Failed septic system in shallow limiting zone repaired

Problem: During a real estate transaction in Crawford County, Pennsylvania, a septic system over 30 years old did not pass inspection. Sewage enforcement officer Michael Rinkevich determined that the soils were too shallow (less than a 20-inch limiting zone) to meet current state requirements for a traditional system or elevated sand mound.

Solution: Out of the shallow-soil options available, soil scientist Joseph Eckenrode recommended using an Eljen Corporation GSF system due to its performance and because it requires no annual maintenance or filter media replacement. Soil scientist Mary Kay Lupton designed a 4-foot-wide by 116-foot-long bed after hydraulic linear loading rates were determined from the necessary soil probes. Expert Septic met with the installer during a pre-construction meeting, and provided product delivery as well as on-site assistance and training.

Result: The bed was constructed in one day, helping the real estate transaction continue in a timely manner and giving the new homeowner a code-compliant system. 800/444-1359; www.eljen.com.

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System helps increase performance and septic load capacity

Problem: A busy Tennessee family had a septic system that was already pushed to the max, and loading on the system when family and friends were visiting meant it was struggling to properly treat the wastewater, resulting in poor performance and more expense from frequent pumpouts.

Solution: A Turbo system from Bluewater ATU was installed. With a typical installation taking only one or two hours, the system minimizes sludge and delivers effluent that is significantly clearer and cleaner than a stand-alone septic system. It has been tested with BOD at 3.7 and TSS at 3.0, with nitrogen removal at 50 percent, with the added benefit of vastly reduced odor. With all this work done inside the tank, and with no moving parts to fail, the load on the drainfield is significantly reduced.

Result: The system delivered an improvement in performance and efficiency immediately. It can be installed in new systems or retrofit to existing systems. 866/639-6475; www.bluewaterturbo.com.

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Passive wastewater treatment system fits on small lot

Problem: A three-bedroom house on a small lot in San Diego, California, burned down. A reconstruction permit restricted the new owner’s plans to place a prefabricated house on the vacant lot before replacing the septic system. The small lot had little space for a conventional system plus a full-size replacement system reserve area, and the homeowner did not want to install a costly mechanical treatment system.
 
Solution: The homeowner chose to have a 450 gpd Advanced-Enviro Septic (AES) passive wastewater treatment and dispersal system from Presby Environmental installed. The system, which fit the tight site constraints, was installed in a 20 percent sloping configuration matching the building lot’s natural terrain.
 
Result: With the new system installed, the homeowner was able to proceed with his plans to place the new home on the property. 800/473-5298;
www.presbyeco.com.