On-Site Sewage Facilities (OSSF): The Basics

So you’ve been told your business requires an on-site plumbing system. If you don’t know anything about on-site sewage facilities (OSSF), this bit of knowledge doesn’t help you. It certainly doesn’t help you find a qualified Austin OSSF design firm. Before you run to the phone book, here’s some information about on-site wastewater treatment to help you understand your property’s plumbing situation.

Why Do I Need an OSSF?


Your property’s municipal location determines its need for an OSSF. If a building resides within a large city, the Austin City provides off-site plumbing. It uses pipelines to carry the wastewater from the source to an off-site treatment plant and then disposal system. However, if the property lies within a smaller municipality, such as a suburb outlying the Austin city limits, neither the small municipality nor the larger municipality nearby provide plumbing. In this case, you’re required to create your own on-site plumbing system. In addition, if the property sits completely beyond any municipal borders, you’ll need to consider your OSSF options, as no government system will be providing any sewage amenities to your building.

What Does an OSSF Do To the Sewage?


An on-site sewage system primarily provides wastewater treatment. The system is located somewhere on the company’s property. First, pipelines carry the wastewater from the building to the wastewater treatment unit. Once there, primary, secondary and possibly tertiary treatment occurs. Your wastewater treatment plant is designed to fit your Texas company’s specific plumbing needs. If the property is an office complex, the wastewater may be fairly simple, coming from water fountains, restrooms and sinks. If the property houses a school, however, the wastewater most certainly will be more complex, coming from chemistry labs, gym showers and cafeteria sinks. The more complex the wastewater, the higher the level of treatment. The wastewater treatment unit provides the necessary level of cleaning, separating the sludge from the purified water. From there, the wastewater may travel to a disposal unit, if such a step is useful to your individual property. That disposal unit may redirect the treated waste water to specific areas of the property needing hydration, such as plants or trees, or it may route it directly to the groundwater source.

What Services Should an OSSF Design Firm Provide for Me?


A worthwhile OSSF design firm not only designs the on-site wastewater treatment, but also offers site evaluations, feasibility studies and OSSF permitting. Site and soil evaluations allow the design firm to accumulate information about the property. Feasibility studies involve reviewing the information gathered to determine the OSSF options available to you. OSSF permitting involves the Texas design firm researching which OSSF permits are applicable to your specific location, including State and Texas Commission for Environmental Quality (TCEQ) waste water permits.

For further information about your OSSF options, contact WWD Engineering in Austin, TX. A full-service Texas wastewater treatment design firm, WWD Engineering offers all the preliminary aids listed above, in addition to a skilled design of your future on-site sewage system. Call today to discuss your options further.