Problem: Waterfront homeowners in Cheboygen County, Michigan, had their septic tank collapse and needed to install a new system to service both the family home and a small cottage on the property. 

Solution: SludgeHammer initially proposed an advanced treatment system and subsurface drip field new system that would fit in the space between the buildings. County regulators objected because a geothermal system was already occupying that space. Instead, the county waived the required 100-foot setback from the lake so the drip field could be installed on the lake side of the house. The county approved the SludgeHammer technology because it moved the disposal point much closer to the surface and further from the water table, which would protect the lake water quality.

Result: The latest test with up to 10 mg/L BOD and TSS and a Total Nitrogen of 17 mg/L confirmed the county’s decision. As an added bonus, the homeowners no longer have to spread high-phosphate fertilizer on their lakefront lawn, further reducing nutrient runoff. 231-348-5866; www.sludgehammer.net