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2S <br />involvement in all aspects of wastewater ~~ it will become the local <br />educational resource for technicians, homeowners, Pumpers and other groups with <br />connections to permitting and management issues. <br />.l. Lending Institutions, Developers, Builders, Realtors and A#arneys: These <br />groups are targeted for education because they are crucial in passing an <br />information about septic systems during property transactions, home sales, <br />closings ar even listings of property. The Srst step of the education could be <br />accomplished by the Environmental Health staff asking far an appearance <br />before executive committees or full session meetings of local affiliate groups <br />on a periodic basis. Update meetings and regular mailings of specific printed <br />literature will be needed to keep all members current. The committee wanted <br />somehow to include Realtors and, lending institutions in the chain of disclosure <br />of system type and management requirements, but there was no firm agreement <br />on how this could be accomplished. Yn the wank group session, a focus group <br />with representatives from this array of professions was suggested by Margaret <br />Brown to elicit ideas on educational efforts. <br />2. Homeowners Associations: All of these associations would be targeted for <br />education and all will be encouraged to view ongoing septic system <br />maintenance as a community effort and a community benefit. The group also <br />wanted to explore whether, in new developments, requirements for system <br />operation can be incorporated into subdivision covenants. A listing maybe <br />available from the "Community watch" program, <br />3. Septic System Installers: These contractors are now subjected to a simple <br />registration process before they can install septic systems in Orange County. <br />There is no current requirement for licensors or certification either here or <br />elsewhere in North Carolina. Tf the expansion goes forward, routine continuing <br />educational sessions sponsored by the Health Deparhneat could be considered <br />either as a condition of the registration process or tv be put on a `~neferred list" <br />of contractors and his information would be provided to permit applicants. <br />Some method of sanction and removal of renegade or incompetent contractors <br />must also be implemented so that frequent violators of installation standards <br />can be effectively managed. <br />4. Septic System Pumpers: When a citizen calls a septic pumper today for routine <br />maintenance of a system, the pumper, in most cases, empties the tank without <br />regard for the actual level of the biosolids. Tn same instances, the removal of <br />biosolids before they reach a detrimental depth is unnecessary and may <br />adversely affect the biology of the tank. The pumpers would be encouraged <br />thmugh education to check the biosolids and. empty them only when necessary. <br />An upside of this process is that the pumper could charge a lesser fee when the <br />frank is not cleaned because they save the costs of disposal at the accepting <br />wastewater treatment plant plus the travel there to dump the load. The <br />homeowner saves by paying a lesser amount for the pumper's service and the <br />expected increase of the volume of septage aeeding~disposal is minimized. <br />The startup and equipment costs for the pumpers to implement this practice are <br />~~• Tbe group went further to say that more information is needed from <br />each pumper vn the origins of the septage and on those systems which are <br /> <br />