Guidance Document ID 6790 (Contractor License Requirement for Onsite Sewage System Maintenance), currently listed under DPOR’s Guidance Documents in Effect for the WWWOOSSP Board, is being proposed for deletion. The stated reason is that its content will be incorporated into Guidance Document ID 2959 (Board of Contractors Policies & Interpretations), which is housed under DPOR and listed in Guidance Documents in Effect for the Board of Contractors.

My concern is that if GD 6790 is removed from the WWWOOSSP Board’s guidance listings, individuals working in the onsite sewage industry may no longer be aware that this guidance exists or know to look to the Board of Contractors for clarification on licensing requirements. This topic has generated questions in the past, which is why a guidance document dedicated to the onsite industry was created initially.

Has it been planned for GD 2959 to also be listed under the WWWOOSSP Board’s Guidance Documents in Effect so it remains visible to industry stakeholders? If so, I would also note that GD 2959 is a broad, wide-ranging document containing far more information than is necessary for the onsite industry. The onsite board’s page should ideally provide focused guidance specific to onsite sewage professionals.

There are also many new individuals entering the industry, and ease of access to clear, relevant, and industry-specific information benefits everyone—licensees, regulators, and the public. Without a clearly labeled, onsite-specific guidance document, important licensing information may be overlooked or misunderstood.

Because this is not a situation where the guidance has been fully codified and made unnecessary, I believe it remains important that licensing clarification be presented in a guidance document expressly directed to the onsite industry and accessible through the WWWOOSSP Board’s section on Town Hall.