WaterWorks ~ Water & Waste Management News (January 2021)

The Onsite Wastewater Program performs several types of inspections related to septic systems.  Requests for inspection come to the Department as part of a septic system permitting approval, in response to a submitted concern or complaint, or for other investigative purpose.  A request for inspection can be made utilizing the following options:

• Online requests 
• Email requests – septicquestions@maricopa.gov
• Fax – 602-506-6925
• Phone – 602-506-1787

ADEQ’s Hazardous Waste Rule became effective on Nov. 3, 2020, and is now published in the Arizona Administrative Register.

This rule incorporates EPA regulations, such as:

• Revisions to the Definition of Solid Waste (2008)
• Definition of Solid Waste (2015)
• Safe Management of Recalled Airbags (2018)
• Management Standards for Hazardous Waste Pharmaceuticals and Amendment to the P075 Listing for Nicotine (2019)
• Increasing Recycling: Adding Aerosol Cans to the Universal Waste Regulations (2019)

For more information about this rulemaking, please visit ADEQ's Rulemaking page.

As a reminder, all of our customer service lobbies remain closed to ensure the health and safety of our customers and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Please visit our website ESD.Maricopa.gov and click on our  Virtual Permit Counter for links to our applications, forms and assistance with online plan submittal.

In some situations, an applicant may be able to apply for a variance justifying the use of the manufacturer’s specifications.  For more information, see Arizona Administrative Code R18-9-A312(F).

What happens during one of our department’s inspection to a public and/or semi public pool in Maricopa County? 

Environmental Health Specialist Alisa Misevich takes us to one of her inspections and shows us what Environmental Services Department does to ensure public safety and minimize aquatic water-related health risks.

Click on link below to watch video on ESD's YouTube channel:

https://youtu.be/VWVL-7i13_g 

The Arizona Administrative Code R18-9-A312(G) allows for alternative design, setback, installation, or operational features when permitting an onsite wastewater treatment facility when the proposal meets specific criteria, justified with supporting documentation, and achieves equal or better performance.  In other words, it allows for a variance to the regulations under specific circumstances. 

A variance to the regulation may be approved with proper justification and design for:

• Conventional septic systems with pumps that lead up to a distribution box to then discharge subsurface by gravity.
• Septic system designs that propose one type of treatment/disposal technology for the primary system and a different type for the reserve system.

A variance to the regulation may not be approved by this Department for:

For those that perform site and soils evaluations in Arizona for onsite wastewater treatment facilities, please see the below guidance provided by ADEQ for completion of the ADEQ Uniform Site Investigation Report.

Clarification for consistent implementation of AAC R18-9-A309(B)(1)(a)

Purpose of this policy

In recent years, ADEQ has received a number of questions regarding the terms (a) “consistence” as listed in Arizona Administrative Code (AAC) Title 18 Chapter 9 at R18-9-A310 (E)(3)(a) and R18-9-A310 (F)(3)(f)(i) and (b) “Dry consistency” and “Moist Consistency” as listed in the Uniform Site Investigation Report Form. In an effort to ensure consistent implementation of AAC R18-9-A309 (B)(1)(a) across all counties, ADEQ is issuing this policy defining the terms consistence, dry, moist, dry consistency and moist consistency. In addition, ADEQ is listing the minimum data required by all applicants when seeking an NOI to discharge under a Type 4 General Permit with regards to consistence. ADEQ hopes this memo will clarify the minimum data required as it relates to consistence as part of any Type 4 General permit. Improperly interpreting the terms has the potential for a poor engineering design and can reduce the onsite wastewater treatment facility’s ability to adequately treat and potentially result in an adverse impact on the environment.

Definitions

1. Consistence: Soil consistence is defined as the resistance of a material to deformation or rupture or expressed in degree of cohesion and adhesion (Gustafson et al., 2016; US EPA, 1980).
2. Dry: Dry is defined in ASTM D5921 Table 11 Classes of Soil Water as “Very little visual or tactile change between field observation and after air-dried samples” (ASTM, 1996).
3. Moist: Moist is defined in ASTM D5921 Table 11 Classes of Soil Water as “Visual or tactile change between field observation and after air drying” (ASTM, 1996).
4. Wet: Wet is defined in ASTM D5921 Table 11 Classes of Soil Water as “Water films evident, or free water” (ASTM, 1996).
5. Dry consistency: Consistence described for dry state.
6. Moist consistency: Consistence described for moist state.

Both AAC R18-9-A310 (E) and AAC R18-9-A310 (F) require applicants to submit consistence (soil) under AAC R18-9-A310 (E)(3)(a) and AAC R18-9-A310(F)(3)(f)(i) respectively. Additionally, moist consistence is required for determining the Soil Absorption Rate (SAR) using the table listed in R18-9-A312 (D)(2)(b). Consistence is not explicitly stated as required information if the applicant is using the seepage pit performance test listed in AAC R18-9-A310 (G).

AAC R18-9-A310 (E) lists Standard Practice ASTM D5921 - 96 (Reapproved 2003) which describes a procedure for classifying soil by field observable characteristics within the USDA SCS classification system based on visual examination and manual tests. Section 6.1 of ASTM 5921 states the soil should be evaluated in the moist condition and Table 11 defines the term moist.

Conclusion

Percolation tests do not always measure hydraulic conductivity accurately (can vary by 90% or more when conducted in the same soils) and US EPA recommends combining percolation test data with other soil data to estimate hydraulic conductivity (US EPA, 1980). Furthermore, supplementing soil percolation tests with soil morphologic descriptions such as consistence are better predictors of soils hydraulic capacity than percolation tests (US EPA, 2002). Section 1.1 and Section 6.1 of ASTM D5921 describes the normal operating state of the septic system is moist (ASTM, 1996). In addition, Table 3.4 (Gustafson et al., 2016) only lists loading rates for very friable and friable consistence and loose non-cemented soils and states that soil’s moisture content should be similar to that expected in the soil surrounding a soil treatment system (Gustafson et al., 2016). It only lists moist consistence classes in addition to explicitly stating that only moist samples be used. Furthermore, it states that consistence will provide the designer with information necessary to determine the correct soil loading rate (Gustafson et al., 2016). Therefore, the moist consistency column must be filled out as that information is crucial for the design of a septic system unless using the seepage pit performance test listed in AAC R18-9-A310 (G).

References

If you are interested in access to your permit status at your fingertips, application status can be search for at Accela Citizen Access (maricopa.gov). 

Joel Peterson, Water/Wastewater Treatment Program Manager

I’m a graduate of Northern Arizona University (BS in geology) as well as Arizona State University (MS in Civil Engineering) and I’m a registered professional engineer in Arizona.

I’ve spent the last 15 years in private practice as a consulting engineer with several different firms here in the valley.  Before that I worked for nearly 20 years at Motorola in a variety of capacities related to environmental engineering including groundwater remediation, wastewater treatment, ultrapure water production and EHS department manager.

My wife, Karen, and I have 2 grown children who are both off pursuing their own careers.  We enjoy hiking and camping with our three dogs (all rescue mutts), gardening and I am an avid backpacker (as time permits) with a particular fondness for the Grand Canyon and the Arizona Trail.  We canoe, cross country ski and generally just love to get out into the amazing nature of Arizona and surrounding states in the southwest.

I’ve lived in Maricopa County for most of my life and I’m thrilled to become part of this great team here in Environmental Services.

Fahmida Maula, Civil Engineer

My name is Fahmida (Fah-meeda).

I’m an Arizona State University graduate, a registered professional civil engineer, and a mother of three children.

I’ve been at ADEQ for 13+ years and am experienced with water and wastewater design review. Before ADEQ, I worked in the private sector, with the WLB group, on drainage design.

At ADEQ, in addition to reviewing water/wastewater designs, I provided technical assistance to disadvantaged public water systems, which were non-compliant due to operational and maintenance issues, MCL, or other reasons. I was also one of the few fortunate employees who received training on critical and complex EPA’s corrosion control regulation and its application on PWSs.

In my spare time, I enjoy traveling. Some of my most memorable trips from this past year were to Bangladesh, Alaska, and the Caribbean. And although it annoys my family, I’m a huge cacti lover. My home is filled with all different kinds of them but we cannot get too close to our jumping Cholla cactus, because it will prick us with its sharp thorns—and we learned that the hard way.

Julian Ruiz, Engineer Associate

Julian Ruiz was hired in September 2020 as an Associate Engineer in the Subdivision Program section the Water and Waste Management Division.  I am an Arizona Native and a recent Civil Engineering Graduate from Arizona State University and is an E.I.T. (Engineer-In-Training).

He was previously employed with a Geotechnical Firm where he worked on foundation municipal plans, commercial and residential projects. He also worked in a seismic program, which lead him to work in other states, including Hawaii.

“I am excited to have join the Maricopa County Environmental Services Department where I am learning about the several Engineering programs which include the Subdivision Program, Wastewater Treatment Program and Drinking Water Program”.

In his spare time, Julian likes to listen to music, play video games and travel.