Onsite Economics

The amount of data that a typical county collects and manages can be staggering. Where onsite systems are concerned, it can appear time- and cost-prohibitive to administer a management program for onsite data effectively and pro-actively. In an era of ever-eroding funding sources, mandated septic programs are having difficulty getting started or staying afloat.  However, onsite system data is just that: data. Methods exist to help manage data efficiently and cost-effectively. Good data management can, in turn, generate more revenue, allow personnel to spend less time on repetitive clerical tasks, and facilitate a more prioritized, need-based response to problem systems.  This presentation will look at varying methods to approach revenue generation, management efficiencies and, once the program is in place, methods to measure its success.  Community differences dictate which methods are appropriate; however, each method requires technological support to provide the necessary efficiencies to run a streamlined program.   

Using the onsite programs of Napa County, California; Pierce County, Washington; and Lewis & Clark County, Montana, as examples, this presentation will illustrate how various management methods and technologies can be adapted and customized to a particular jurisdiction’s needs. Through the use of real data, the presenter will show how using technological tools and process improvements can increase administrative efficiencies, improve compliance for both consumers and service providers, and help regulators more effectively protect public health.