Semi-Public Wastewater (HB 110)

Semi-Public Commercial Wastewater Program

The Portage County Health District contracts with the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency to conduct inspections to determine compliance with the Ohio Revised Code Chapter 6111 and Ohio EPA rules, permit conditions and guidance concerning the installation, maintenance, operations of semi-public wastewater disposal systems within the health district.

Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Compliance Assistance

Established by Section 104(g)(1) of the Federal Clean Water Act, the three Compliance Assistance Unit (CAU) members help to bring wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) facilities into compliance and/or to maintain compliance. Our goal is to improve the water quality of our streams, rivers, and lakes by assisting WWTPs that need help in meeting their National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits.

The CAU seldom works without total commitment from community officials. In order to achieve success, we need the same level of commitment from everyone involved: village administrators, superintendents, plant operators, etc.

By utilizing the services of the CAU, many communities have saved money and are operating in compliance at the same time. In many cases, the cost for compliance is also more economical than paying a penalty for noncompliance. Implementing preventive maintenance programs and identifying energy savings are the methods most used to reach a cost-effective end result.

Ohio EPA CAU travels all over Ohio helping WWTPs identify their performance limiting factors and create cost-effective solutions to bring them back into compliance. We are committed to helping small communities who need assistance achieving compliance with their NPDES permit requirements. Some of the services we provide include:

  • Perform plant performance evaluations to identify causes of compliance issues such as plant design, plant operation, administrative issues, etc.
  • Troubleshoot complex plant problems
  • Create innovative and cost effective solutions for improving plant performance
  • Onsite training of personnel in process control procedures such as sludge wasting and return rates, mixed liquor concentrations, and dissolved aeration tank oxygen levels
  • Help improve sludge handling and disposal procedures
  • Teach operators more effective methods of process control
  • Investigate concerns over industrial dischargers to the system
  • Determine current plant loadings and capacities
  • Help formulate and implement a preventive maintenance program
  • Help facilitate in Inflow & Infiltration evaluation of sewer system
  • Review/evaluate new treatment technologies
  • Provide training presentations at wastewater trade seminars and workshops

Compliance Assistance Unit Information Card

Technical Resources

If you are in need of our assistance or have any questions, please contact Jon Bernstein at (614) 644-3715 or by email or http://epa.ohio.gov/defa/CAU.aspx#177913016-contacts.

Additional information for compliance assistance and resources are located on the Ohio EPA’s Compliance Assistance Units webpage

COMPLIANCE ASSISTANCE UNIT TRAINING EVENT

Activated Sludge Process Control and Troubleshooting Manual