Ontario Onsite Wastewater Association upcoming events

WAITLIST ONLY - Onsite Sewage System Design 102 (December 31, 2026)

Thu, 31 Dec 2026 05:00:00 GMT

THIS EVENT LISTING IS FOR WAITLIST PURPOSES ONLY - REGISTER FOR THE WAITLIST (BE SURE TO INCLUDE YOUR CITY) AND YOU WILL BE NOTIFIED OF THE NEXT OFFERING.

This advanced course builds on Intro to Design, focusing on complex onsite sewage system design under the Ontario Building Code (OBC), including flow estimation, balancing, and non-residential applications. Other topics include design approaches for advanced treatment system and how to develop and present alternative solutions for approval under the OBC.

WAITLIST ONLY: Soils course (December 31, 2026)

Thu, 31 Dec 2026 14:00:00 GMT

THIS EVENT LISTING IS FOR WAITLIST PURPOSES ONLY - REGISTER FOR THE WAITLIST AND YOU WILL BE NOTIFIED OF THE NEXT OFFERING.

Soils are complex and can be difficult to assess on particular sites. Soils also dictate how large the system will be for a particular lot and how it will perform. Invariably the question that always comes up is “Is the soil on this site suitable for an on-site sewage system and how do I figure that out?” We have developed this course to help provide a starting point for you to learn more about soils, to demonstrate simple field techniques to determine what types of soils you are working with and to gain an appreciation on how to conduct a soil & site evaluation. By combining the expertise of an experienced professional with hands-on field work, we will provide a solid understanding of soils and how they impact the design, construction, and operation of on-site sewage systems.

This course is intended for anyone who is interested in gaining more knowledge of soils and how they relate to on-site system inspection, design, and installation. Evaluating soils is a developed technique and this course will introduce participants to evaluation tools and advanced soil knowledge.

This one-day course will enable you to:

Conduct a soils investigation for the design of on-site systems,
Evaluate a soil in the field based on its colour, texture, and other characteristics,
Properly take soil samples from a test pit or using a soil corer or auger,
Conduct percolation tests using different methods including test holes and permeameters,
Determine the elevation of the seasonally high groundwater table, and
Use field evaluation results to design an appropriate on-site system.

Suggested Pre-Requisite: Five-Day Part 8 Licensing Course or equivalent experience

Cancellation Policy:

Refunds, less a $25.00 cancellation fee, will be issued upon written request to op-coordinator@oowa.org if received 24 hours prior to the event. Following that, no refunds will be issued. Ticket transfers will be honored in the following way: members may send alternate members at no additional cost. Members may send alternate non-members for an additional fee in accordance with ticket pricing. Non-members may send alternate members; however, a refund will not be issued for the difference in ticket price.

Pumps and Controls - Waitlist (December 31, 2026)

Thu, 31 Dec 2026 14:00:00 GMT

THIS IS A WAITLIST ONLY - The actual date and location are TBA

This full day course is an introductory level workshop that is intended to help participants develop skills to recognize when a pump is required, what type of information is needed to make an appropriate pump selection, and how to decide what types of controls will be required. This session will focus and Part 8 requirements including basic calculations for sizing the pump, the pump chamber and the float settings, including dosing calculations for demand dosing.

WAITLIST ONLY: Wastewater Basics: Terminology, Process and Sampling Techniques (December 31, 2026)

Thu, 31 Dec 2026 14:00:00 GMT

THIS EVENT LISTING IS FOR WAITLIST PURPOSES ONLY - REGISTER FOR THE WAITLIST AND YOU WILL BE NOTIFIED OF THE NEXT OFFERING.

Wastewater Basics: Terminology, Process and Sampling Techniques

This course will provide practitioners in the onsite wastewater industry with an understanding of the basics of wastewater treatment processes that occur in onsite systems. Topics include explanations of onsite wastewater and soil treatment process theory, terminology, treatment objectives and how different systems can achieve those objectives. The course also includes an overview of sampling techniques, including where, when, and how to sample, types of samples, and interpreting results.

WAITLIST ONLY: Biological Health & Safety Awareness (December 31, 2026)

Thu, 31 Dec 2026 14:00:00 GMT

THIS EVENT LISTING IS FOR WAITLIST PURPOSES ONLY - REGISTER FOR THE WAITLIST AND YOU WILL BE NOTIFIED OF THE NEXT OFFERING.

Biological Health & Safety Awareness

If your work requires you to inspect a septic tank or a leaching bed, pump a septic tank or to sample an advanced treatment system, you need to take this course! There are several activities that onsite wastewater professionals do every day that potentially exposes them to raw sewage or effluent. These exposures can have serious impacts on onsite workers themselves but also to unsuspecting individuals that they come into contact with during the course of their work day. This course will get you thinking very seriously about taking the necessary actions to protect your health, the health of your staff and of the public.

The workshop covers:

the microbiology of wastewater hazards
risk analysis for health & safety of workers
considerations for risk mitigation, planning and personal protection
impacts of pathogen transfer through cross contamination to coworkers, clients and public

The workshop also highlights the importance and value of pathogen removal in onsite wastewater treatment processes, but also the inherent risks working in the industry that must be addressed for occupational health and safety.

WAITLIST ONLY: Part 8 Permit Application Review Course (December 31, 2026)

Thu, 31 Dec 2026 14:00:00 GMT

THIS EVENT LISTING IS FOR WAITLIST PURPOSES ONLY - REGISTER FOR THE WAITLIST AND YOU WILL BE NOTIFIED OF THE NEXT OFFERING.

This course offers a detailed overview of the building permit process and regulatory requirements for onsite sewage systems in Ontario. Participants will learn about permit application and review procedures under the Building Code Act and Ontario Building Code, with emphasis on design criteria, system configuration, and soil analysis—supported by real-world case studies.

The course also covers key elements of Part 10/11 reviews, including performance levels, major occupancy classifications, and occupant load calculations. Installation inspections of tanks, distribution systems, leaching beds, and advanced treatment units are addressed, along with maintenance inspections—both discretionary and mandatory.

Enforcement procedures, including compliance letters, Orders to Comply, and legal actions under Part I and III of the Provincial Offences Act, are explored to ensure a well-rounded understanding of regulatory responsibilities.

Suggested Pre-Requisite: Five-Day Part 8 Licensing Course or equivalent experience

WAITLIST ONLY: Introduction to Design of On-site Sewage Treatment Systems (December 31, 2026)

Thu, 31 Dec 2026 14:00:00 GMT

THIS EVENT LISTING IS FOR WAITLIST PURPOSES ONLY - REGISTER FOR THE WAITLIST AND YOU WILL BE NOTIFIED OF THE NEXT OFFERING.

This course will introduce the design requirements for Ontario Building Code and BMEC approved sewage systems, case studies, with a focus on design examples.

WAITLIST ONLY: In-Field Installation Training Workshop (December 31, 2026)

Thu, 31 Dec 2026 14:00:00 GMT

THIS EVENT LISTING IS FOR WAITLIST PURPOSES ONLY - REGISTER FOR THE WAITLIST AND YOU WILL BE NOTIFIED OF THE NEXT OFFERING.

A hands‑on training day where participants learn practical onsite wastewater installation techniques in a controlled, instructor‑led environment. Attendees rotate through stations covering system layout, excavation considerations, component placement, materials, and best‑practice installation methods in accordance with Ontario regulations.