Ongoing maintenance contracts are required for systems that use
secondary treatment systems,
non-standard treatment systems,
drip irrigation, and
surface application disposal even if the system is not in
operation. However, in counties with a population of less than
40,000 the owners of single-family residences can maintain their
own aerobic treatment unit provided they receive training from the
licensed installer.
Who can I contract with to do
maintenance on my OSSF?
The contract must be with a "valid" maintenance company or maintenance provider.
Return to top
What does the maintenance
company or maintenance provider do?
The maintenance company or maintenance provider is responsible
for fulfilling the requirements of the maintenance contract.
At a minimum, the maintenance company or maintenance provider
shall:
- Install a tag, or some other form of identification, on the
system at the beginning of each maintenance contract;
- The indentification shall either be punched or marked at the
time of each visit, including responses to owner complaints, to
provide the owner with a record of the visit.
- Inspect components of the system and note whether or not every
component is working during each site visit;
- If an item is inoperative, the property owner must have the
item repaired.
- Test the system as required in
30 TAC §285.91(4);
- Submit a report to the permitting authority and owner at least
once every four months [see 30 TAC §285.90(3) for a sample report];
- You may report once every six months if you use an
electronic monitor and automatic radio or telephone to notify the
maintenance company or maintenance provider of system or component
failure and to monitor the amount of disinfection in the
system;
- The maintenance company or maintenance provider is responsible
for ensuring that the electronic monitoring and automatic radio or
telephone access systems are working properly.
- Your report must include all responses to property owner
complaints and electronic monitoring notices;
- Your report must be submitted within 14 days after the test is
performed.
Return to top
What are the minimum
provisions in the maintenance contract?
The maintenance contract shall specify the following:
- List items that are covered by the contract;
- Specify a time frame in which the maintenance company or
maintenance provider will visit the property in response to a
complaint by the property owner regarding the operation of the
system;
- Specify the name of the individual employed by the maintenance
company who is certified by the manufacturer of the system;
- Identify the frequency of routine maintenance and the frequency
of the required testing and reporting; and
- Identify who is responsible for maintaining the disinfection
unit.
Return to top
How do I become an OSSF
maintenance company?
A "Valid" maintenance company is defined as two
or more people in the business of maintaining OSSFs using aerobic
treatment.
At least one individual in the company must:
- Hold either:
- Each individual performing maintenance must be a registered
Maintenance Provider;
-
Conditions for Class "D" Wastewater
Operators
A person who holds a Class "D" Wastewater
Operator license issued on or before August 31,
2006, and who performs maintenance to on-site sewage
disposal systems using aerobic treatment shall be allowed to
continue to perform maintenance provider duties until
August 31, 2008. An individual who performs
maintenance to on-site sewage disposal systems using aerobic
treatment shall obtain a registration as required by Title 30, Texas Administrative Code
Chapter 30, subchapter A. To continue performing those duties
after September 1, 2008, those individuals shall
obtain an on-site sewage facility (OSSF) Installer II license or be
employed by a maintenance company that employs at least one OSSF
Installer II.
A maintenance company can become registered by:
Return to top
How do I become an OSSF
Maintenance Provider?
A "Valid" maintenance provider is defined as
one person in the business of maintaining OSSFs
using aerobic treatment.
The maintenance provider must:
- AND be certified by:
- the manufacturer of the proprietary component, or
- the designer of the system or component that requires a
maintenance contract.
Conditions for Class "D" Wastewater
Operators
A person who holds a Class "D" Wastewater
Operator license issued on or before August 31,
2006, and who performs maintenance to on-site sewage
disposal systems using aerobic treatment shall be allowed to
continue to perform maintenance provider duties until
August 31, 2008. An individual who performs
maintenance to on-site sewage disposal systems using aerobic
treatment shall obtain a registration as required by Title 30, Texas Administrative Code
Chapter 30, subchapter A. To continue performing those duties
after September 1, 2008, those individuals shall
obtain an on-site sewage facility (OSSF) Installer II license or be
employed by a maintenance company that employs at least one OSSF
Installer II.
A maintenance provider can become registered by:
- successfully completing the required Maintenance Provider
Training Course;
- obtaining certification from
-
- the manufacturer of the propietary component, or
- the designer of the system or component that requires a
maintenance contract
- AND submit documentation from the manufacturer
of an on-site sewage disposal system using aerobic treatment that
the applicant is certified to maintain the on-site sewage facility
systems under a maintenance contract;
- AND submitting a completed Application
for Registration as an On-Site Sewage Facility (OSSF)
Maintenance Provider and a $111 application fee to
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. An application
can only be obtained at the Maintenance Provider Training
Course.
Return to top
What laws and rules govern
OSSF maintenance?
The statute regarding this requirement is Texas Health and Safety Code Section
366.0515.
The rule regarding the specifics of OSSF maintenance is 30 TAC §285.7.
Return to top
What type of chlorine should I
use for wastewater disinfection?
When disinfection of secondarily treated wastewater effluent is
required and you are using chlorine tablets, it is important that
you use a chlorine tablet that is made from calcium hypochlorite
and is certified for wastewater disinfection by EPA. They are very
reactive and will kill 99% of the bacteria present in the effluent
within 10 minutes. Follow all warning and precaution statements of
the chlorine tablet manufacturer to protect yourself and the system
equipment.
WARNING: DO
NOT use swimming pool chlorine tablets in your
disinfection system. The chlorine in these tablets are made from
trichlorisocyanuric acid. Swimming pool tablets dissolve more
slowly than calcium hypochlorite and do not thoroughly disinfect
the effluent. Additionally, there is a danger of explosion using
swimming pool tablets since the tablets will release an explosive
gas called nitrogen chloride due to the fact that they are not
totally immersed in water at all times while in use. They are not
approved by EPA for wastewater effluent disinfection.
Return to top
