Agenda
Registration: 8:00 – 8:30 am
Morning Session: 8:30 – 11:45 am
Lunch (On your own): 11:45 am – 1:00 pm
Afternoon Session: 1:00 – 4:30 pm
The Evolution of the OSSF (On-Site Sewage Facility) Program in Texas, from Primordial Soup to an 800 Pound Gorilla
How and why the program began
Its history as a dysfunctional, unwanted child
The current TCEQ (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality) structure of OSSF rules and enforcement
Who’s really in charge and why
The distinction between prescriptive and performance regulations
The (under-estimated) role that the septic system plays in property purchase and development/site planning
Should TCEQ regulations be adhered to?
How the Size, Type and Cost of the Septic System is Determined
TCEQ setback requirements as limiting factors (Will the water level in the well rise a couple of inches every time the owner flushes the commode?)
What is a ‘site evaluator,’ compared to a ‘designer,’ and what is his role in planning of a septic system?
How are septic systems SIZED in Texas?
The water quality treatment line: from nuclear wastes to perfectly pure water (no such thing)
Residential – the variance quality and maintenance levels from which a homeowner can choose
Types of Septic Systems Approved in Texas and Used, Especially in the South-Central Part of the Great Republic
Basic components of sewage – hydraulic and organic loadings
Universal components of any septic system – from raw sewage to environmentally-helpful moisture
Passive vs. active, primary treatment vs. secondary systems
Standard systems – gravel, leaching chambers and gravel-less
Aerobic treatment units – general structure, how they work, their advantages and disadvantages
Spray application described; advantages and disadvantages
Drip irrigation described; advantages and disadvantages
New gray water rules and how to apply them
Nutrient reductions
Commercial – the Shocking Cost, Footprint and Long Term Maintenance Requirements
The technical differences between residential and commercial septic systems
The two key factors in any commercial septic system that someone must specify and through which they will assume the liability for its proper functioning
A step-by-step, unpublished method of ENSURING that the final system will work properly
Metrics of a finely designed system and the chemical, physical and hydraulic measurements that must be recorded
Monitoring, inspections and repairs
Credits
Architects
6.0 HSW CEPHs/Contact Hours
6.0 AIA HSW Learning Units
Professional Engineers
6.0 PDHs
Contractors
Non-Mandatory Cont. Ed.
Continuing Education Credit Information
This seminar is open to the public and offers 6.0 HSW continuing education hours (CEPH to architects and 6.0 PDHs to professional engineers) in Texas. Educators and courses are not pre-approved in Texas.
The American Institute of Architects has approved this event for 6.0 HSW Learning Units (Sponsor No. J885).
Architects and engineers with continuing education requirements in other states will be able to apply the hours earned at this seminar, in most cases. Refer to specific state rules to determine eligibility.
This seminar offers contractors a continuing education opportunity, but it has not been submitted to any state contractor licensing entity for continuing education approval.
Attendance will be monitored, and attendance certificates will be available after the seminar for most individuals who complete the entire event. Attendance certificates not available at the seminar will be mailed to participants within fifteen business days.
Speakers
Frank Aguirre
President of Frank Aguirre & Associates, Inc. San Antonio
Mr. Aguirre, owner of Septic Systems Express, Septic System Designs Of Texas and Texas Septic Systems Council, has been designing and inspecting septic systems since 1975. During that time, he has served on the board of directors for the National On-site Wastewater Recycling Association (NOWRA), and he has served as president of the Texas On-site Wastewater Association. Mr. Aguirre founded the Alamo On-site Wastewater Association and the Alamo Water & Wastewater Analysts Association. He has designed over 30,000 septic systems and is the only person in the country that has organized and sponsored a national conference specifically on how to design a septic system for a restaurant (high strength wastewater). He has been a licensed sanitarian since 1968. Mr. Aguirre received his bachelor’s degree in Biology and his master’s degree in Educational Psychology. Septic Systems Express designs and inspects septic systems throughout south-central Texas. He is a professional speaker and lives, part-time, in Manhattan.
