As our workforce of engineers, sanitarians, health agents, installers and O&M contractors continues to age, it is important to help move the industry forward – and link the past with the future. Many in our profession are approaching retirement age and it is important to preserve and share institutional knowledge.

Sometimes, we might feel as if we are on different sides of the table – the enforcement side, where all the rules must be followed for environmental compliance, and the client side, where the people who are paying the bills are protected from extraordinary tasks and costs. But in the perfect on-site wastewater world, really, we are not, or should not be, on different sides of the table. Our common goal should be to serve both the client and protect with environment by following our environmental regulations which have been set in place by our public health and environmental protection agencies. And there is always room for healthy discussion and negotiation over some of the minutia of upgrading existing on-site situations. In Massachusetts, there are variance possibilities, and the Local Upgrade Approval process, which helps with updating existing systems.

In my career, both as a designer and a health agent, some of my most valuable learning experiences came from working out in the field with installers and understanding the challenges faced by moving soil and rock, as opposed to drawing a plan with (then) pencil and paper.

If you are experienced in your field, I strongly encourage you to help the newer members of our industry and even mentor them, independent from which side of the table your perspective emanates. If you have been helped by someone, and especially if that person has mentored you, please let them know that you appreciate their help and mentorship.

This is the type of learning and cooperation that will propel our industry and keep the standards of professionalism high and help to meet that common goal of serving the needs of both client and environment.

Sincerely,

Alyssa Rusiecki, YOWA President

✉️ Arusiecki@umass.edu

📞 508-479-5861

If your license requires Training Contact Hours (TCHs), or you are new to the field and want to learn more about this interesting profession, look no further than the online trainings available at a reduced price to YOWA members.

YOWA’s national affiliate, the National Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association, has more than 35 online classes available for you to watch and achieve your needed TCHs while also advancing yourself and your career. 

Be sure to examine the list of all classes on NOWRA’s website at https://www.nowra.org/training/ where you can search by your state to make sure the sessions you will take are allowable for TCHs.

These training classes are available at a discount to YOWA members and are taught by national and local experts and are sure to help grow and develop your skills.

For close to a decade, the Board of Directors of the Yankee Onsite Wastewater Association was fortunate to have the capable volunteer services of Infiltrator’s Dick Bachelder. 

He helped with the Communication Committee, in addition to his role on the Board, and was always a source of good humor at our meetings and good articles for the newsletter. 

Dick recently stepped down from the Board and we all wanted to take a moment to acknowledge publicly the work he has done for us. Thank you Dick!

By Michelle Jenkins

The NOWRA Onsite Wastewater Mega-Conference has established itself as the preeminent gathering for onsite wastewater professionals, delivering exceptional educational, training, and networking opportunities for both on-site and decentralized specialists. NOWRA collaborates with the State Onsite Regulators Association, National Association of Wastewater Technicians, and the state or regional organization where the conference is held to create a truly comprehensive event.

I had the pleasure of attending the Onsite Mega-Conference last fall in Springfield, Missouri, which boasted a staggering 500 attendees from all over the country. The technical sessions featured a diverse range of topics, such as Overcoming Challenging and Difficult Sites, Creative Engineering for Onsite Coastal Properties, A Close Look Inside Concrete, and more. The exhibit hall was completely sold out and featured some of the industry's most innovative companies, including Eljen Corporation, Geoflow, Hoot Systems, Infiltrator Water Technologies, Norweco, Inc., NSF International, Orenco Systems, Inc., and others.

Attendees also had the option to participate in field trips that explored the drip irrigation treatment system at Fantastic Caverns, the Missouri Onsite Wastewater Demonstration Training Center, the Advanced Enviro Septic installation project at Table Rock Lake, and other exciting sites. The social events and networking opportunities only added to the conference's already impressive value.

This year's conference will be held in Hampton, Virginia, from October 22-25, 2023, with the Virginia Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association as the regional co-host. It promises to be yet another outstanding event that caters to a broad spectrum of onsite and decentralized professionals, including installers, pumpers, service providers, regulators, engineers, soil scientists, designers, educators, and more.

If you haven't already, please take this opportunity to renew your membership for 2023.

Renew Now!

Stay at the forefront of the latest industry news, trends, and technology and retain access to additional benefits, such as:

• Reduced registration rates for workshops and trainings
• Legislative updates
• Membership in NOWRA and discounts on training such as NOWRA's Installer Academy.



We are a unique organization consisting of all volunteer members who are dedicated to the professionalism of the on-site wastewater industry. We are always looking for new ideas and volunteers. Please contact the YOWA administrative team or Alyssa Rusiecki. Thank you for you participation and support.

We look forward to serving you for another year.



The YOWA Board of Directors

By Melissa Ranieri

This past fall, YOWA offered a Back to Basics soil course. The course was geared towards those newer to soil science, as well those experts who could benefit from a refresher. YOWA President Alyssa Rusiecki kicked off the training by introducing the YOWA organization and the benefits of joining YOWA. This course offered 5.5 TCHs credits for soil evaluators and system inspectors.

The course provided a balance of lecture and hands on style learning. Maggie Payne of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the NRCS Staff taught the group why soils are important to on-site wastewater design, while also providing the history behind the land, landforms and associated soil types.

Percolation testing 101, as well as alternative percolation testing methods, was reviewed with those in attendance by YOWA’s very own, Alyssa Rusiecki (President) and Dan Ottenheimer (Past President). The second part of the course provided a hands on component allowing those participating in the course to experience different types of soils and to learn the process of identifying soils. Those who attended the course were able to learn about soil texture, color, structure, consistence, and % aggregate, as well as identifying the water table.

Due to the ongoing high demand of those looking to enroll in the NEIWPCC Soil Evaluator course, YOWA feels that this is a valuable course to provide continued soil education to our members. Be on the lookout as this might be a course you will see YOWA offer again. If there is interest, we may be able to offer an advanced version with a field session!

By Daniel Ottenheimer

In December 2022, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) announced the release of possible amendments to Title 5 to address areas of Massachusetts that have been impacted by nitrogen loading. The goal of these amendments is to have impacted communities address nitrogen generated from onsite wastewater systems through the development of local plans that are tailored to each watershed and use the onsite wastewater system technologies that best fit the solutions needed for that particular region.

As your local representative of the onsite wastewater profession, the Yankee Onsite Wastewater Association offered the following letter to MassDEP during the public comment period:

https://www.yankeeonsite.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/YOWA-MassDEP-re-Proposed-Title-5-Amendments-and-NSA-Watershed-Permit-Regulations-1-30-23.docx.pdf