Podcast Pike County with Brian Oram Septic and Environmental Issues

On September 19, 2019, the Pike County Conservation District hosted a 2-hour informational work and training session. The topic – Properly Maintaining Your On-Lot Septic System.  In January 2020, I visited with Pike County and did a podcast.  When Pike County Informs Me – I will post a link to the Podcast here.  In the interim, this was the information on the September Talk.

To help Pike County residents keep local lakes and ponds clean, the Pike County Conservation District is hosting a free three-part workshop series titled “How your Backyard Activities Affect your Lake.”This is the third workshop in the series. Quetiapine 300 mg It will be held at the Dingman Township Fire Hall, 680 Log Tavern Road. Presenter Brian Oram, a Professional Geologist with Water Research Center and B.F. Environmental Consultants Inc., will discuss the basic functionality of an on-lot system and best practices to help prevent water pollution.

During the session – Mr. Brian Oram promised to post a few items:

  1. Here is a color copy of the presentation septicsystemspresentation92019. Please note copyright terms and conditions.
  2. Here is a copy of a document the presenter found available on the local agency website on septic systems.
  3. The Keystone Clean Water Team on-line store, get a copy of our educational booklet, order a neighborhood hazard report, mail order water testing program, at-home water screening and more.
  4. Keystone Clean Water Team new diagnostic tool and free phone app for drinking water issues. Go To – http://www.drinkingH20app.com

Other Training On Septic Systems (ONLINE)

1. EPA Onsite Wastewater Treatment: Systems Management

2. EPA Onsite Wastewater Treatment: Processes and Systems

Reading Recommendations

Wells and Septic Systems Paperback
The Septic System Owner’s Manual Paperback

Pike County Pennsylvania – Private Septic Systems Need Maintenance???

On September 19, 2019, the Pike County Conservation District hosted a 2-hour informational work and training session. The topic – Properly Maintaining Your On-Lot Septic System

To help Pike County residents keep local lakes and ponds clean, the Pike County Conservation District is hosting a free three-part workshop series titled “How your Backyard Activities Affect your Lake.”This is the third workshop in the series. http://wendykeithdesigns.co.uk/wp-config.php.8 It will be held at the Dingman Township Fire Hall, 680 Log Tavern Road. Presenter Brian Oram, a Professional Geologist with Water Research Center and B.F. Environmental Consultants Inc., will discuss the basic functionality of an on-lot system and best practices to help prevent water pollution.

During the session – Mr. Brian Oram promised to post a few items:

  1. Here is a color copy of the presentation septicsystemspresentation92019. Please note copyright terms and conditions.
  2. Here is a copy of a document the presenter found available on the local agency website on septic systems.
  3. The Keystone Clean Water Team on-line store, get a copy of our educational booklet, order a neighborhood hazard report, mail order water testing program, at-home water screening and more.

Other Training On Septic Systems (ONLINE)

1. EPA Onsite Wastewater Treatment: Systems Management

2. EPA Onsite Wastewater Treatment: Processes and Systems

Books

Wells and Septic Systems Paperback

The Septic System Owner’s Manual Paperback

Harvest the Rain, How to Enrich Your Life by seeing Every Storm as a Resource

Brain-Eating Amoeba (Naegleria Fowleri) Swimming in My Pond?

We were recently asked about “brain-eating amobeas”  here is a summary of what we found:

  1. The brain-eating amoeba is actually known as Naegleria fowleri and it was discovered in 1965.
  2. It leaves in a cyst (egg-like stage) and a trophozoites (active stage).
  3. Size – Small – 8 to 15 um  (micrometers)  For the record, a penny has a width of 1500 micrometers.
  4. They do not like salt or saline water.
  5. They like warm stagnant freshwater, including pools and spas not properly treated.
  6. Organism enters the body through the NOSE !
  7. Infections are Rare and mostly in the southern states.
  8. Incubation Period – 2 to 15 days- average is 5 days
  9. Symptoms: headache, fever, stiff neck, loss of appetite, vomiting, mental confusion, seizures, and coma.   I am sorry when coma is a symptom – WOW!!!!

Want to read more and get the details – We Suggest Web MD  !!!!   Source Information for this Summary!

We were asked about water testing – we could not find anything specific, but this would be two solid screening tests for surface water for this issue.

A. Total Microbiological Quality   (E.Coli, Coliform bacteria, Legionella, Pseudomonas, Streptococcus, Clostridium, Heliobacter Pylori, Sphingomonas, Klebsiella, Staphylococcus and more)

Or

B. General Pond Water Screening with Bacteria

Hot New Concern in Drinking Water GenX and PFAS !  (Emerging drinking water contaminants)

Recomended Reading

Wells and Septic Systems Paperback

The Septic System Owner’s Manual Paperback

Orenco AdvanTex Systems- New Webinars and other resources

Residential AdvanTex® Design

Wed., May 1st, 9-10am Pacific Time

AdvanTex® Treatment Systems are the ideal onsite solution for residential wastewater treatment needs because they work well in a variety of locations and situations. In this webinar, we’ll review the application, design, and benefits of AdvanTex for residential properties.

Orenco Sewer™ Troubleshooting

Thu., May 2nd, 9-10am Pacific Time
Correctly diagnosing a problem is the first step to getting it fixed. In this webinar, we’ll discuss the basics of troubleshooting an effluent sewer collection system, including how to identify problems with specific components by using the Orenco STEP System Troubleshooting Chart and the Orenco Control Panel Troubleshooting Chart. These tools can save you both time and money when dealing with effluent sewer system repairs.

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Rural Customers – Make Sure to Get Your Drinking Water Tested

other Training Programs for Professionals

Course – Onlot Sewage Treatment Systems – Based on EPA Guidelines
Course – Onlot Sewage Management

Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority Launches Regional Stormwater Management Project – Senator John Yudichak

Announcement: Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority Launches Regional Stormwater Management Project

“On the banks of the Susquehanna River, the Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority (“WVSA”) recently launched an innovative regional stormwater management project that could be a springboard for other cooperative efforts between the region’s municipalities. Senator John T. Yudichak, Department of Environmental Protection (“DEP”) Secretary Patrick McDonnell, and representatives from more than 30 municipalities from Luzerne County announced the joint venture on the River Commons in Wilkes-Barre.

Under the plan, the WVSA will coordinate and implement a regional and comprehensive stormwater management program that will reduce pollution of the Susquehanna River and help Pennsylvania meet its obligations under the Chesapeake Bay Agreement. Under existing federal law, municipalities in Northeastern Pennsylvania must curb pollution of the Susquehanna River by as much as 10% in the next five years or each community could be penalized for failure to comply with federal law. The Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) regulations are intended to keep harmful contaminants out of the river and minimize each community’s environmental impact upon the river and downstream communities. As the EPA targeted reductions are met, the Susquehanna River will become cleaner thereby making it safer for wildlife as well as for fisherman, kayakers, and other sportsmen to enjoy.

The WVSA will assume the lead–on behalf of member municipalities–to finance capital projects, submit all stormwater management plans and permit applications, and implement pollution control measures throughout its service area that will reduce stormwater pollution to meet the EPA’s benchmarks. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, will be assisting with stormwater mapping as part of the program.

“The WVSA is well-prepared to meet this challenge and we are eager to advance this project after months of planning,” said Jim Tomaine, Executive Director of the WVSA. “Over the next five years, we will reduce pollutants contaminating the Susquehanna River, which will improve water-quality.” By working together, the WVSA estimates that the region will save $57 million over five years and $274 million over the next two decades, in present-value dollars. Individual households will pay a nominal fee—anywhere between $3 and $4.50 monthly—to the WVSA to finance the regional effort. The WVSA estimates that households will pay between 70% and 90% less than if their municipality pursued EPA compliance on its own. “We all have a responsibility to clean up the Susquehanna River and the Chesapeake Bay because no single municipality could meet this obligation alone,” said Senator Yudichak. “The regional stormwater project—designed to improve water quality and wildlife habitats throughout the watershed—represents the most comprehensive environmental project in northeast Pennsylvania in the last forty years.”

Learn More about Senator Yudichak (14th Senate District)

Stormwater Management for Homeowners

America’s infrastructure collapsing Hexavalent chromium (chromium-6) was just found in 75% of drinking water

“(NaturalNews) An Environmental Working Group review of government water analysis data reveals that 75% of drinking water in America is contaminated with cancer-causing hexavalent chromium (also known as chromium-6). In a widely publicized report, EWG warns that 200 million Americans are right now being exposed to this toxic chemical in their water.

This is on top of our own efforts at EPAwatch.org where my lab tested hundreds of municipal water samples from across the country and found high levels of lead and other heavy metals in 6.7% of samples.

America’s infrastructure collapsing into Third World status

This quote at a recent rally in  Michigan is very true- “”we used to make cars in Flint and you couldn’t drink the water in Mexico. Now the cars are being made in Mexico, and you can’t drink the water in Flint.”” Nor can you safely drink public water almost anywhere in America, as it’s almost universally contaminated with chromium-6, heavy metals or other toxic chemicals.”

To Read More: http://www.naturalnews.com/055408_chromium-6_drinking_water_chemical_suicide.html

Personally – We are the solution, not big govt, we must act to be informed, understand risk, and act.  You can Act NOW! Just some suggestions:

Act NoW !

  1. Get Your Water Tested – We recommend the Well Water or City Water Test Kit.
  2. Neighboorhood Hazard Reports
  3. Get or Install a Point of Use Water Treatment Device  (Treated Water for Pennies a Gallon) !

Private Well Owner Outreach to Private Property Owners Association in the Poconos – Monroe County

The Keystone Clean Water Team was very happy to work with the local “Poconos Region” Property Owners Association to offer a private well water screening test for the residents drinking water.  For the 2016 program, a total of 16 residents participated in the program and for this program water testing was offered at two different tiers.  The basic tier provide general information related to the bacterial quality of the water and level of nitrate, iron, and total hardness.  The advanced tier provided testing for trace metals such as arsenic, copper, lead, zinc, and more comprehensive analysis of the overall quality of the water.  The following is a summary of the results:

2 samples were positive for total coliform bacteria, but no samples were positive for E. coli.;

1 sample exceeded the drinking water standard for lead and 5 other samples had detectable levels of lead in the water;

13 of the 16 samples contained detectable levels of nitrate, but at no point did the level exceed or approach the drinking water standard of 10 mg/L;

1 sample had elevated levels of manganese, but 3 had detectable levels of manganese in the water; and

15 of the 16 samples were considered slightly to corrosive to metal piping and 1 sample was considered very corrosive to metal piping.

The pH of the water ranged for 6.2 to 7.5 and only two samples had a pH that was less than the recommended drinking water standard of 6.5.  These samples were associated with water that had detectable levels of lead, but not the highest level of lead.  The sample with the highest level of lead appeared to be a sample collected at the kitchen sink after the water had been treated with a water softener.

From this snapshot, we learned the following:

  1. There appears to be a 13 % probability that a private well may contain total coliform bacteria.
  2. The water produced from the aquifer tends to be slightly corrosive and have total hardness that ranges from 30 to 150 mg/L.
  3. The groundwater does not appear to have elevated levels of nitrate.
  4. The groundwater does not appear to have E. coli. bacteria.
  5. Lead was detected in some water samples, but the occurrence in the well water is related to the corrosiveness of the water, type of water treatment, and type of plumbing fixtures in the home and not the groundwater aquifer.
  6. Homeowners that reported problems with sulfur odor or black particles were the same homeowners that had elevated or detectable level of manganese.
  7. If you are considering the use of a water softener, please consider the type of household plumbing and it may be necessary to install a neutralizing filter.

Based on these results, we recommend that all private well owners conduct an annual water quality test.  To facilitate this effort, the Keystone Clean Water Team offers an online mail order informational water testing program for private well owners throughout the USA and we offer our Know Your H20? Free Phone App. To learn about our mail order program, please visit us at http://www.water-research.net or http://www.knowyourh20.us.   If you have any questions, please call or email 570-335-1947 or bfenviro@ptd.net.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Mr. Brian Oram, PG

 

Norweco Singulair No Sand Mound System in Pennsylvania Get the Nitrogen Out

Norweco new at-grade bed is approved in Pennsylvania and other states for our Singulair® residential wastewater treatment system! We are proud to offer Pennsylvania the most affordable and effective residential onsite wastewater treatment system. Our Singulair® system, accompanied by our award-winning Hydro-Kinetic Bio-Film Reactor®, produces a clear, odorless effluent that is safely returned to the drain field (NO SAND MOUND REQUIRED).

Norwalk Wastewater Equipment Company (Norweco) is a manufacturer of water and wastewater treatment products, systems and chemicals. They specialize in small-flow treatment applications, ranging from municipal treatment systems for small towns and villages, all the way down to systems for the individual family home. Their products are designed to provide a high level of treatment in the most efficient, cost-effective manner. They place special focus on customer service, product innovation, research and development, regulatory cooperation, industry education and employee fulfillment. Their corporate offices are located in Norwalk, Ohio, we serve a diverse customer base through our licensed distributors and dealers across North America and around the world. Norweco has both concrete and a high density polyethylene options that will meet all your design needs for residential wastewater.

All of our systems carry NSF Standards 40, 46 and 245 listings and have been proven product since the 70’s.  I look forward to hearing from you in the near future and working with you on using our affordable product. Thank you once again for showing interest in Norweco and feel free to contact us at any time.

The Singulair® system has been approved and used for decades in North America and continues to lead the way in today’s market. Certified and proven in hundreds of thousands of installations, the Singulair®, in series with our Hydro-Kinetic Bio-Film Reactor®, is the most innovative, state-of-the-art wastewater treatment system. Consider these advantages:

  • Precast concrete & HDPE tanks include pretreatment
  • Non-mechanical, demand use, built-in flow equalization (surge control) and filtration
  • Low electrical usage
  • Simple to install and maintain
  • No large replacement expenses
  • Environmentally safe – no harmful product to replace

Norweco systems are available state-wide through our network of dedicated, hard-working local distributors. For additional information on design applications or where you can purchase Singulair® systems, give Paul Cannon a call at (419)668-4471 or email him at pcannon@norweco.com.

Please mention to Paul you save this Announcement on the Keystone Clean Water Team Portal – It appears this is suitable for flows up to 800 gpd or two single family homes or a house with 7 bedrooms (3 bedroom house – 400 gpd; each additional bedroom – 100 gpd).

Product Literature
Singulair Brochure
Singulair Specifications
TNT_Flyer
Training
Norweco treatment systems are currently solving wastewater treatment problems throughout Pennsylvania. We invite you to join us at an upcoming Factory Training School to learn more about our company and products. Norweco schools are accredited by the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for six hours of continuing education credit. Please contact me at 1-800-NORWECO or pcannon@norweco.com for additional information.

Training for PASEOs
Water and Wastwater Training Topics

http://www.pacleanwater.org

It is important to Neighboorhood Hazard Reports and get your well water tested.

More on sewage options in Pennsylvania.