Certified Soil Testers Continuing Education
Certified Soil Testers Exam Prep and Continuing Education classes
New classes coming Spring 2025!
Introduction to Onsite Waste Water Treatment and SPS 383/385
The first portion of this session will be a general introduction to onsite wastewater treatment. It will include an overview of onsite applications and techniques, a description of wastewater characteristics, and a discussion of the role of soil in treating wastewater. The second portion will cover WI administrative rules from SPS 383 and SPS 385 (Wisconsin Administrative Code) that pertain to soil and site evaluations and the site evaluator’s responsibilities in Wisconsin.
Soil Fundamentals
The objective of this session will be to provide the student with a basic understanding of the principles of soil genesis, morphology, and classification as they apply to the description and interpretation of soil profiles in relation to evaluating soil for wastewater treatment. The importance of recognizing genetic soil horizons and their properties will be stressed. Soil horizons as expressions of unique physical, chemical, and biological processes will also be explained. Also presented, a phase view of soil as a composite interaction of solids, liquids, and gases and the importance of this view in wastewater treatment.
Describing and Interpreting Soil Profiles
This session will be a collection of hands-on activities to introduce techniques and standard documentation protocols for describing soil profiles. Topics will include necessary equipment, identifying soil horizons, estimating soil texture, documenting soil colors, evaluating soil structure and consistency, recognizing miscellaneous profile features, using standard description notation, and completing an SBD 8330 soil evaluation form. Explanations of how to interpret the descriptive features will also be provided.
Site Mapping Techniques and POWTS Design Rules/Principles
The importance of accurate site maps to avoid plan review and system installation problems will be the topic to begin this session. Basic field and drafting procedures for accurate mapping will be illustrated. The concluding part of this session will entail a summary of important POWTS design rules and principles that every CST should know to competently perform a soil and site evaluation.
Soil Testers: Field Practicum (weather permitting & location to be determined)
This field practicum will be offered as a way of practically applying the concepts and techniques covered during the classroom sessions. Students will be challenged to describe soil profiles and to perform an actual soil and site evaluation. Instructional guidance will be available for all activities.
Register now by calling 920-924-3207 or 1-800-472-4554.
For other course offerings, search our course schedule