Continuing Education Classes Course Descriptions
MSO classes are described below. Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are approved by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. CEUs are classified under General CEUs and Select Criteria CEUs. Select Criteria CEUs only apply to your specific type of license. Contact our office with any questions.
Aerated Treatment Units
Course length: 7 hours
CEUs: General CEUs: 7
Basic Installers: 7, Advanced Installers: 7, Inspectors and Evaluators: 5, Onsite Soil Evaluators: 2.5, and Percolation Testers: 0
Jefferson County PEUs: 6.25 Code for OS Installer and OS Designer
St. Louis County PEUs: 3.0
Course Description:
The introduction provides background information on onsite wastewater treatment system parameters and practices. The wastewater characteristics are described to facilitate greater understanding of the interaction between a mechanical aerobic treatment unit and the user of the treatment system. The components of a mechanical aerobic treatment unit will be described. The installation practices will be presented for assembling an aerobic treatment unit. Construction techniques that facilitate system stability, accessibility, and long-term performance will be discussed. Operation and maintenance is critical to the performance of all advance treatment systems. The operation and maintenance practices necessary for proper function are described to facilitate understanding by practitioners interested in maintaining the treatment units. (Course revised in 2023, approved in 2023)
CEUs: General CEUs: 7
Basic Installers: 7, Advanced Installers: 7, Inspectors and Evaluators: 5, Onsite Soil Evaluators: 2.5, and Percolation Testers: 0
Jefferson County PEUs: 6.25 Code for OS Installer and OS Designer
St. Louis County PEUs: 3.0
Course Description:
The introduction provides background information on onsite wastewater treatment system parameters and practices. The wastewater characteristics are described to facilitate greater understanding of the interaction between a mechanical aerobic treatment unit and the user of the treatment system. The components of a mechanical aerobic treatment unit will be described. The installation practices will be presented for assembling an aerobic treatment unit. Construction techniques that facilitate system stability, accessibility, and long-term performance will be discussed. Operation and maintenance is critical to the performance of all advance treatment systems. The operation and maintenance practices necessary for proper function are described to facilitate understanding by practitioners interested in maintaining the treatment units. (Course revised in 2023, approved in 2023)
Basic Soils with Reading a Soils Report
Course length: 5 hours
DHSS CEUs General CEUs: 5.0
Select Criteria: Basic Installer: 5.0, Advanced Installer: 5.0, Inspectors/Evaluators: 0, Onsite Soil Evaluators: 5.0 and Percolation Testers: 2.0
Jefferson County PEUs: 2 PEUs for On-Site Installers, 4.25 PEUs for On-Site Designers, 0 PEUs for Plumbing
St. Louis County PEUs: 2.125 Core PEUs
Course Description:
This course covers basic soils information including where soil comes from, soil moisture and its importance, soil texture, soil structure, soil color, and soil erosion principles. During the class, participants will partake in a hands‐on texturing activity. There will be stations set up where participants can learn to texture a soil sample and then they will estimate clay content (percentage). These samples have lab values calculated and the participants can see how close their hand texturing percentages are to the lab values. In addition, a second hands‐on activity for calculating slope will be used. Weather permitting, the lab will be outdoors with 2‐3 stations set up for participants to use a laser to shoot elevation and calculate slope; as well as using a clinometer to calculate slope. Finally, it is a challenge to read a soil report if you are not a soil evaluator. This class will help installers, inspectors, and engineers understand more about the layout of the soil report and where important information is. Resources for the web on soils will also be provided for the participants own take‐home use.
DHSS CEUs General CEUs: 5.0
Select Criteria: Basic Installer: 5.0, Advanced Installer: 5.0, Inspectors/Evaluators: 0, Onsite Soil Evaluators: 5.0 and Percolation Testers: 2.0
Jefferson County PEUs: 2 PEUs for On-Site Installers, 4.25 PEUs for On-Site Designers, 0 PEUs for Plumbing
St. Louis County PEUs: 2.125 Core PEUs
Course Description:
This course covers basic soils information including where soil comes from, soil moisture and its importance, soil texture, soil structure, soil color, and soil erosion principles. During the class, participants will partake in a hands‐on texturing activity. There will be stations set up where participants can learn to texture a soil sample and then they will estimate clay content (percentage). These samples have lab values calculated and the participants can see how close their hand texturing percentages are to the lab values. In addition, a second hands‐on activity for calculating slope will be used. Weather permitting, the lab will be outdoors with 2‐3 stations set up for participants to use a laser to shoot elevation and calculate slope; as well as using a clinometer to calculate slope. Finally, it is a challenge to read a soil report if you are not a soil evaluator. This class will help installers, inspectors, and engineers understand more about the layout of the soil report and where important information is. Resources for the web on soils will also be provided for the participants own take‐home use.
Types of Drainfields and Water Management at the Site
Course length: 7.5 hours
DHSS General CEUs: 7.5
Select CEUs: Basic: 5.5, Advanced: 6, Inspector: 0; OSE: 1
St. Louis County PEUs: pending
Course Description: This course talks about many different soil characteristics and how it influences the types of soil treatment systems that can be used. Each type of system, conventional to advanced, are described in this presentation in an overview. Other classes go into depth on some of the advanced treatment systems but this course describes them at a wider view. Systems from pipe/gravel, LPP, drip irrigation to mounds are all included and why they are used in specific soil types.
DHSS General CEUs: 7.5
Select CEUs: Basic: 5.5, Advanced: 6, Inspector: 0; OSE: 1
St. Louis County PEUs: pending
Course Description: This course talks about many different soil characteristics and how it influences the types of soil treatment systems that can be used. Each type of system, conventional to advanced, are described in this presentation in an overview. Other classes go into depth on some of the advanced treatment systems but this course describes them at a wider view. Systems from pipe/gravel, LPP, drip irrigation to mounds are all included and why they are used in specific soil types.
Drip Irrigation Design and Installation
Course length: 6 hours
CEUs: General CEUs = 6
Basic Installers: 3.5, Advanced Installers: 6, Inspectors and Evaluators: 6, OSE: 3.5, and Percolation Testers: 0
Jefferson County PEUs: 6.5 Code for OS Installer and OS Designer
St. Louis County PEUs: 3.0
Course Description: The purpose of this course is to give an overview of the history, benefits, terms, costs, regulations, components, installation, designing the system, operations and maintenance.
CEUs: General CEUs = 6
Basic Installers: 3.5, Advanced Installers: 6, Inspectors and Evaluators: 6, OSE: 3.5, and Percolation Testers: 0
Jefferson County PEUs: 6.5 Code for OS Installer and OS Designer
St. Louis County PEUs: 3.0
Course Description: The purpose of this course is to give an overview of the history, benefits, terms, costs, regulations, components, installation, designing the system, operations and maintenance.
Earthen Structures
General CEUs: 4.0
Basic Installers: 2.5, Advanced Installers: 3.5, Inspectors and Evaluators: 1, Onsite Soil Evaluators: 2.5, and Percolation Testers: 0
Course Description: The purpose of this course is to discuss soil and water characteristics in depth and go over the principles of soil compaction. All aspects of sewage lagoons will be discussed including design, cuts and fills, layout and staking, overflow and controlled irrigation. Constructed wetlands, at-grade, and interceptor drains will also be covered.
Basic Installers: 2.5, Advanced Installers: 3.5, Inspectors and Evaluators: 1, Onsite Soil Evaluators: 2.5, and Percolation Testers: 0
Course Description: The purpose of this course is to discuss soil and water characteristics in depth and go over the principles of soil compaction. All aspects of sewage lagoons will be discussed including design, cuts and fills, layout and staking, overflow and controlled irrigation. Constructed wetlands, at-grade, and interceptor drains will also be covered.
Hydraulics for Onsite Systems
Course length: 6 hours
CEUs: General CEUs: 6.0
Basic Installers: 5.75 CEUs, Advanced Installers: 5.75 CEUs, Inspectors: 5.75 CEUs, OSE: 0 CEUs, and Percolation Testers: 0 CEUs.
Jefferson County PEUs: 6.5 Code for OS Installer and OS Designer
St. Louis County PEUs: 3.0
Course Content:
An increasing number of onsite treatment systems today utilize pumps (LPP, drip dispersal, etc.) and associated components such as float switches, control panels, timers, alarms, etc. This course will teach how these components work together to make a safe and properly operating pressurized system. This information will be useful to anyone who designs, installs or inspects pressurized onsite systems.
CEUs: General CEUs: 6.0
Basic Installers: 5.75 CEUs, Advanced Installers: 5.75 CEUs, Inspectors: 5.75 CEUs, OSE: 0 CEUs, and Percolation Testers: 0 CEUs.
Jefferson County PEUs: 6.5 Code for OS Installer and OS Designer
St. Louis County PEUs: 3.0
Course Content:
An increasing number of onsite treatment systems today utilize pumps (LPP, drip dispersal, etc.) and associated components such as float switches, control panels, timers, alarms, etc. This course will teach how these components work together to make a safe and properly operating pressurized system. This information will be useful to anyone who designs, installs or inspects pressurized onsite systems.
Inspecting Tanks, Lagoons, & LPP Systems
Course length: 5.25 hours
DHSS General CEUs: 5.0
Select CEUs: Basic: 0, Advanced: 0, Inspector: 5, OSE: 0, Perc Tester: 0
Jefferson County PEUs: pending
St. Louis County PEUs: pending
Course Content:
This course will explore how to properly inspect tanks, lagoons, and LPP systems. Tips and real-life experiences will be shared by the instructor. Challenges of inspecting tanks, calculating tank size, looking at the inside of the tank, and evaluating whether repairs were properly done for tanks will be discussed. Lagoon Inspections will be explored with multiple pictures and items to look for during field inspections. Facts about well heads and setbacks to well for wastewater treatment systems will be discussed. The proper methods for dye testing will be shown and what documentation is needed to carry out this process. Finally, some tips on inspecting LPP systems will also be shown.
DHSS General CEUs: 5.0
Select CEUs: Basic: 0, Advanced: 0, Inspector: 5, OSE: 0, Perc Tester: 0
Jefferson County PEUs: pending
St. Louis County PEUs: pending
Course Content:
This course will explore how to properly inspect tanks, lagoons, and LPP systems. Tips and real-life experiences will be shared by the instructor. Challenges of inspecting tanks, calculating tank size, looking at the inside of the tank, and evaluating whether repairs were properly done for tanks will be discussed. Lagoon Inspections will be explored with multiple pictures and items to look for during field inspections. Facts about well heads and setbacks to well for wastewater treatment systems will be discussed. The proper methods for dye testing will be shown and what documentation is needed to carry out this process. Finally, some tips on inspecting LPP systems will also be shown.
Trickling through Media Filters
Course length: 6.0 hours
CEUs: General CEUs: 6
Select: Basic: 0, Advanced: 6.0, Inspectors: 4.0, Onsite Soil Evaluators: 0, and Percolation Testers: 0
Jefferson County PEUs: pending
St. Louis County PEUs: pending
Course Description: This course will define media filters and discuss media filters that use unsaturated conditions. Each media filter listed is broken down by each component: description of the type of media filter, how it can be used on OWTS, inspection methods for these units, and operations and maintenance tips for each unit. The units discussed in this course are sand media filters, Orenco Advantex systems, Clarus Environmental systems, Anua International systems, Premier Tech Ecopod systems, EZ Treat systems, and Waterloo biofilters.
CEUs: General CEUs: 6
Select: Basic: 0, Advanced: 6.0, Inspectors: 4.0, Onsite Soil Evaluators: 0, and Percolation Testers: 0
Jefferson County PEUs: pending
St. Louis County PEUs: pending
Course Description: This course will define media filters and discuss media filters that use unsaturated conditions. Each media filter listed is broken down by each component: description of the type of media filter, how it can be used on OWTS, inspection methods for these units, and operations and maintenance tips for each unit. The units discussed in this course are sand media filters, Orenco Advantex systems, Clarus Environmental systems, Anua International systems, Premier Tech Ecopod systems, EZ Treat systems, and Waterloo biofilters.
Onsite Pumps, Panels and Electrical
Course length: 4.0 hours
CEUs: General CEUs = 4.0
Basic Installers: 3.5, Advanced Installers: 3.5, Inspectors and Evaluators: 3.5, OSE: 0, and Percolation Testers: 0
Jefferson County PEUs: 4.25 Code for OS Installer and OS Designer
St. Louis County PEUs:
Course Description: This course covers all aspects of pumps and panels including horsepower, pump choice, reading the pump curve, time dose panels, volume dose panels, elapsed time meters and cycle counters. The course will also cover basic electric current, safety, voltages and how to read an electrical schematic and a multi-meter.
CEUs: General CEUs = 4.0
Basic Installers: 3.5, Advanced Installers: 3.5, Inspectors and Evaluators: 3.5, OSE: 0, and Percolation Testers: 0
Jefferson County PEUs: 4.25 Code for OS Installer and OS Designer
St. Louis County PEUs:
Course Description: This course covers all aspects of pumps and panels including horsepower, pump choice, reading the pump curve, time dose panels, volume dose panels, elapsed time meters and cycle counters. The course will also cover basic electric current, safety, voltages and how to read an electrical schematic and a multi-meter.
Troubleshooting for Onsite Systems
Course length: 6 hours
CEUs: General CEUs = 6
Basic Installers: 6, Advanced Installers: 6, Inspectors: 6, OSE: 0, and Percolation Testers: 0
Jefferson County PEUs: 36.5 Code for OS Installer and OS Designer
St. Louis County PEUs: 3.0
Course Content:
The purpose of this course is to teach people how to systematically identify problems with malfunctioning onsite wastewater treatment systems. The concept of flow charts is used and will help anyone involved in analyzing problems with onsite treatment systems including installers, regulators and private inspectors.
CEUs: General CEUs = 6
Basic Installers: 6, Advanced Installers: 6, Inspectors: 6, OSE: 0, and Percolation Testers: 0
Jefferson County PEUs: 36.5 Code for OS Installer and OS Designer
St. Louis County PEUs: 3.0
Course Content:
The purpose of this course is to teach people how to systematically identify problems with malfunctioning onsite wastewater treatment systems. The concept of flow charts is used and will help anyone involved in analyzing problems with onsite treatment systems including installers, regulators and private inspectors.
Wastewater Pathogens: Pathogen Exposure to Workers in the Onsite Industry
DHSS General CEUS = 4.0
Select: Basic: 1, Advanced: 1, Inspector: 1, OSE: 0, Perc Teser: 0
St, Louis County PEUs: 2.0 Elective
Jefferson County PEUs: 4 Code for OS Installer and OS Designer
Course Content: Pathogen exposures in wastewater are well documented and managed for public health risks. Under a Washington State Industrial Health “SHIP” grant. WOSSA staff conducted field studies to sample wastewater pathogen exposures, vector methods, and exposure mitigation in typical work practices for workers in the On-Site Industry. For example, exposures from high pressure jetting of drainfield components is common and in addition to the unique hazards to Focus Four exposures, include the aerosolization of raw human waste that make it specific to the de-centralized wastewater industry small business that operate in this field. Identification and discussion of vector pathways, infective dose and mitigation through work practice and selective PPE (personal protective equipment) is enhanced through discussion of worker attitudes, safety awareness and behavior modification to minimize exposures that can make workers sick.
Select: Basic: 1, Advanced: 1, Inspector: 1, OSE: 0, Perc Teser: 0
St, Louis County PEUs: 2.0 Elective
Jefferson County PEUs: 4 Code for OS Installer and OS Designer
Course Content: Pathogen exposures in wastewater are well documented and managed for public health risks. Under a Washington State Industrial Health “SHIP” grant. WOSSA staff conducted field studies to sample wastewater pathogen exposures, vector methods, and exposure mitigation in typical work practices for workers in the On-Site Industry. For example, exposures from high pressure jetting of drainfield components is common and in addition to the unique hazards to Focus Four exposures, include the aerosolization of raw human waste that make it specific to the de-centralized wastewater industry small business that operate in this field. Identification and discussion of vector pathways, infective dose and mitigation through work practice and selective PPE (personal protective equipment) is enhanced through discussion of worker attitudes, safety awareness and behavior modification to minimize exposures that can make workers sick.
What's in My Yard?
Course length: 6.5 hours
DHSS General CEUs: 6.5
Select: Basic: 5.5, Advanced: 5.5, Inspector: 1.5, OSE: 1, Perc Tester: 0
This course gives a great overview of how onsite wastewater treatment systems (OWTS) or septic systems work. The treatment train is shown and the various methods of treatment for each stage. Recommendations on proper installation for ease of maintenance and inspection are also discussed. Troubling systems and how to avoid problems in the future are shown throughout the presentation. Finally, why OWTS is used to protect our health, environment and public health is show throughout.
DHSS General CEUs: 6.5
Select: Basic: 5.5, Advanced: 5.5, Inspector: 1.5, OSE: 1, Perc Tester: 0
This course gives a great overview of how onsite wastewater treatment systems (OWTS) or septic systems work. The treatment train is shown and the various methods of treatment for each stage. Recommendations on proper installation for ease of maintenance and inspection are also discussed. Troubling systems and how to avoid problems in the future are shown throughout the presentation. Finally, why OWTS is used to protect our health, environment and public health is show throughout.