System provides treatment for new commercial plaza

Problem: When a developer wanted to build a new commercial plaza in Orleans, Massachusetts, adjacent to the town’s off-ramp from the Mid-Cape Highway, the state Department of Environmental Protection required that a wastewater treatment and disposal facility be installed onsite 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 preaeration 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 development with an affordable and flexible treatment system that has achieved BOD, TSS, total nitrogen and NH3 removal levels of greater than 90 percent, exceeding allowable permit levels. 508-985-9050; www.aquapoint.com.

Sand filter system used to increase capacity

Problem: A gas station in Clare County, Michigan, had a septic system sized for 4,000 gpd based on meter readings, but an upturn in the economy saw increased meter readings of up to 9,000 gpd. An addition to the drainfield was needed to meet surge capacity on weekends.

Solution: County Wide Septic installed an Eljen GSF, or Geotextile Sand Filter, system provided by Milan Supply. The addition is comprised of 80 B43 GSF units and was installed in a bed configuration on a base of ASTM C33 sand. The effluent is pumped up to a distribution box, which then gravity-feeds four zones.  

Result: The system is able to keep up with the increased business traffic flow, meet the site constraints and treat the effluent to NSF Standard 40. 800-444-1359; www.eljen.com.

Communal treatment serves oceanside community

Problem: Due to aging infrastructure and lack of access to municipal sewers, the Municipality of Chester required a new onsite wastewater treatment system to service an existing residential community in Nova Scotia, Canada. Surface discharge to the Atlantic Ocean required a solution providing superior quality treatment. Low ongoing operational costs and a small footprint to reduce disruption on the existing community were also essential.

Solution: A communal system was designed for a peak daily design flow of 39,630 gpd and consists of a poured-in-place concrete tank for anaerobic digestion and flow balancing, followed by four Waterloo Biofilter Systems biological filtration treatment units in belowground fiberglass tanks, and finally UV disinfection. The treatment system is equipped with a smart panel for remote monitoring and control for advanced operation and maintenance.

Result: The tanks speeded installation and reduced costs in a compact footprint within close proximity to the residential development. The energy-efficient and technologically advanced treatment units are fully data-logged, helping to optimize performance, and can be diagnosed and operated remotely, further reducing operating costs and unnecessary site visits for alarms. 866-366-4329; www.waterloo-biofilter.com.