Patricia Miller and I intend to conduct educational programs for local onsite sewage contractors this winter at several location, yet to be determined. We anticipate these will be one-day training programs coordinated through local health departments and offered so that each meeting covers at least two or three counties. We will also offer to conduct an evening session at each location on the basics of onsite wastewater treatment for local boards of health, boards of appeal, and other local decision makers.

A letter will be going out soon to local health departments offering this training and asking for volunteers who would like to coordinate a meeting for a region. If you believe that this type of training should be offered in your county, please give your local health department a heads-up and suggest that they watch and be ready to respond when they receive our letter suggesting these meetings. You might consider offering to help with meeting arrangements, etc.

Our goal will be to provide basic onsite wastewater training up-dates for contractors and as a side benefit sanitarians as well. We will introduce them to our Michigan Onsite Wastewater Training and Education Center (MOWTEC), encouraging them to consider coming there for a more detailed two-day training program. We expect to conduct 6 to 8 meetings of this type this year and more next year.

Ted Loudon