Septic system enhancement unit solves biomat clogging issue

Problem: The drainfield at an Indiana church was ponding, and after investigating the issue, Orenco Systems technicians determined the drainfield piping was clogged with biomat.

Solution: A BioMicrobics RetroFAST septic system enhancement unit was installed in the church’s septic tank. The attached-growth biological treatment unit is designed to upgrade an underperforming septic system. The biological treatment reduces the biodegradable organic matter in the wastewater and also delivers more dissolved oxygen to the drainfield, breaking up the biomat. The unit is installed in the existing septic tank through a standard 18-inch manhole. The installation can be completed without heavy machinery, usually in less than half a day.

Result: Within a few months, the drainfield was revitalized, and the ponding disappeared. 800-753-3278; www.biomicrobics.com

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ATU helps low-income community meet wastewater regulations

Problem: A significant percentage of rural households in Lowndes County and other counties within the Black Belt Region of Alabama lack functional wastewater systems or have failing systems. This is primarily due to the challenges posed by high poverty levels and poor soil conditions. As a result, many rural families have no choice but to resort to a hazardous practice called “straight piping” to dispose of household wastewater. However, this practice poses serious risks as it exposes individuals to disease-causing pathogens present in raw sewage.

Solution: The Blackbelt Unincorporated Wastewater Program is dedicated to promoting community health in the region. Its primary focus is on addressing the essential need for proper onsite wastewater disposal. Several companies including LIXIL, FujiClean USA, Kess Environmental, IWSH Foundation, Larry E. Speaks & Associates, University of South Alabama, and IAPMO have partnered with the program to help solve these issues. On sites where a conventional system will not function, FujiClean CE and CEN advanced treatment systems have been utilized with high success. 

Result: After 18 months of consistent sampling, the FujiClean units have stable performance without seasonal environmental fluctuations. Performance for BOD and TSS has been less than 10 mg/L, with a total nitrogen reduction of 75%. More than 100 homes have been upgraded to a state-approved septic system with periodic maintenance. 207-406-2927; www.fujicleanusa.com

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Biofilter system effective for remote cottage septic system

Problem: A remote cottage on a small lot in Brockville, Ontario, needed an affordable septic system that kept a low profile. To keep costs down, the system needed to use minimal sand and gravel, be easy to transport and install. It also needed to offer a sustainable design that protected the property and the environment.

Solution: The Ecoflo linear biofilter from Premier Tech Water and Environment pairs combined treatment and dispersal with coco biofiltration. It is compact, easy to transport and has a dosing device that sends wastewater through each chamber’s integrated distribution channel. These channels eliminate the need for extra pipes and all components are fully reusable. Effluent is evenly distributed across the length of a coco filtration pad. An underlying layer of standard, non-C33 septic sand completes the treatment. During CAN/BNQ testing, the biofilter achieved results of 4 mg/L TSS and 5 mg/L CBOD5.

Result: Soil conditions allowed the system to be installed directly on native soil in a 50% smaller dispersal area. Installer Larry Dedrick of Dedrick Bros. Excavating, explained that the Ecoflo system is compact and did not require bringing in additional material. 800-632-6356; www.pt-waterenvironment.com

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Extended aeration package plant meets expanded permit parameters

Problem: Laurel Regional Airport Authority of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, had an undersized 20,000 gpd wastewater treatment system servicing the airport and local business park. Treated effluent discharges to a Pascagoula River Basin tributary. When the authority applied for an updated permit for an increased flow of 50,000 gpd, the state conducted a waste load allocation study and imposed more stringent permit parameters including BOD from 30 mg/L to 14 mg/L, 6.0 mg/L DO level and 2.0 mg/L total ammonia levels, and nutrient monitoring.

Solution: The authority selected an extended aeration package plant from Infiltrator Water Technologies that meets the 50,000 gpd requirement and NPDES parameters and allows extensive operator control based on actual flows and loading. Effluent from generating facilities gravity flows through a manual bar screen to a flow equalization tank with duplex alternating pumps. The adjustable pump timer accommodates fluctuating flows. Effluent then moves to a flow-proportioning box with overflow returning to the flow equalization chamber, while the standard flow travels to the aeration basin where treatment occurs. After treatment, effluent flows into a double hopper clarifier, where solids settle. Clarified water flows to the tertiary sand filter ensuring low-level limits are consistently met and then through a disinfection chamber to a post aeration chamber. Water then exits the treatment unit via a discharge pipe to the tributary.

Result: The system has complete operator adjustment in mind. The process ensures permit parameters are met under fluctuating conditions and the receiving water body is not negatively impacted. 800-221-4436; www.infiltratorwater.com

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Aerobic bacterial generator a fit for tiny lakefront property

Problem: When a client with a failing septic system on a lake near Traverse City, Michigan, approached SludgeHammer Group, she was in a predicament. The old leachfield could not be rehabilitated, being too close to the lake, her tank needed to be replaced, and the small lot didn’t seem to provide any space. SludgeHammer representatives realized if they could get her effluent to a highly polished state, subsurface drip might be an option. But they faced the skeptical eyes of local regulators.

Solution: The Traverse Bay Health Department and engineer Harry Luzius had enough experience with SludgeHammer systems over the years to be confident they could fix the problem, but it would take some creativity. The lot was tiny, so the homeowner and the engineer sorted out new parking arrangements to create enough space for a small field. Subsurface drip was chosen to elevate the discharge point to create extra separation from groundwater, but also to get closer to a large tree that would interfere with conventional leach systems. A 1,200-gallon tank was installed with an S-46 Aerobic Bacterial Generator to improve the effluent quality to move safely through drip emitters. 

Result: With the last sample at 6 mg/L BOD, TSS at 8 mg/L and TIN at 14 mg/L the drip system is well protected. So is the lake. 231-348-5866; www.sludgehammer.net