| Formal Name: | Private Onsite Wastewater Treatment System Advisory Committee |
| Contact Person: | Kevin Stoner, Water Permits Division Administrator, |
| Purpose: | To advise the Department on proposed rules and regulations relating to the Private Onsite Wastewater Treatment System Contractors Certification and System Registration Act; advise the Department on the administration of the act as requested by the director, and advise the Department on rules and regulations for the siting, layout, operation, and maintenance of private onsite wastewater treatment systems. |
| How Many Affectable: | It is estimated that over 200 thousand total homeowners and small business owners in Nebraska use onsite wastewater systems. There are approximately 525 certified onsite professionals in Nebraska. |
| How Many Served: | Since 2012 an average of 600 certified onsite professionals have registered nearly 1600 onsite wastewater treatment systems each year. |
| Year Created: | 2003 |
| Year Active: | 2003 |
| Sunset Date: | None |
| Authorization Citation: | Neb Rev. Stat 81-15, 245 |
| Parent Agency: | Department of Environmental Quality |
| Number Of Members: | 11 |
| Who Appoints: | DEQ Director appoints 8; Vice Chancellor at the University of Nebraska Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources appoints 2; and the Director of Health & Human Services appoints 1. |
| Legislative Approval: | No |
| Qualifications Of Members: | Five members are private onsite wastewater treatment system professionals; two are registered environmental health specialists or officials representing local public health departments which have established programs for regulating private onsite wastewater treatment systems; the director of Health & Human Services or designated representative, the director of the Department of Environmental Quality or a designated representative; one representative with experience in soils and geology and one representative with experience in biological engineering. |
| Per Diem: | No |
| Expense Reimbursement: | Yes |
| Term Length: | 4 years; maximum 2 terms |
| Terms Rotate or Expire At Once: | Terms Rotate |
| Required FY 13-14: | 1 |
| Held FY 13-14: | 3 |
| Required FY 14-15: | 1 |
| Held FY 14-15: | 4 |
| Required FY 15-16: | 1 |
| Held FY 15-16: | 3 |
| Support Staff: | No |
| Shared or Separate: | Shared w Department |
| FY 13-14 Budget: | 0 |
| FY 14-15 Budget: | 0 |
| FY 15-16 Budget: | 0 |
| Other Funding Sources: | None |
| Spending Authority: | None |
| Since July 1, 2012: | The Advisory committee proposed revisions to Title 124 Rules and Regulations for the Designated Operation and Maintenance of Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems in early 2012. The Title was revised effective on August 11, 2012. Major changes included in this revision were: standard design for mound septic systems, changes in certification categories, mound endorsement certification for installers, and removal of program forms from the Appendix of the regulations. The Advisory committee reviewed and approved updates to the certification exams for each category of certification (Installer, Inspector, Pumper and Soil Evaluator) in 2013 and 2015. In 2013, The Environmental Results Program (ERP) inspection program was initiated by the Department, where 30 to 40 newly installed and registered systems are inspected by Program staff each year, with results of the inspection program reported to the Advisory committee. In 2016, the Advisory committee began developing a list of potential updates to Title 124 for the 2017 calendar year. |