Nonprofit Sewer Company Helps Solve Issues

David Casaletto, Executive Director, Ozarks Water Watch

Before I get into the subject matter, I want to say that the 2011 Fall colors may be the most beautiful I have ever seen since I've lived in the Ozarks. I woke up one morning and the trees had all got together that night and decided they would turn the most brilliant yellows and reds! Those super bright colors lasted around 4 days but the hillsides are still gorgeous! The banner picture above was taken by my wife from our upstairs deck looking towards an island near Virgin Bluff on Table Rock Lake. Isn't it GREAT to live in the Ozarks! If you have pictures of beautiful Fall colors, please email them to Ozarks Water Watch and I will post them on our Facebook page. Be sure to include the location.

One of the many hats I wear is the President of Ozarks Clean Water Company (OCWC), a nonprofit sewer company that was formed in 2004 through EPA's National Onsite Wastewater Demonstration Project grant. The grant project period was from 2002 to 2007 and I was the program coordinator. The goal was to demonstrate how to operate and maintain wastewater treatment systems, especially cluster systems that have a treatment plant for a group of homes that are outside of municipal sewer jurisdiction. Decentralized wastewater systems require professional operation, maintenance and management for success and that is not always provided when the wastewater treatment system is owned and operated by a developer or property owners association (POA).

Recirculating Sand Filter Owned by OCWC Serving a Small Subdivision

OCWC has been successful as it:

● relieves developers & POAs of the day to day hassles and difficulties involved with owning and operating wastewater systems

● allows developers to not have to form associations to meet continuing operating authority requirements from the state regulatory authority.

● has credibility with local regulatory agencies and is familiar with the permitting process

● assumes all legal liability associated with the wastewater system

● provides level and predictable costs to homeowners

● provides technical assistance in selecting, designing and permitting cost effective environmentally sound wastewater treatment systems  

● is exempt by Missouri State Statue from regulation by the Public Service Commission with rates being set by the company's Board of Directors

●  has a Board of Directors elected from the membership by the membership

OCWC Package Plant Aeration System Serving Time Share Units

OCWC in 7 years has developed into a viable stand alone company:

Active Sewer Connections:

Savannah Heights                154

Sycamore Ridge                    82

Smoke Tree Hills                   88

White Tail Crossing               34

Other customers                    98

Total Active Connections: 456

Indirect Customers:

Stone Bridge                         710

(Served by OCWC owned pipeline to Branson Treatment Plant)

Future Customers:

Meadow Ridge                      270

(Plans are to own collection system with sewage transported through OCWC pipeline to Branson)

Total Active, Indirect and Future customers: 1456

AN OCWC Recirculating Sand Filter Under Construction

At least two counties in Southwest Missouri will not allow a cluster system due to problems associated with the developer or POA not properly maintaining their wastewater treatment system. In those counties, a developer's only wastewater choices are to build where there is city sewer or to use septic systems. A company such as Ozarks Clean Water Company solves that problem by giving the county and regulatory authorities assurance that the system will be properly maintained thereby relieving the developer or POA of that responsibility. 

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Current News Articles

Congressman Rick Crawford (First District - Arkansas) along with a number of co-sponsors introduced H.R. 3158.  The bill directs the Administrator of the federal Environmental Protection Agency to change the Clean Water Act Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure rule ("SPCC") with respect to certain farms.  The legislation is cited as the "Farmers Undertake Environmental Land Stewardship Act".  H.R. 3158 exempts from all requirements of the SPCC rule any farm - (A) with an aggregate storage capacity of less than or equal to 10,000 gallons; and (B) no history of spills.

For more information and to read more, Click HERE.

EPA Integrated Municipal Stormwater and Wastewater Plans  

EPA Website

EPA, the States and municipalities have achieved real progress in implementing the Clean Water Act and protecting public health and the environment. The challenges today, however, are more complex than those of the past. Population growth, aging infrastructure, increasingly complex water quality issues and the current economic challenges are stressing the implementation of CWA programs. Today, EPA, States and municipalities often focus on each CWA requirement individually without full consideration of all CWA obligations. This approach may have the unintended consequence of constraining a municipality from addressing, in a cost-effective manner, its most serious water quality issues first.

An integrated planning process has the potential to identify a prioritized critical path to achieving the water quality objectives of the CWA by identifying efficiencies in implementing overlapping and competing requirements that arise from separate wastewater and stormwater projects, including capital investments and operation and maintenance requirements. This approach can also lead to more sustainable and comprehensive solutions, such as green infrastructure, that improves water quality as well as supports other quality of life attributes that enhance the vitality of communities. The CWA and implementing regulations, policy and guidance provide the necessary flexibility to implement an integrated planning process.

For more information, click HERE.