Small Community Wastewater

Alternatives

Section V
Advanced Treatment
 Courtesy of OTN

Advanced Treatment Process

• House sewer conveys sewage to aerobic
treatment unit
• Aerobic treatment unit treats the sewage
similar to a sewer plant (secondary
treatment)
• Effluent pipe conveys treated effluent to
absorption area
• Absorption area now serves primarily as a
dispersal area for treated effluent
 Most Advanced Treatment Technologies
Produce “Secondary” or Better Quality Effluent!
 Advanced Treatment
• Pre-treatment of wastewater
– Usually requires dosing
– Often requires electric
– Always requires maintenance
• Applicable to:
– Difficult sites
– Sensitive environments
 Dosing Options
 May be required by design or to “lift”
wastewater to the absorption area
 Delivers a calculated “dose” of wastewater

 Allows for rest periods, promotes aerated

and unsaturated soil conditions
 Extends system life
 Advanced Treatment
• Aerobic Treatment Units (ATU)
• Media Filters:
– sand
– textile
– peat
– foam
• Nutrient Reduction
Advanced Treatment

• Difficult Sites
Courtesy of Skaneateles Lake
Demonstration Project
NSF Aerobic Treatment Unit (ATU)
 Courtesy of OTN

Peat Filter
 Courtesy of OTN

Peat Filter
 Courtesy of OTN

Combination Peat / Textile

AdvanTex Packed Bed Filter
 Courtesy of OTN

AdvanTex
 Courtesy of Orenco

Textile Sheets
 Courtesy of Orenco

20x more surface area than sand

Sand Gravel
 Courtesy of OTN

Residential Installation
Courtesy of Skaneateles Lake
Demonstration Project
 Courtesy of OTN
Media Filter with
Bottomless Sand Filter
 Media Filter with
Courtesy of OTN

Bottomless Sand Filter

 Courtesy of OTN

Foam
 The more advanced the treatment
technology, the greater attention required to
assure proper performance.