Massachusetts Public Health Inspector Training Wastewater Certificate Program (MA PHIT WW) Session 4: Design and Plan Review— Conventional Systems Part 2: Soil Absorption Systems 1 MA PHIT- Wastewater Certificate Program, Session 4, Part 2

Learning Objectives After completing this session, you will be able to:  List functions and features of onsite wastewater components  Describe a conventional onsite wastewater system layout  Explain design plan requirements  Analyze elements of design plans  Determine appropriate steps to take after completing a plan review 2 MA PHIT- Wastewater Certificate Program, Session 4, Part 2

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Soil Absorption System (SAS) 4 MA PHIT- Wastewater Certificate Program, Session 4, Part 2

Soil Absorption System (SAS) Functions:  Stabilization of organic waste  Removal of pathogens (i.e., bacteria and viruses), nutrients, and particulates  Recharge of groundwater  Nuisance prevention Features:  Most important part of onsite wastewater system to design and build correctly  Very site specific 5 MA PHIT- Wastewater Certificate Program, Session 4, Part 2

SAS Types  Leaching Trenches  Leaching Fields  Leaching Pits  Leaching Chambers 6 MA PHIT- Wastewater Certificate Program, Session 4, Part 2

Soil Information Within 60 days after soil testing,  Soil Evaluator (SE) of record must certify soil results to Board of Health (BOH)  SE of record must submit soil results to BOH Design plans should include:  All deep hole locations and logs (incl. elev.)  Perc test locations and logs (incl. elev.)  SE of record  Other important information MA PHIT- Wastewater Certificate Program, Session 4, Part 2 7

SAS Look for:  System Size  Type  Test Results and Calculations MA PHIT- Wastewater Certificate Program, Session 4, Part 2 8

Plan Review — SAS System Size  Size is a Function of Flow, Soil Classification, and Percolation Rate  Long-Term Acceptance Rate (LTAR) Obtained From Chart in Title 5  Chart Includes Two Rates; One for Gravity Flow and One for Pressure Distribution 9 MA PHIT- Wastewater Certificate Program, Session 4, Part 2

LTAR 10 MA PHIT- Wastewater Certificate Program, Session 4, Part 2

Plan Review — SAS System Size (cont’d)  Minimum Area = Design Flow / LTAR.  Area Increased by 50% With Garbage Grinder  Reduced footprint system (such as Gravel-less Chamber Systems) Must Show a Full-Size Conventional System as Being Possible on the Site for New Construction 11 MA PHIT- Wastewater Certificate Program, Session 4, Part 2

Plan Review — SAS System Type MA PHIT- Wastewater Certificate Program, Session 4, Part 2 12  Trenches are the Preferred Type of SAS  Reserve Area Needed for New Construction  Specific Details at (Trenches), (Fields) and (Pits)

Plan Review — Calculations and Test Results  Are Soil Test Results Shown on the Plan?  Are There an Adequate Number of Tests and is the SAS Located in Area of Testing?  Do the Results on the Design Plan Match Your Field Notes?  Do you have 4' Naturally Occurring Soil? MA PHIT- Wastewater Certificate Program, Session 4, Part 2 13

Pervious Soil and DTGW 14 MA PHIT- Wastewater Certificate Program, Session 4, Part 2

Inadequate soil data MA PHIT- Wastewater Certificate Program, Session 4, Part 2 15

Plan Review — Depth to Groundwater (DTGW)  DTGW ̶ Estimate Distance from Bottom of SAS ̶ 4' Separation if Perc Rate > 2min/inch ̶ 5' Separation if ≤ 2min/inch 16 MA PHIT- Wastewater Certificate Program, Session 4, Part 2

Plan Review — DTGW 17 MA PHIT- Wastewater Certificate Program, Session 4, Part 2

Plan Review — Grading When Raised  Breakout Must Meet 15’ Then 3:1 Slope  Barrier and/or Retaining Wall Acceptable  5 Foot Overdig Required 18 MA PHIT- Wastewater Certificate Program, Session 4, Part 2

Plan Review — Other SAS Details  No Driveway or Impervious Area Over SAS if Possible  Venting, if necessary  Fill Specifications Should be Provided  Aggregate Double-Washed Stone and Double- Washed Peastone  Clarity of the Design on Paper for Use by Reviewer and for Use by Installer 19 MA PHIT- Wastewater Certificate Program, Session 4, Part 2

Clarity?? 20 MA PHIT- Wastewater Certificate Program, Session 4, Part 2

Plan Clarity 21 MA PHIT- Wastewater Certificate Program, Session 4, Part 2

Other SAS Details, (cont’d) Vents and Inspection Ports Look for:  Vents, if SAS is under impervious surface ̶ Requirements ̶ Location  Inspection Port ̶ Required for all SASs ̶ Location MA PHIT- Wastewater Certificate Program, Session 4, Part 2 22

The Plan Review Process— Closure  At Completion, Should Have a Letter Generated to the Property Owner (With Copy to the Designer) Indicating the DSCP and Accompanying Design Plan is either: ̶ Approved ̶ Approved with Conditions ̶ Disapproved and Reasons Why ̶ Should Provide Explanation of Other Steps Required (i.e. Cons Comm, DEP) 23 MA PHIT- Wastewater Certificate Program, Session 4, Part 2

Approvals Permits  Disposal System Construction Permit (DSCP) Letters  Only required for MassDEP variances but are recommended as a best practice  Should include: ̶ date of approval ̶ plan name, date, revision date(s) and designer ̶ date of meeting or hearing, if any MA PHIT- Wastewater Certificate Program, Session 4, Part 2 24

Sample Letters MA PHIT- Wastewater Certificate Program, Session 4, Part 2 25

MA PHIT- Wastewater Certificate Program, Session 4, Part 2 Now Let’s Look at Some Plans… 26

Title 5 Plan Review Cut Sheet 1 ’Before’ 27 MA PHIT- Wastewater Certificate Program, Session 4, Part 2

Cut Sheet 1 ‘After’ 28 MA PHIT- Wastewater Certificate Program, Session 4, Part 2

TP1 0” 3” 29” 90” A - SL B - SL C1 Loamy Sand 2.5Y6/3 mottling at 45” Refusal Percolation Test Test #Rate A6 mpi B5 mpi Date of soil testing : 10/28/2011 Witness: Board of Health Inspector I certify that I have passed the examination approved by DEP and that the soil analysis has been performed by me consistent with the required training, expertise, and experience described in 310 CMR (1). John Smith Cut Sheet 2 ‘Before’ 29 MA PHIT- Wastewater Certificate Program, Session 4, Part 2

Percolation Test Test #DepthElev.Rate A 24 in mpi B 36 in mpi 30 MA PHIT- Wastewater Certificate Program, Session 4, Part 2 Cut Sheet 2 ‘After’ 0” 3” 29” 90” A – SL 5YR 2.5/1 B – SL 10 YR 4/3 C1 Loamy Sand 2.5Y6/3 Refusal TP1 Mottles at 45” v Date of soil testing : 10/19/2011 Soil Evaluator: Claire Golden Witness: John Meredith, BOH Agent I certify that I am currently approved by the Department of Environmental Protection pursuant to 310 CMR to conduct soil evaluations and that the above analysis has been performed by me consistent with the required training, expertise, and experience described in 310 CMR I further certify that the results of my soil evaluation, as indicated on the attached soil evaluation form, are accurate and in accordance with 310 CMR through ___________________________________ Claire Golden, SE #900

MA PHIT- Wastewater Certificate Program, Session 4, Part 2 31 Cut Sheet 3

32 MA PHIT- Wastewater Certificate Program, Session 4, Part 2 Cut Sheet 4a

33 MA PHIT- Wastewater Certificate Program, Session 4, Part 2 Cut Sheet 4b

More clarification on pump chamber UPHILL Cut Sheet 5 34 MA PHIT- Wastewater Certificate Program, Session 4, Part 2 Cut Sheet 5

MA PHIT- Wastewater Certificate Program, Session 4, Part 2 35 Breakout Calculations Conventional System  Breakout elevations  Distance

MA PHIT- Wastewater Certificate Program, Session 4, Part 2 36

Session Recap  List functions and features of onsite wastewater components  Describe a conventional onsite wastewater system layout  Explain design plan requirements  Analyze elements of design plans 37 MA PHIT- Wastewater Certificate Program, Session 4, Part 2