How the System Operates
The on-site treatment system
is designed to handle a daily hydraulic flow
of 3,000 gallons of septic tank effluent while
limiting effluent discharge to less than 1,000
gallons. The system collects only restroom waste.
There are no connections between the system
and any manufacturing process water or site
storm drains. Solid waste is separated from
liquid waste in three 2,000-gallon mid-seam
septic tanks located at the manufacturing and
office buildings. Pumps located in these tanks
transfer filtered effluent to a series of three
2,000-gallon mid-seam concrete tanks which hold
the effluent until it is pumped through the
recirculating sand filter.
The 28-by-46-foot sand filter
receives multiple hourly dosings of effluent
at a projected biochemical oxygen demand (BOD)
loading rate of 0.0039 lbs BOD/square foot/day.
After passing through the sand filter area,
the effluent transfers into a 3,500-gallon holding
area. One 2,000-gallon mid-seam concrete tank
and one 1,500-gallon mid-seam concrete tank
are connected by a 4-inch PVC pipe to create
a single 3,500-gallon holding area.
The effluent is pumped from the
2,000-gallon tank into a nearby utility building where
it is treated with ozone disinfectant and returned
to the 1,500-gallon tank. The ozone-treated effluent
remains in the 3,500-gallon holding area until it
is pumped back into the utility building, where it
receives chlorine disinfection and is returned to
the buildings for reuse in the toilet fixtures. Once
the holding area reaches a predetermined liquid level,
a pump transfers excess effluent out of the system
into the ground via drip dispersion lines.
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