects of maintaining and growing volunteer organizations. We have a rich history of successfully managing and working with a diverse set of client organizations representing a variety of industries including trade associations and professional societies in health care, legal, professional services and science. We offer client organizations significant expertise and understanding regarding the unique challenges and requirements of the industries they serve.

The Center’s staff is well prepared to address your immediate and future goals. We are located in Schaumburg, Ill., and also have offices in Washington, D.C.

Below you’ll find a few highlights that represent our firm’s capabilities. I’d also like to introduce you to Michele Anderson, executive administrator, who will be your main contact along with additional staff dedicated to NAWT. We have engaged with your leaders for the transition process and we will continue to do so over the coming months.

• Our executive management team pride themselves on their creativity, personalization, responsiveness and professionalism. We work to ensure that our customized solutions are achieving goals, driving growth and building sustained competitiveness. The Center brings over 25 years of association management experience with a particular emphasis in governance, membership development and government relations. We will be developing strategies to grow and enhance your organization.

• We bring hands-on, in-house financial expertise that includes budget analysis and development, operational metrics, ratio analysis and investment portfolio assistance.

• We bring years of experience in marketing and social media to NAWT and will be suggesting and implementing several changes to the existing website, which will continue to enhance and optimize the overall member experience.

• One of our core strengths is in project management, with particular emphasis in the area of conducting and managing significant research efforts. This would be very relevant in determining member needs and satisfaction, and in identifying growth opportunities.

• Our director of communications and research has over 30 years of marketing experience in developing brand messaging and marketing campaigns designed to build recognition for NAWT and to grow the organization to meet the needs of the future. One of the overall goals of the Center will be to align all communications to be consistent, measurable and effective.

•  We also have many years of experience in managing certification and accreditation.

An organization is only as strong as its leaders. NAWT has been fortunate to have strong leaders who have built NAWT into the organization it is today. It is also important to focus on developing the next generation of leaders to serve on committees and as directors. This is your organization – I urge you to be a part of it by volunteering your time and getting involved.

We look forward to a successful transition and to supporting all NAWT leaders and members in bringing this organization to the next level of growth and performance.

Always Something in the Hose

This feature in Pumper reports noteworthy conversations that take place at the Pumper Discussion Forum, an online forum for industry professionals found at www.pumper.com. Pumper Discussion enables exchange of information and ideas on septic and drainfield installation and maintenance, trucks and equipment, portable sanitation, chemical and additives and much more. Information and advice in “Overheard Online” is offered in good faith by industry professionals. However, readers should consult in depth with appropriate industry sources before applying such advice to a specific business situation.

Question:

I pump from the bottom of my truck’s tank through a 3-inch gate valve. If I pump a tank and use, let’s say, 75 feet of hose, when the septic tank is empty, I have a little under the 75 feet worth of liquid caught into my suction hose. Even though the pump is still pumping it just sucks air and leaves this liquid trapped in the hose. So in turn I have to disconnect from the truck (with the valve closed of course!), and drag that end to the septic tank and pour what is sitting in this 75 feet of hose back into the tank.

I know physics and gravity are at play here, and I was wondering what an option might be. I’m tired of dragging these heavy liquid-filled hoses around, and then have the customer frown when I have to put some of the liquid back in the tank. It has really made my job miserable and doesn’t make me look very professional. The mess all over the bed of the truck is always an issue too.

I was thinking about a shut-off valve at the end nearest the septic tank, but would that just vapor-lock and leave the liquid there? Or would it actually clean out what is left in the lengths of hose?

Answers:

The only time I get a hose full of liquid is when I fill the truck and have the primary shut-off kick in. Otherwise the hose gets sucked fairly dry. Now to get the last of the gunk out of the hose, I suck up a 5-gallon bucket of clean water while I still have good vacuum. This keeps the hoses clean. If I have to drain back to the tank, I make a 5-foot loop and walk it back to the tank. If I have a thick and heavy tank I will walk the loop to the truck and then wash out the hose.

Something’s wrong here. You should be sucking your hose dry. Maybe you are losing vacuum when the septic tank is empty? Try closing your gate valve for a minute to build up vacuum then open quickly to suck your hose dry. I do this a couple of times to make sure hoses are clean.

It would be better if you pumped into the top of the tank and not through the liquid already collected. As already mentioned, close the valve and let some vacuum build up. This might take a minute or two depending on how big your pump is, how much hose you have out and how much liquid you have in the tank. Then quickly open and close the valve. You may have to do this a couple of times to get the desired results.

Look around when you pull up to the customer’s residence to see if they have a garden hose handy. This isn’t always an option, but it works well to clean out your hoses while still pumping. Also, walk back along your hoses while draining them toward the truck while still pumping.

Industry News – September 2013

LMK names managing director, northeast sales

LMK Technologies named David Archard managing director, northeast sales. He has 30 years experience in the municipal public works sector with a focus on underground asset management/optimization projects.

Hannay Reels offers pumper/cleaner catalog

Hannay Reels offers a product catalog for the pumping and cleaning industry. The catalog contains descriptions, drawings and specifications on the company’s heavy-duty hose and cable reels.

Pumptec launches website

Pumptec launched a new website at www.pumptec.com, enabling users to search for pump/motor/cam specifications.

Sim/Tech receives patent for sludge sampling device

Sim/Tech Filter received U.S. patent 8,261,622 for its TruCore sludge sampler. The 8-foot sampler handles thick sludge found in septic tanks, as well as water in advanced treatment systems. It also is used for sampling grease traps, stormwater, settling ponds and by the oil industry.

ThinQk supplies aftermarket pump components

ThinQk is a new supplier of aftermarket parts for air-operated double diaphragm (AODD) pumps. Manufactured in Europe and the United States, components are made to conform to current technical standards.

SJE-Rhombus hosts control panel training

SJE-Rhombus held a training session for 16 attendees representing distributors, installers and manufacturers at its headquarters in Detroit Lakes, Minn. The course included a float/alarm overview, basic electrical theory with multi-meters, component overview, control panel overview and configuration, hands-on control panel assembly, operation and troubleshooting, best installation practices and a tour of the facility.

VAC2GO hires executive, warehouse assistants

VAC2GO hired Kate Wetherby as an executive assistant for its LaGrange, Ky., office. She will manage day-to-day operations. David Miles was hired as warehouse assistant for the South Carolina office.

Vivax-Metrotech affiliate receives CivEnEx show awards

Vivax-Metrotech’s Australian affiliate, Vivax-MetrotechAUS, received the Best Indoor Stand and Most Innovative New Product award for its vCam-5 inspection camera system at the CivEnEx show in Sydney, Australia.

National Pump & Compressor launches website

National Pump & Compressor, an industrial equipment rental, sales and service provider, launched the website www.hurricanesupport-beaumont.com to provide awareness of the emerging disaster recovery business. The site is intended to provide businesses and municipalities with information on how to prepare for a hurricane, history of areas affected by hurricanes and how the company can help in the event of a hurricane or natural disaster. It includes information on industrial pumps, hoses, generators and other flood relief and dewatering equipment.

Moro names western territory sales manager

Moro USA named Matt Gibbs western U.S. sales manager. He will be responsible for sales and business development in California, Washington, Oregon, Arizona, New Mexico, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, Nevada, North Dakota and South Dakota. Based in Salt Lake City, Utah, he has 14 years of industry experience.

NexTraq expands Atlanta sales center

NexTraq, a GPS fleet tracking and asset management company, expanded its Atlanta sales center, adding 12,000 square feet of office space, and increasing staff by 33 percent. The company also was named a Top Workplace in Atlanta and American Business Company of the Year finalist.