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~~ ~ I~. 4~%~ _ .- OSTP septic system article reaches Cabin Life subscribers When Nick Haig was approached by Cabin (.ife to submit an article for publication in the July/August issue of the nationally distributed Lakeshore lifestyle magazine, he eagerly greeted the opporttmity. "This was a chance to communicate directly to an au- dience beyond the septic. professionals [ usu- ally deal with and make direct connections about proper waste water management with those most affected by poor waste water treatment -home and cabin owners." In his article "Septic Systems-More Than Meets the Eye," Haig, a program coordinator with WRC's Onsite Sewage Treatment Program (OSTP), pets straight to the point: "Un- derstanding the difference between proper waste water treatment that protects water quality and improper waste water treat- ment that threatens water quality is critical information when making plans to improve your cabin or when discussing the future ol` ,your community's waste water management policies." The purpose of a septic system is the collec- tion, treatment, and dispersal of all water used in the building. The septic tank trans- forms waste water into effluent, a liquid that contains reduced amounts of suspended solids and organic content and significant amounts of nutrients and disease-causing organisms. This effluent poses a threat to public and environmental health if it does not then flotiv to a specially designed soil treatment area that destroys pathogens, filters out fine solids, and retains phospho- rus. Compliant septic systems protect water quality by fully treating septic tank effluent before it recharges the ground water and enters surface waters. Many people live in homes or cabins built before enforcement of sewage treatment standards. Straight-pipe discharges, surfac- ing systems, cesspools, drywells, or systems without the necessary aerobic conditions for final treatment continue to threaten water quality. Haig hopes that getting the word out about efficient sewage treatment through articles in publications such as Cab- in L~e will encourage Lakeshore stewardship and issue o.vnership, resulting in increased water quality, property values, and great days at the lake. Retiring wRC education co-ordinator leaves a legacy of cleaner water Despite her shelves of awards from profes- sional and community organizations, appointments to local and national planning committees, and memberships in profes- sional organizations, Water Resources Center (W RC) education coordinator Barb Liukkonen is most energized by the ordinary-ordinary people that is, who care about their environment. Retiring this year after 2fi years with the University of Minnesota, Liukkonen is considered by her colleagues to be the ultimate motivator and team player. A tire- less advocate for research-based educational programs, Liukkonen is known throughout Minnesota for spearheading community engagement projects through her appoint- ments with the WRC, Minnesota Sea Grant, and University of Minnesota Exten- sion. Her legacies include the Volunteer Stream Monitoring Partnership, the Shorelancl Education Program, and the Citizen Moni- toring Bacteria Project, which grew from a project designed to test the effectiveness of a home-based E. coli test kit into a statewide community action movement involving nearly one hundred trained volunteers in more titan 23 Minnesota counties. Volun- teers contributed thousands of hours to assess the health of their Favorite lakes and streams; data they collected will be used by the Minnesota Pollution Cattrol Agency to identify impaired waters. "Barb's ability to pull diverse groups of people together toward a common good is truly astonishing;' said Roger Becker, a University professor of agronomy and plant genetics lvho has worked with Liukkonen on water quality projects since the early 1940s_ "Her charisma, her enthusiasm, her intellect and her collegiality all work to move people 3'orward - in some cases, even without them knowing it," says Becker. Recipient of the Extension's Distinguished Faculty Award, Barb exemplifies the best of Extension's outreach education and research efforts. Wayne Seidel, a county extension educator with Lake County in Two Harbors, supported Liukkonen's nomination for the Extension award. "Her expertise is highly regarded, her enthusiasm is contagious and she makes a real differ- ence in whatever she does. Barb has a high level of personal integrity that results in relationships built on trust with colleagues and work associates." Liukkonen's ability to reach out extends to her work with the media. While some academics might dodge a call from the producers of the KQRS Morning Show, one of the highest-rated radio shows in America Barbara Liukkonen created the Citizen Monitor- ing Project, which helps the MPCA to identify impaired waters. C F fi 0 Q a a 0 C known for its wise-cracking personali- ties, Liukkonen stepped up and charnted the crew with her fearless eflervescence and solid knowledge of water issues. Says University Netvs Service media release representative Drew Swain, "Barb is a Liukkonen, continued orr page 7 - - June zoo'