Instructor

William Carlson, P.E.
William Carlson, P.E. is President of Carlson Testing and Inspection, Inc. in Fernley, Nevada.

He is a member of the team working to introduce the first alternative wastewater collection / treatment system in the state.

His work includes regulatory agency liaison and sole responsibility for installation quality assurance, quality control, and system maintenance.

He is a former nuclear submarine officer qualified as Chief Engineer of a nuclear power plant by the Department of Energy and is currently a lecturer at Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center, the home of TOP GUN.

He performs civil engineering work throughout Northern Nevada.

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Course Description

The first Alternative Wastewater Collection and Treatment (AWC / T) system was introduced in the 1960s with mixed success. Over the last thirty years the concept has matured into a viable, reliable alternative to conventional gravity sewers that has economic advantages in many cases. Three decades of AWC / T proven performance has been winning over more and more proponents and the systems are now being introduced with increasing frequency throughout the country. The reasons for this growth are rooted in the systems economic and environmental efficiency. In addition to applications in new construction, this technology offers a way for communities experiencing nitrate problems from existing septic tanks to retrofit their systems with a leak-proof collection system and eliminate the health risk from groundwater contamination.

The seminar will include one day of classroom instruction followed by one day of hands-on study, and a design problem. The classroom portion will cover Septic Tank Effluent Pump (STEP), Grinder Pump (GP), and Vacuum Systems. Additionally, Intermittent Sand Filter self-contained systems will be introduced. Specific topics include commercially available hardware, system design, installation procedures, and system maintenance.

• Introduce the different options available when considering either a new or retrofitted wastewater treatment system
• Present a decision-tree to aid with system selection. This decision-tree will include environmental, development density, and economic considerations
• Introduce design tools and procedures for AWC / T systems
• Promulgate an installation quality assurance / quality control checklist
• Analyze a case study of a community that has adopted and implemented this technology
• Provide hands-on experience with hardware from the various systems
• Divide students into working groups for a design problem. The groups will choose either a STEP, GP, or vacuum system to serve either a new construction or retrofitted community.

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Seminar Benefits

• Become knowledgeable on the current alternative methods of wastewater collection and treatment
• Learn new solutions to groundwater nitrate contamination problems
• Gain experience in alternative wastewater collection and treatment design
• Learn from the experience of a community that has adopted and implemented an alternative wastewater collection system (Missoula, MT)
• Learn effective quality control / quality assurance procedures for system installation
• Learn a model system maintenance / repair plan
• Learn the different options available when considering either a new or retrofitted wastewater treatment system
• Learn to make cost-effective recommendations and decisions for wastewater projects in a non-proprietary environment
• Seminar combines classroom instruction, hands-on study, a case study, and a design problem

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Who Should Attend

This seminar bridges a gap between formal education and a high growth industry. Civil engineers, utility managers, lawmakers, and environmental managers will benefit from this seminar. The program features a combination of classroom instruction, hands-on study, case study, and a design project.

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Summary Outline

Day One

• 8:00   Registration
• 8:30   Instructor and Seminar Introduction
• 9:00   AWC / T History
• 10:00 Wastewater Characteristics
• 11:00 Introduction to Collection Options
• 12:00 Lunch Break
• 1:00   Septic Tank Effluent Pumping Systems (STEP)
• 3:00   STEP Case Study and Design Problem
• 4:30   Adjourn

Day Two

• 8:00   Grinder Pump Systems (GP)
• 9:00   GP Case Study and Design Problem
• 10:00 Vacuum Systems
• 11:00 Vacuum Case Study and Design Problem
• 12:00 Lunch Break
• 1:00   System Displays
• 2:00   Introduction to On-Site Treatment
• 3:00   Intermittent Sand Filters
• 3:45   Re-circulating Sand Filters
• 4:30   Adjourn

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Attendees’ Comments

“Very good overview of alternative wastewater collections and treatment systems. Well presented in layman’s terms, so it was very easy to understand systems.”
Jim Gibson, Manufacturer’s Representative
Enviro. Improvement, Inc., Tulsa, OK

“This course provides a good introduction to alternative treatment and collection options. Very good for wastewater engineers who are not familiar with alternative systems.”
Greta Zornes, Project Engineer
Camp Dresser & Mckee, Metairie, LA

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