ONSITE-SUBDIVISION BOS PRESENTATION 10-6-15.PDF

Maricopa County
Environmental Services Department
Water & Waste Management Division
Onsite Wastewater & Subdivision
Infrastructure Programs
Ad Hoc Task Force Recommendations
November 2, 2015
Presenters:
Kevin Chadwick, Division Manager
Mark Harambasic, Co-Chairman, Onsite Wastewater Subcommittee
David Bartholomew, Chairman, Subdivision Infrastructure Subcommittee

Overview
From the comments and feedback received during the initial Kick-Off
meeting on July 15, 2015, subcommittees were formed to explore
processes in the Department that could be changed to assist
stakeholders. Subcommittees were based on the two different
regulatory programs:
• Onsite Wastewater Subcommittee
• Subdivision Infrastructure Subcommittee
A total of 20 recommendations were developed for presentation to
the Board of Supervisors.
As of today, staff has implemented 5 of the recommendations and
has a schedule to complete work on the other items.

Onsite Wastewater Subcommittee
Mark Harambasic – Co-Chairman
1. RECOMMENDATION: Implement an online plan review and
approval system including online application submittal, payment Phase 1 = Payments,
of fees, digital plan submittal, inspection scheduling with Inspection Scheduling &
Tracking.
confirmation, permit issuance and customer access to permit
status within the review process. Target Implementation
May 30, 2016
Ensure implementation includes procurement of the additional
software, IT support and hardware required for the system for
all plan review staff, including equipment to scan and print full Phase 2 = Online submittal
size construction plans for integration with the electronic & electronic plan review
process and larger monitors to accommodate reviewing of and permit issuance.
electronic plans.
Target Implementation
September 30, 2016

Onsite Wastewater Subcommittee
Mark Harambasic – Co-Chairman
2. RECOMMENDATION: Streamline the onsite Application reduced to 2 pages,
wastewater application process to eliminate only one copy of supporting
redundant paperwork. information required.
Target Implementation
January 31, 2016
3. RECOMMENDATION: Prioritize review of alteration
permits to allow for quick repair of existing onsite Alteration permits are reviewed
the same day of submittal.
wastewater systems.
Implemented
September 2015

Onsite Wastewater Subcommittee
Mark Harambasic – Co-Chairman
4. RECOMMENDATION: Maintain plan review time to Stakeholders expressed
first review within current standard; however, in satisfaction with plan review
times of heavy workload, prioritize inspection times and asked the Department
response over plan review timeliness. to focus on inspection time
frames during peak season.
5. RECOMMENDATION: Train clerical staff at intake Implemented
counter to provide answers to general inquiries September 2015
regarding onsite wastewater permitting that are
consistent with Onsite Wastewater Program policies.
Training information will be
developed for intake counter
staff based on stakeholder
input. Current staff will be
trained by target date, then
ongoing for new employees.
Target Implementation
October 31, 2015

Onsite Wastewater Subcommittee
Mark Harambasic – Co-Chairman
6. RECOMMENDATION: Modify permit application to
allow signing applicant to be the owner or owner’s Application forms and
representative. Clearly state on the application instructions on the web site will
be modified based on the
that permit is issued to the owner. recommendations.
7. RECOMMENDATION: ADEQ is considering Target Implementation
eliminating the A316 Notice of Transfer program January 31, 2016
from their regulations. Request Department to
contact ADEQ on behalf of County stakeholders
regarding their preference to maintain the A316
regulation with delegation to the County.
Department met with ADEQ Director on
September 24, 2015. ADEQ acknowledges
stakeholder support for existing A316.
Implemented
September 2015

Onsite Wastewater Subcommittee
Mark Harambasic – Co-Chairman
8. RECOMMENDATION: Customers need to know Functionality to be provided with
whom to call when there are questions or the launch of Accela for the
concerns about an inspection. Make IT Onsite Wastewater Program.
enhancements as necessary to email inspection Target implementation
reports to customers with inspector contact January 31, 2016
information.
9. RECOMMENDATION: Review and revise the Department programs can
Department website to ensure pages that are make editorial changes to
accessed most often by customers are prominently individual pages. Revisions will
displayed. be made based on analysis of
website hits and other input
from customers.
Target implementation
March 31, 2016

Onsite Wastewater Subcommittee
Mark Harambasic – Co-Chairman
10. RECOMMENDATION: Post the reference and link Standard procedures used by
to the groundwater depth information used by the Department to determine
Onsite Wastewater Program on the Department groundwater depths will be
posted online with links.
website to allow designers to know in advance
where onsite systems cannot be installed due to Target implementation
shallow groundwater. January 31, 2016
11. RECOMMENDATION: Provide an online process Public online access to onsite
for customers to obtain Department records of wastewater records is planned
existing onsite wastewater systems. as part of conversion to new
data software and new imaging
12. RECOMMENDATION: Request that the software.
Department change the allowed number of
inspections for an alteration application from one Target implementation
to two. June 30, 2016
Department review of alteration inspections that required two
inspections were minimal and were absorbed into the existing base fee.
Implemented
September 2015

Onsite Wastewater Subcommittee
Mark Harambasic – Co-Chairman
13. RECOMMENDATION: Request that Department change Department permit stipulations
the current procedure to have an Onsite Wastewater have been changed to reflect the
Program employee perform final construction requirements in the
inspections for alternative systems. In addition, require recommendation.
owner’s design engineer to perform an operational
Implemented
inspection upon start up, and then provide a certificate September 2015
of completion.
14. RECOMMENDATION: The Department to hold Onsite The first meeting is scheduled for
April 13, 2016
Wastewater Program stakeholder meetings every 6
months until the frequency is revised by the
stakeholders. Target Implementation
April 13,2016

Subdivision Infrastructure Subcommittee
David Bartholomew– Chairman
1. RECOMMENDATION: Implement an online plan review and Phase 1 = Payments,
approval system including online application submittal, payment Inspection Scheduling
of fees, digital plan submittal, inspection scheduling with & Tracking.
confirmation, permit issuance and customer access to permit Target
status within the review process. Implementation
May 30, 2016
Ensure implementation includes procurement of the additional
software, IT support and hardware required for the system for
all plan review staff, including equipment to scan and print full
size construction plans for integration with the electronic Phase 2 = Online submittal
process and larger monitors to accommodate reviewing of & electronic plan review
and permit issuance.
electronic plans.
Target Implementation
September 30, 2016

Subdivision Infrastructure Subcommittee
David Bartholomew– Chairman
Staff is cross-training
2. RECOMMENDATION: Maintain plan review time to others to assist during
first review within program standard as workload peak season.
increases by requesting budget changes for additional Target Implementation
staff within a budget year, if necessary. Ongoing
Department programs can
3. RECOMMENDATION: Review and revise the make editorial changes to
Department website to ensure that pages that are individual pages.
accessed most often by customers are prominently Revisions will be made
based on analysis of
displayed. website hits and other
input from customers.
Target implementation
March 31, 2016

Subdivision Infrastructure Subcommittee
David Bartholomew– Chairman
4. RECOMMENDATION: Take a closer look at
operation and maintenance of collection systems -
4.01/General Permit. Modify the processes for non-
utility, private wastewater collection system
construction approval and operational compliance
under the provisions of the A.A.C. Section R18-9-E301
4.01 general permit.
Department will make changes to stress owner’s general
permit requirements for private sewer collection systems. 1)
Add specific owner’s engineer requirement for sign off on O&M
requirements with Certificate of Completion; 2) Coordinate
private sewer connections with utilities; 3) Provide general
permit operating certificate with O&M requirements; 4)
Educate owners of O&M requirements when responding to
spill complaints on private sewers.
Target Implementation
December 15, 2015

Subdivision Infrastructure Subcommittee
David Bartholomew– Chairman
5. RECOMMENDATION: Implement private sewer Department Non-Concurrence
collection system permit to confirm that owners are Department recommends
implementation of process
utilizing the required certified operator performing modification related to 4.01
required maintenance to meet ADEQ requirements. general permits as stated in
Recommendation #4.

Subdivision Infrastructure Subcommittee
David Bartholomew– Chairman
6. RECOMMENDATION: The Department to hold First meeting will be scheduled
Subdivision Infrastructure Program stakeholder for fall 2016.
meetings annually.
Target Implementation
Fall 2016

ACTION REQUESTED:
To consider the recommendations,
accept the report, whole or in part,
as submitted by the Ad Hoc Task Force
and to provide guidance and direction to staff.
– Thank you for this opportunity.