2015 MOWA MPCA PRESENTATION

General SSTS Program Update

Jim Ziegler Section Manager

January 28, 2015

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Welcome!

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Topics

• Staff changes

• Annual report

• Local ordinances

• State grants

• Licensing and certification

• Registered products

• Enforcement

• Tank fee

• Monthly newsletter

• Septage (WWTP)

• Around the state mtgs

• Legislative issues

• State budget outlook

• Volunteer recognition

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A Look Back to 2014

County ordinance deadline February 4, 2014

Four new questions added to the annual report through legislation: number of compliance inspections of existing SSTSs conducted, number of noncompliant properties connected to centralized sewer, mitigated by abandonment, or government buyout

New funding categories: triggers, plans to improve compliance,

and plan implementation

Four new treatment products registered

New factsheet for non registered tanks

Grant to increase the number of Advanced Professionals and the exploration of Online Training

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Moving Forward in 2015

Implementation of 2014 legislation

Ticketing Authority

Tank Fee

Continue work with cities and townships

C & E staff visits with LGU’s

New proposed 2015 legislation

Building Sewer Regulations

Recertification requirements

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Staff Changes

• New Staff:

• Nicole Blasing – Supervisor for Compliance/Enforcement

• Kristi Kalk – SW Minnesota

• Retired Staff:

• Gretchen Sabel (2014)

• Ron Swensen (2014)

• Pat Shelito (Feb 2015)

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Summary of Reported

Information

2013 Annual Report

http://www.pca.state.mn.us/ publications/wq-wwists1-52.pdf

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2013 Annual Report

• 534,000 SSTS reported by LGU

• 36 billion gal/year estimated

• Why Treat Sewage?

• Sewage treatment is not only important for improving water quality and protecting the environment, but also exposure to sewage through ingestion or bodily contact can result in disease, severe illness, and in some instances death from the bacteria, viruses and parasites contained in the waste.

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2013 Annual Report

• 232 local programs provided reports

• 86 counties

• 89 cities

• 55 townships

• 2 special purpose

• 8,911 construction permits issued

• 3,984 new systems

• 4,927 replacement systems

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2013 Annual Report Type and Number of Systems

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2013 Annual Report Percent Above Ground Systems past 13 years

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2013 Annual Report New and Replacement Systems past 12 years

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2013 Annual Report Number of Compliance Inspections of Existing Systems in 2013

• 11,566 Compliance Inspections • 10,459 – counties

• 918 – cities

• 185 – townships

• 4 – joint power groups

• Highest Number Inspections • Otter Tail – 933

• Cass – 776

• Crow Wing – 688

• St. Louis – 609

• Stearns - 525

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Ordinance Update

County – all but one required county has adopted

Note – Ramsey is not required to adopt an ordinance

Exception is Olmsted County County Commissioner vote set

for February 17, 2015

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Ordinance Update

Over 150 city, township and special purpose governmental units Letters sent to known SSTS programs - Sept 2014

Response to letter so we know who has a program

Review each ordinance to ensure up-to-date

Ensure ordinance is as restrictive as their county

Evaluate administrative capability to run program

Fact Sheet sent out with letter explaining requirements to run program

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Ordinance Update

City, township, special purpose update Approximately 40 approved and adopted as of 1/22/2015

County staff working with some local programs

Some programs are being given to the county

‘Untrained’ staff are viewing the SSTS Administrative training videos at MPCA website

MPCA staff are following-up with cities and townships

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County Grants Update for 2015

SSTS Base Grant – Awarded to 86 counties

$18,600 Base Grant – Awarded to counties with updated SSTS ordinance and submittal of Annual Report

SSTS Low-Income Grants – Awarded to 37 counties

Awarded almost $1,000,000

Used to fix septic systems

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County Grants Update for 2015

SSTS Incentive Grants - $453,500 awarded

Role of the Implementation and Enforcement Task Force

Compliance inspection for property transfer

Up to $5,000 – ($200,000 awarded)

Compliance inspection for any (all) permit-countywide

Up to $5,000 – ($65,000 awarded)

Plan to improve compliance, like records catalog or inventory (past, ongoing or future)

Up to $6,500 – ($162,500 awarded)

Plan implementation

Up to $2,000 – ($26,000 awarded)

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Grants to Expand Training

• Acceleration of Advanced Inspectors

• Northwest emphasis

• Field days

• Custom tutoring

• Course and exam retake at no cost

• Exploration of Online Training Possibilities

• U of M identified others using online training

• Benchmark and examine opportunities

• Identify how online can augment Minnesota training

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Licensing and Certification Update

Local Program Partners

www.pca.state.mn.us/ssts-search 21

SSTS Job Analysis – Need to Know

“Align the job tasks, curriculum priorities, and exam competencies that warrant certification for environmental professionals.”

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SSTS QuickTips Tool

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www.pca.state.mn.us/ssts/quicktips

Agency Wide “Transformation”

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Recertification Requirements

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Sewage Tanks - Registration Update

Sewage tanks 39 manufacturers

• 35 concrete, 4 polypropylene

1,006 sewage tanks registered as of December 2014

Annual watertight testing due each December

New Fact Sheet (October 2014) addresses use of tanks not on the List (PE signs off and LGU accepts)

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Distribution Media - Registration Update

No new distribution media products in 2014

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Treatment Products - Registration Update

Four new treatment products registered in 2014 Hoot Systems: Hoot Model H-900 and H-1200 (Residential

strength)

Norweco: Hydro-Kinetic Model 600 (Residential strength)

Waterloo: Waterloo Biofilter Model 440 (Residential strength)

EHS Smart Treat, Each engineered, No specific models (High strength)

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Enforcement Staff

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Currently there are Five Regional Staff

Five Regions Northwest

Southwest

Northeast

Southeast

Metro

Ian Harrison has taken over the Northwest Region in Detroit Lakes and Kristi Kalk has taken over the Southwest Region in Marshall

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Straight Pipe Cases Tracked 2006-2014

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632

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Cases W/OEnforcement

Cases WithEnforcement

Cases Currently in 10Month Time Frame

Ticketing Authority

The MPCA was granted the authority to issue civil citations (tickets) for SSTS violations in 2014.

Long-term goals:

Consistent enforcement responses to common violations;

Provide SSTS professionals with timely handling of violations; and

Additional time for inspectors to be out in the field providing technical assistance.

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Ticketing Authority

Civil Citations (tickets) will be issued for the following violations:

SSTS license or surety bond violations;

Not acquiring or maintaining a required local permit for SSTS activities;

Not submitting SSTS as-built plans or compliance inspection forms to the LGU;

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Ticketing Authority

Civil Citations (tickets) will be issued for the following violations:

Not providing the proper control measures when land applying to prevent pollution of underground waters;

Not maintaining land application records in accordance with CFR, title 40, section 503, or

Not treating septage for pathogens and vectors in accordance with CFR, title 40, section 503.

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Ticketing Authority

Penalty is dependent on the violation and the number of times the violation(s) occurred.

Process will be in place for SSTS enforcement staff to issue civil citations (tickets) in Spring 2015.

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Tank Fee

115.551 TANK FEE. (a) An installer shall pay a fee of $25 for each septic system tank installed in the previous calendar year. The fees required under this section must be paid By January 30 each year, the installer shall submit to the commissioner by January 30 of each year a form showing the number of tanks installed in each jurisdiction in the previous calendar year. The commissioner shall invoice the installers with the final fee due. Tank fee payment is due within 30 days of receiving the invoice. The revenue derived from the fee imposed under this section shall be deposited in the environmental fund and is exempt from section 16A.1285. (b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), for the purposes of performance-based subsurface sewage treatment systems, the tank fee is limited to $25 per household system installation.

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Tank Fee

The responsibility for fee submittal will remain with installers

MPCA will be invoicing the installers for the fee versus them sending in their fee.

Installers will need to report the number of tanks installed and that number will be compared with the LGU annual report.

Any discrepancies will be clarified and the installers will be invoiced the proper amount.

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Tank Fee

Effective Date for this change will apply to tanks installed on or after January 1, 2015.

Please stay tuned for more to come on the tank fee process. The MPCA is currently meeting to develop an outline of how the process should work.

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SSTS Bulletin

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Published monthly

Latest SSTS news

Sent by GovDelivery to your email

Signup if you want to get this newsletter link located right under SSTS

Bulletin title: Subscribe to the SSTS Bulletin

Septage Disposal

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Currently there are 50 wastewater treatment plants that accept septage

New plant added to the list in 2014 Onamia WWTP

Wastewater treatment plants that no longer accept septage Blue Earth WWTP

Lester Prairie WWTP

Welcome WWTP

Around the State Meetings

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13 meetings in 2015

Note - last year 133 jurisdictions attended despite weather!

Scheduled for January 6-22, 2015

Schedule sent to local SSTS program contacts

Locations: Marshall, Benson, Duluth, Sandstone,

St. Paul, Detroit Lakes, TRF, Bagley, Mankato, Rochester, St. Cloud, Brainerd, and Grand Rapids

2015 Pending Legislative Issues

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Building Sewer Regulations

Volunteer Recognition

• SSTS Advisory Committee • Technical Advisory Panel • SSTS Implementation and

Enforcement Taskforce • Need to Know and Exam

Development

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2,000 1 FTE

Thank you!

Jim Ziegler, Detroit Lakes

Jim.ziegler@state.mn.us

218-846-8102

www.pca.state.mn.us/ssts

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