Instructional Plan
Septic Design
Site Evaluation: The first consideration for onsite wastewater disposal is locating an area suitable for leachate. This section will cover calculating slope, delineation of ledge lots and wetland areas, and soil identification. This section will include a required field day, during which participants will learn to take a test pit log, estimate soil texture, and use a Munsell color sheet.
Septic Tank Science: This section will cover the science of what happens in septic tanks. These anaerobic wastewater treatment devices are an integral part of the onsite disposal system. Participants will learn how to size and site septic tanks. Discussion of pre-tank filters, grease traps, venting requirements, and septic tank pumping and maintenance will be included. Pipe and Tubing Technology: This section will examine disposal of effluent through various piping methods, including stone bed and pipe, trench and pipe, infiltrators, and leaching maze systems. Calculation of effluent disposal area for various types of piping devices and base layer preparation for installation of leaching devices will be discussed. Pump Choice and Settings: This section will examine the use of dosing pumps for effluent discharge. Calculation of gallons per cycle and selection and installation of pumps and pump tanks will be discussed. Pump use for specific applications will be considered, as will calculating the dose pump volume, type of pumps and how to size pumps. Both on demand (float) and time dosed systems will be covered. Site Design: This section will bring together previous elements, as participants learn to integrate the various system design elements into a custom system fitting the property owner’s use and the limitations of the lot. |
Septic Installation
Installation of Septic Tanks and Leaching Fields: This section will cover setting, sealing, and backfilling septic tanks, creating a leaching area and installing leaching devices, maintaining proper slopes, and proper backfill and erosion protection of the system and surrounding area.
Installation and Operation of Pumps and Float Switches: This section will cover the installation, operation and troubleshooting of pumps, float switches, and control panels in septic applications. We will examine the selection and application of pumps and control switches and dosing calculations.. Pump Replacement This section will cover the types of pumps available for septic systems and when and how they should be maintained and/or replaced. Sewage pumps are mechanical devices utilized to move liquid from a tank to a treatment device. Both pumps and associated control mechanisms will be described and discussed. Dangers of Sewer Gases: This section will cover the conditions required for the formation of hydrogen sulfide and methane, the health risks associated with working around hydrogen sulfide and methane, and how to prevent sewer gas related accidents. Septic System Maintenance and Repair: This section will cover routine system maintenance, including tank pumping and grease trap access. Initial evaluation of a malfunctioning system to determine whether repair is appropriate will be discussed. |
Continuing Education
Code Review: This section will cover all changes in the applicable laws and codes that have occurred in the previous 36 months.
Innovations and Inventions: This section will outline the design, installation, and operation of all new septic products that have been approved for use in the state of New Hampshire in the previous 36 months. System Evaluation: This section will review the parameters of a properly functioning disposal system, and review how to evaluate existing systems for proper ongoing operation. Case studies of actual failed systems will be used to examine the causes of septic system failure and ways of correcting a system to avoid such issues. Consumer education will also be covered. |
NH Statutes for Septic Systems
Click here for a pdf of NH septic regulations