Local Septic System

Problems in Texas On-Site Industry:
(The following is a list of opinions by Jeff Snowden)

Too little enforcement by agencies. (“You can't enforce what you don't track” Jeff Snowden)
Most don't have a proper method for tracking their permits, complaints, etc.
Most don't have any method for verifying maintenance
Many permit and license systems that don't meet all the rules.
Most don't track systems to verify final inspections.
Most don't know the products and systems sufficiently well to inspect.
Most claim they don't have the budget or ability to pursue enforcement actions.
Nobody goes around behind service providers and spot checks their work.
No enforcement of pretreatment of nonresidential sewage.
Most don't follow up on “failed” reports from service providers.

Too many installers
Licenses are too easy to get.
Nobody has lost a license for anything, that I'm aware of...

Too many designers
Licenses are too easy to get.
Nobody has lost a license for anything, that I'm aware of...

DR's inadequately trained/educated.
Many don't know the rules.
Most don't know the systems.
Most don't know the products.
Many actually promote “cheap”.
Nobody has lost a license for anything, that I'm aware of...

Design rules are too loose.
60 gpd is only good for average flows. No guidance for peak flow design.
Insufficient guidance on pretreatment of non-residential sewage.
Drip and LPD should be treated identical.
Timed dosing
Drain-back design guidance on slopes
Filtration to 1/6 the orifice size
Automatic field flushing
Service agreement
All OSSF's should have some form of service agreement.
Over-ride floats should be prohibited on surface application.
Flow equalization of flow to treatment (ATU's or soil) should be mandatory.
Disinfection should not be homeowner dependent.
All filters should have autoflushing or alarms indicating need to clean.

Public deserves to be educated.
They don't usually get to choose their OSSF.
They don't know their responsibilities for an OSSF.
There's no clear source of accurate information.