Additive used to treat blockage in drainfield line

Problem: North Carolina homeowners called J.C. Johnson Plumbing & Septic when they saw water surfacing 55 to 60 feet into the drainfield area. Technician Jim Sparrow ran a camera through the line exiting the tank and quickly determined the line was almost completely full of sludge.

Solution: Sparrow installed a clean-out on the outlet end of the tank, then poured bioForce Maxx from Chempace Corporation into the line. The septic tank was also pumped down to make sure no water would be going into the field for a week. After approximately one month without incident, a camera was put down the clean-out to inspect the line. The first 30 feet had gone from being full of sludge to only about a 1/4 inch on the bottom. The line was treated again with another 5-gallon pail of bioForce Maxx.

Result: To date, there has been no further surfacing water in the drainfield. 800/423-5350; www.chempace.com.

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Systems installed simultaneously on lakefront sites

Problem: A pair of homeowners sharing lot lines on small lakefront sites on Christina Lake in the West Kootenay region of British Columbia, Canada, wanted to repair their aging septic systems at the same time to minimize system cost and site damage. They were looking for a high-performance, low-maintenance treatment system that would fit within the limited site constraints while exceeding treatment standards.

Solution: The Eljen Corporation GSF system was chosen for its treatment performance (NSF Standard 40) and zero biological startup period. Two three-bedroom systems were designed by BWD Engineering and installed easily and simultaneously by Boundary Waste Water Systems & Excavating, limiting site disturbance and keeping costs affordable.

Result: The new systems gave the owners the treatment and performance they needed in the limited available space. The systems were installed in 2014 and have continued to perform as expected. 800/444-1359; www.eljen.com.

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Interceptors installed along runway for international airport project

Problem: In 2014, the Westin Denver Hotel and Transit Center at Denver International Airport needed 32 grease and sand interceptors to bring light rail to the airport.

Solution: Plumbing contractors called on Front Range Precast Concrete to produce the interceptors. Using HALO automation equipment, the company can produce space-efficient, watertight concrete tanks quickly. Since the tanks manage many different types of waste, they come with a much higher spec than regular interceptors and are subject to much stricter testing. This and a rounded-edge waterproof design add value. Operations Manager Jay Dorwart coordinated the manufacture and tiered delivery over the project period of more than a year, involving several Front Range employees who needed to be badged-in by security, and coordination with air control to deliver tanks to sites all along the runway.

Result: The interceptors were installed and have performed without incident. 800/783-3207; www.flxx.com.

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MBR system enables development of reclaimed strip mine property

Problem: Goose Lake Ranch is an 828-acre reclaimed strip mine in Fulton County, Illinois, with more than 50 lakes famous for fishing. A rehab of an existing campground and the addition of resort cabins and 90 campsites by the Herman Brothers family needed an advanced onsite wastewater treatment system to overcome site challenges and meet stringent code requirements. System designers faced coalmine spoils, inconsistent soils and drastic elevation changes.

Solution: NSF350 water recycling Bio-Microbics BioBarrier Membrane (MBR) systems installed within Infiltrator IM-Series tanks were designed to meet the challenges. The numerous 500 or 1,000 gpd MBR units include single units for individual cabins and 1,000 gpd MBRs for clusters of resort cabins, beach houses, a store and a banquet hall. EZflow by Infiltrator was used for the treated effluent dispersal fields, eliminating heavy trucking and the challenges of stone. The IM-Series tanks were also used for trash and pump tanks. A 1.5-amp marine pump attached to each MBR pulls the recycled water out and then transitions to gravity flow to move effluent to the EZflow dispersal fields.

Result: The IM-Series tanks allowed MBR units to be constructed in a shop to specifications and then delivered and installed around the property as needed without requiring a heavy boom truck, resulting in significant cost savings. 800/221-4436; www.infiltratorwater.com.

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AES System used in limited space septic installation

Problem: The septic system for an old church being renovated into a halfway house in Jackson County, Alabama, was outdated and not working properly due to increased flows. Space and soil limitations would not allow for a conventional replacement.

Solution: Mark McCurdy of McCurdy Engineering and Surveying chose Presby Environmental’s AES system. The system consisted of two 1,000-gallon concrete septic tanks and one 1,000-gallon pump tank. The site had a slope of approximately 5 percent. Due to shallow soil restrictions, it was determined that the absorption bed would be sloped. The effluent was pumped to a distribution box that fed two serial sections (300 feet each) in a sand bed of 22 by 92 feet, totaling 2,024 square feet for a 1,000 gpd system. This was figured using a .714 application rate. The system was intentionally oversized, as there was no space for a reserve area.    

Result: Approximately 30 installers, engineers and environmentalists worked together to complete the system, and Great Expectation Ministries was able to keep its doors open. This project was organized as training and a way for industry professionals to obtain continuing education credits. 800/473-5298; www.presbyeco.com.