UNH/Preparing for the NHDES Subsurface Designer and Installer Exams

This eight-week course will focus on the design and installation of onsite septic systems in the State of New Hampshire. The course outline will follow the Env-Wq 1000 rules and will help students prepare for the NHDES Subsurface Bureau’s designer and installer exams in the spring. The class modules will be 2.5 hours per night from 5:00 pm to 7:30 pm with instruction and classroom exercises, followed by questions and answers. Students should plan on brining a hard copy of the Env-Wq 1000 rules.

The modules are broken down below:

• March 22: Introduction to Env-Wq 1000 rules and RSA 485-A:29-44, the E-permitting process, and other Land Resource Management (LRM) programs relevant to the design and installation process.

• March 29: Understanding soils and logging test pits, percolations tests, hydric soils and wetlands.

• April 5: Survey component: students will use different types of survey equipment in the classroom, create a base plan, establish benchmarks, reading a plan and scale.

• April 12: Design Requirements for all systems, lot loading calculations, creating a web-based soils map, well and nitrate setbacks.

• April 19 Effluent Disposal Areas, design intent, 50% rule, the system profile,

• April 26: Septic tanks, grease tanks and designing a pump station

• May 3: Design Calculations: Different types and alternative systems, innovative/alternative technologies.

• May 10: Minimum requirements for a septic design plan. Class Overview and final questions and answers.

The Instructor is Christopher Albert: a licensed septic system designer, wetland scientist and evaluator with over 30 years of experience in the private sector. He is chairman of the Licensure Board for Septic System Evaluators and vice chairman of the Licensure Board for Natural Resource Scientists.