Colorado Soil and Site Evaluation Course

This course is designed to meet the requirements of the Section 43.5.I.2.b of Regulation #43 for a Competent Technician. Passing the course examination will demonstrate competency in the visual and tactile evaluation of soil. Certificates of Competency will be provided to participants that pass this exam.

Day one of the course is primarily classroom instruction, with some “hands-on” where participants hand texture reference samples of all soil types. Day 2 includes a field trip/exercise, where participants will learn to apply the site evaluation principles learned from day one.

Day one includes:
1. Basic Principles of On-Site Wastewater Treatment (OWTS) siting and design
2. Regulation specific requirements for conducting preliminary and field site investigations with “real world” examples
3. Basic geology and soil formation processes
4. Percolation test methods
5. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) soils classification system
6. Relationship between soil types and movement & treatment of effluent
7. Basics of how to identify limiting layers and high rock content (Type R soils)
8. Hands-on soil texturing

Day two includes:
1. Preview of field site
2. Site visit and test pit evaluation
3. Re-cap of site visit
4. Review and Q&A
5. Exam

Upon successful completion of the course, you will gain competency in the following activities:

• Principles of OWTS siting and design
• Identification of:
• soil types by hand texturing and observation
• Soil structure
• Limiting layers
• Determining the most promising location for the soil treatment area infiltrative surface

Certificates of Competency will be provided to participants that pass this exam.

The instructors for this course will be:
Warren Brown, P.E.
Public Health Engineer
Tri County Health Department

Roy Laws, P.E.
Jefferson County Public Health
Environmental Health Services Division

Class will be held Tuesday, August 14 and from 8am-5pm, and Wednesday August 15 from 8am-5pm
Bagels, doughnuts, coffee & tea in the morning, lunch and afternoon snacks will be provided.

REGISTRATION FOR THIS CLASS IS NOW CLOSED. Please check out our October Soils Course if you are interested in attending the class.