Large Scale And Commercial Treatment Systems

Large Scale And Commercial Treatment Systems
Aquapoint case study

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System provides treatment for new commercial plaza

Problem: When a developer wanted to build a new commercial plaza in Orleans, Mass., adjacent to the town’s off-ramp from the Mid-Cape Highway, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection required that a wastewater treatment and disposal facility be installed on site to protect local groundwater. This commercial center generates up to 20,000 gpd of moderate to high-strength wastewater. The system was permitted under Massachusetts’ groundwater discharge pollution control regulations requiring the system to meet a standard of less than 10 mg/L total nitrogen.

Solution: The project engineer selected a Bioclere treatment system from Aquapoint for its nitrification and denitrification performance capability, energy efficiency, ease of operation and small footprint. Units are preceded by a pre-aeration stage to condition the high-strength wastewater and to strip off VOCs, which can impair treatment efficiency if present in high concentrations. Effluent from the plant is discharged through a conventional pressure-dosed drainfield.

Result: The system provided the commercial complex development with a flexible and affordable treatment system that has achieved BOD, TSS, TN and NH3 removal levels of greater than 90 percent, exceeding allowable permit levels. 508/985-9050; www.aquapoint.com.

Leaching chambers installed at beachfront snack bar

Problem: Sandy Beach at Lake Morris in Bantam, Conn., was undergoing a renovation, including the installation of a new snack bar with a grease trap, bathrooms and a bath station. Since the existing septic system was outdated from the 1950s, a new innovative system was needed to provide enough storage to accommodate the updates.

Solution: Contractors at Green Construction Management LLC consulted with CULTEC Inc. to design and install a Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection-approved subsurface septic system that would provide increased storage and dispersion of sewage effluent. The contractor installed a 2-inch pipe that pumps approximately 400 feet across the beachfront, where it meets a splitter valve system. The splitter valve separates into four distribution boxes, which then run on top of two 100-foot double rows of CULTEC Contactor 100HD plastic leaching chambers – 54 chambers total. The 2-inch line features 1/4-inch holes every 3 feet that drain into the chambers.

Result: This new system design provides efficient handling of the snack bar’s increased sewage flow. The municipality reports no issues. 800/428-5832; www.cultec.com.

Sequencing batch reactor plant installed at Ohio camp

Problem: Camp Akita, a 1,200-acre camp located in the Hocking Hills of southeastern Ohio, operates year-round and offers entertainment, food and lodging for groups up to 200 people. In 2013, the camp’s directors realized the existing 8,000 gpd precast extended aeration plant built in 1979 would need to be replaced. Since the discharge stream is small and considered an exceptional water body, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency required a new plant to meet the state’s Best Available Demonstrated Control Technology (BADCT).

Solution: The camp asked E.P. Ferris and Associates to develop a plan for a new plant. The firm’s project engineer, Jay Herskowitz, P.E., evaluated several options, eventually putting the project out to bid. Earthtek Environmental LLC was selected to assist with the design and to provide a Sabre 16,000 gpd package sequencing batch reactor treatment plant. The unit is designed to meet the stringent BADCT requirements, and can be provided as two separate SBR tanks to handle a large variation between summer and winter flows. It uses buried fiberglass tanks that minimize odors, and is simple to operate and maintain with minimal ongoing expense.

Result: The new plant was completed in time to meet the summer demands of the camp and has performed as advertised. 812/528-8784; www.packageplants.com.

Cluster treatment system used for recreational site

Problem: An engineering firm was tasked with designing a treatment system to protect a Northern California freshwater lake used for recreation and surface irrigation, while providing recreation area visitors flushable toilets and hot-water showers. In addition to BOD-loading, nitrogen reduction and pathogen elimination were primary objectives. Due to proximity of lake-view tent campsites to the sewage treatment system, noise and odors needed to be undetectable.

Solution: The firm and the installation service contractor, in consultation with the local Envirocycle USA dealer, developed a plan to use scalable cluster treatment technology that did not require additional trash or dose tanks, as well as Netafim drip dispersal materials to create a sustainable green belt area for recreational use while protecting the water source less than 100 yards away. The system was designed with a rock-styled access hatch to blend in with the natural surroundings.

Result: The choice reduced operating costs and increased overall system reliability, while meeting state and local regulatory requirements. Remote monitoring has ensured trouble-free operation. The lake has been protected from nutrient and pathogenic contamination. 888/694-4633; www.endingsepticpollution.com.

Treatment system recharges groundwater and minimizes saltwater intrusion

Problem: The coastal community of Los Osos, Calif., had outdated onsite wastewater treatment systems. As population density increased, leachfield systems could not be designed to fit within smaller-sized lots, and existing systems were contributing to nitrogen pollution. As a result, the Regional Water Quality Control Board declared a prohibition zone that included a building moratorium. The community was also experiencing saltwater intrusion as groundwater was pumped to meet agricultural demands.

Solution: After a decade of meetings, a decentralized solution was selected featuring final discharge to a community drainfield utilizing 20,000 linear feet of chambers from Infiltrator Systems. Treated effluent pumped up to the leachfield system is distributed through pressurized piping. The trenches are separated into zones, with controls and valves that rotate dosings evenly through each zone. System maintenance and monitoring is optimized through installation of observation ports in each trench.

Result: This decentralized solution recharges the groundwater supplies and minimizes saltwater intrusion. The completed large community treatment system has a capacity of 1.6 mgd and includes collection, conveyance, treatment and recycled water reuse. 800/221-4436; www.infiltratorsystems.com.

Shared treatment system installed for neighboring facilities

Problem: Major upgrades to the infrastructures of the Mont-Saint-Mathieu Ski and Convention Resort and neighboring Camping KOA Bas-Saint-Laurent led to a four-fold increase in users at the ski resort and three times as many campsites for visitors. Existing septic installations could not support this growth or treat phosphorous levels present in the final discharge into nearby Saint-Mathieu Lake. Permeable soils, mountainous and rocky topography, as well as the proximity of both sites to the sensitive area, would not permit any soil infiltration. A compact and economical onsite solution was needed to treat the wastewater at both sites and handle seasonal peak flows.

Solution: With a footprint 90 percent smaller than a conventional disposal field, the Premier Tech Aqua Ecoprocess MBR treatment station covered a total of 2,500 square feet. The building housing the membranes and control panel measured 560 square feet. Each owner assumed construction costs for the treatment station they used exclusively and half of the cost for the components they shared. Operational expenses were allocated depending on each partner’s usage.

Result: Designed to treat up to 22,000 gpd to meet future development plans for both sites, and supported by an annual maintenance program, the station steadily produces a quality effluent of less than 5 mg/L in CBOD5, less than 10 mg/L in TSS, less than 200 cfu/100 mL in fecal coliforms and less than 0.1 mg/L Ptot. 800/632-6356; www.premiertechaqua.com.

Cluster system enables passive community treatment with denitrification

Problem: The Blodgett Landing Treatment Plant in southwestern New Hampshire would routinely have parts of its treatment system freeze, hindering operation. The cold weather was also affecting treatment levels and inhibiting the nitrification and denitrification process. The facility had a 34,000-gallon tank that was nearly 50 years old and needed to be replaced. The system was also not large enough to deal with the increased capacity.

Solution: The community chose the Enviro-Septic System from Presby Environmental. The passive cluster wastewater treatment system removes up to 99 percent of wastewater contaminants such as BOD, TSS, TN, TKN and fecal coliform. It uses fabrics and fibers to establish multiple bacterial treatment environments that break down and digest wastewater contaminants without use of electricity or additives. The system is designed for cold weather, making it a recommendation for this location. The warm effluent combined with the biological process within the pipe generates enough heat to prevent system freezing.

Result: The Blodgett Landing Treatment Plant is designed as a recirculating system with the multilevel configuration, handling flows ranging from 2,500 to 88,000 gpd. “Since it was installed in 2011, the system has consistently exceeded the required effluent treatment levels,” says Tim Mulder, Blodgett Landing Treatment Plant manager. 800/473-5298; www.presbyenvironmental.com.

Spray irrigation dispersal system used for casino site

Problem: In 2010, the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians in Choctaw, Miss., planned to build a casino in Jones County, near Sandersville, Miss. They approached the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for assistance in determining the best wastewater treatment option. Suggestions included a fixed media filter as part of an onsite decentralized wastewater treatment system.

Solution: W. G. Yates & Sons Construction of Philadelphia, Miss., oversaw the project. Quanics assisted in choosing the technology to be used for the 20,000 gpd project. Soil investigations determined a large area near the front of the property would be suitable for a spray irrigation dispersal system. This site would be used in conjunction with the Aerocell fixed media filter. A 40,000-gallon fiberglass septic tank with commercial effluent filter was installed, followed by a 20,000-gallon fiberglass recirculation tank for the treatment modules. Two duplex pump systems at the outlet end dose to four ATS-16-AC modules that make up the treatment component. The wastewater is sprayed over the open-cell foam media and, after treatment, goes through UV disinfection and then to a lift station. The effluent is pumped to a large holding tank, then to a spray irrigation field. As a precaution, a holding pond was also constructed for times of inclement weather.

Result: The casino opened just before Christmas 2011. It has operated smoothly since then, according to Gordon Dixon, facility maintenance manager. The Choctaws are planning an addition of a hotel and restaurant on the site in the near future. 877/782-6427; www.quanics.net.

Large compressor needed for convenience stores and fast food restaurants

Problem: Paramount Wastewater Solutions in Temple, Texas, has been looking for a large linear compressor that is quiet and capable of producing greater than 100 pounds of oxygen input per day. The system for one particular convenience store application was a custom 2,500 gpd.

Solution: Paramount Wastewater analyzed a demonstration of the DBMX 300 – 101 from Septic Sewage Pumps. It has an output of 10.59 cfm. In this application 1 scfm equates to 0.0173 pounds of oxygen per minute. The pump offers 10.59 cfm, which multiplied by 0.0173 pounds of oxygen per minute equals 0.1832 pounds of oxygen per minute, which multiplied by 1,440 minutes per day equals 263.8 pounds of oxygen per day.

Result: Paramount Wastewater has installed the pump at this particular convenience store application, as well as one at a Bush’s Chicken fast food restaurant. They are planning to install this compressor at other convenience stores and fast food restaurants as the need arises. 800/292-9087; www.septicsewagepumps.com.

System removes phosphorus from school wastewater

Problem: In 2010 the onsite sewage system at Brisbane Public School in Ontario was upgraded as part of the Ontario Green Schools Pilot Initiative. The system consisted of a Waterloo Biofilter, followed by a WaterNOx biological anoxic filter for enhanced nitrogen removal, and UV disinfection to provide a final effluent suitable for wastewater reuse. As a testing ground for new green technologies, the school sought to further reduce its environmental footprint by removing phosphorus from the wastewater stream.

Solution: A Waterloo EC-P phosphorus removal system from Waterloo Biofilter Systems was installed. It uses electrochemical processes to replicate naturally iron-rich “B Horizon” soils using any sand, soil or foam filtration medium. Rather than separate and concentrate phosphorus in the septic tank where it must then be pumped out and treated elsewhere, the system removes phosphorus by precipitating minerals on the filtration medium where they remain stable. It easily retrofits into existing septic or pump tanks, and is suitable for both commercial and individual residential use. Very little energy is used, and the system has no effect on wastewater pH.

Result: The final effluent discharged has averaged 0.5 mg/L TP (92 percent removal) since the system was installed. Beneath the disposal bed, the natural environment is receiving less than 0.1 mg/L TP (more than 99 percent removal). 866/366-4329; www.waterloo-biofilter.com.



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