architects + engineers

INVESTIGATION OF ALTERNATIVE ON-SITE SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEMS (OSSDS) CAPABLE OF MEETING EFFLUENT TOTAL NITROGEN REQUIREMENT OF 10

MG/L OR LESS

NYC Watershed/Tifft Science & Technical Symposium

September 19, 2013

Suffolk County Department of Health Services Alternative OSSDS study to

investigate systems capable of treating wastewater to total nitrogen levels

less than 10 mg/L.

Investigation broken down into two flow categories:

– Single-family residential dwellings: 300 - 1,000 gpd

– Other than single-family residential dwellings: 1,000 – 30,000 gpd

Study organization (process of elimination): Task II – Research Task IV – Selection, Evaluation, and Sampling Task VI – Cost and Benefit analysis Task VIII – Investigation of Alternative OSSDS installations in

four (4) states of MA, RI, NJ, and MD Task IX – Summary report

INTRODUCTION

Purpose: Research and review of alternative OSSDS technologies capable of treating wastewater flows to effluent TN levels of 10 mg/L.

Research– Over 60 websites– Product brochures– Case study reports– Research paper– National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) 245 Standards for Nitrogen

Removal

Database created for SCDHS

TASK II - RESEARCH

TN ≤ 10 mg/L 6%

TN > 10 mg/L94%

Purpose: Selection, sampling and evaluation of alternative OSSDS recommended for further consideration.

Verified system manufacturers’ claims of performance Broken down into 2 subtasks:

– Task IV (A) – Evaluation and selection of alternative

technologies

– Task IV (B) – Field sampling of currently installed systems

TASK IV – SELECTION, SAMPLING, AND EVALUATION

18 technologies selected from 13 manufacturers

Letters were sent out requiring:

– List of available models and sizes for each selected

technology

– Location of installations

– Available performance data for each installed system

– Technical drawings

Based on submissions the list of acceptable technologies was reduced to 4.

TASK IV (A)

TASK IV (A)

Commercial Applications (1,000-30,000 gpd)

Aquapoint’s Bioclere®,

BioMicrobics’ MicroFAST®, NitriFAST®, ABC®-N

WesTech’s STM-AerotorsTM,

Lombardo Associates’ NitrexTM System (with SeptiTech’s

SeptiTech®, Orenco’s Advantex®, and Waterloo Biofilter’s

Waterloo Biofilter® Nitrifying systems)

Residential Applications (300-1,000 gpd)

BioMicrobics’ MicroFAST®

Lombardo Associates’ NitrexTM System (with Orenco’s

Advantex®, and Waterloo Biofilter’s Waterloo Biofilter®

Nitrifying systems)

 

63 18 4

2 (Residential)

4 (Commercial)

?

AquaPoint – Bioclere® System

TASK IV (A)

BioMicrobics – MicroFAST® System

TASK IV (A)

BLOWER

WASTEWATER INFLUENT

TREATED EFFLUENT

PRIMARY ZONE SECONDARY ZONE

MICROFAST® UNIT

WesTech – STM - AerotorTM

TASK IV (A)

PROCESS TANK CLARIFIER

Lombardo Associates, Inc. – NitrexTM System

TASK IV (A)

DECANT CHAMBER

SOLIDS PUMP-BACK

RECIRCULATION PUMP

WASTEWATER INFLUENT

TREATED EFFLUENT

FILTER POD

BIOTUBE FILTER

PROCESSOR TANK

WIRE MESH

BASKET

Orenco System, Inc. – Advantex® SystemWaterloo Biofilter, inc. – Waterloo Biofilter®SeptiTech, inc. – SetpiTech® System

TASK IV (B)

Sampling Coordination

H2M Sampling Phase

Lab Analysis

Data Coordination and Analysis

System Manufacturer

Homeowners/ Commercial

Property

Independent Operators

CDM

CDM Field

Engineers

H2M Labs

Shipment Prepare Bottles:BOD, TSS, TKN, TN

Reported to SCDHS

Average TN Concentrations - Residential Dwellings

TASK IV (B)

BioMicrobics MicroFAST®(mg/L)

Lombardo Associates NitrexTM

(mg/L)Influent Effluent Influent Effluent

Site 1 18.0 14.2 110.0 1.8

Site 2 1.3 4.2 48.1 3.0

Average TN Concentrations - Commercial Applications

AquaPoint Bioclere®(mg/L)

BioMicrobics MicroFAST®

(mg/L)

Lombardo Associates NitrexTM

(mg/L)

Influent Effluent Influent Effluent Influent Effluent

Site 1 59.5 8.6 68.9 13.4 23.0 1.5

Site 2 26.4 8.2 83.0 6.5 52.8 1.6

Site 3 - - - - 81.3 1.7

Location of systems samples:– Massachussetts, Maryland, Minnesota, California

Influent and effluent grab samples

Parameters analyzed included: Alkalinity, BOD, TSS, & TN

TASK VIII - INVESTIGATION OF INSTALLATIONS IN FOUR (4) STATES OF MA, RI, NJ, AND MD

Purpose: Investigate and evaluate the conditions and restrictions set for the installation of alternative OSSDS in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Jersey, and Maryland.

Restrictions and items evaluated:

– Buffer distance requirements

– Minimum lot size requirements

– Operator service contract requirements

– Sampling, testing, and reporting

– Effluent requirements for installed systems

TASK VIII – REQUIREMENTS SET FOR THE INSTALLATION

REQUIREMENTS I. MASSACHUSETTS II. RHODE ISLAND III. NEW JERSEY IV. MARYLANDEFFLUENT REQUIREMENTS

Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) 30 mg/L 30 mg/L 30 mg/L 30 mg/L

Total Suspended solids (TSS) 30 mg/L 30 mg/L 30 mg/L 30 mg/L

Total Nitrogen (TN)

25 mg/L

(19 mg/L in Nitrogen Sensitive Areas)

19 mg/L and 50% removal 14 mg/L 50% removal

SEPARATION DISTANCES Minimum Horizontal Separation (from septic tank)

Property line 10 ft. 10 ft. 5 ft. 10 ft.

Private well 50 ft. 75 ft. 50 ft. 50 ft.

Public Water Supply 50 ft. 200 ft. 50 ft. 100 ft.

Wetland 100 ft. 200 ft. 300 ft. -

Vertical Separation (depth to groundwater) 4-5 ft. 4 ft. 4-5 ft. 4 ft.

DESIGN REQUIREMENTS

Minimum Lot Size Max effluent loading rate 0.15 gpd/sq. ft.

Min lot size of 2 ac for a conventional septic system

(≥ 1/6 ac lot for an alternate system)

3.2 ac lot for a conventional septic system (≥ 1

ac lot for an alternate system)

Minimum lot size of 10,000 sq. ft. or 1/4 ac

Minimum Design Flow

330 gpd (440 gpd/ac in Nitrogen Sensitive

Areas)

345 gpd 350 gpd 250 gpd

OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS

Operations & Maintenance Contract

O&M contract required for the life of each installed I/A system.

Annual O&M contract required as stated in the certification letters issued by the Department of Environmental Managements for each alternate system.

O&M contract required for first five (5) years of piloting program.

O&M contract required for first five (5) years of installation paid for by BRF grant. Property owners within Critical Area are required to maintain a O&M contract at their expense. Property owners outside this zone are recommended to maintain a contract.

System Monitoring

Monitoring of system per approval letter specific to each technology.

Three (3) residential systems are required to be monitored for a minimum of two (2) years for each technology. Commercial systems 2,000 gpd and greater are required to be monitored quarterly as required in the issued permit.

Sampling performed on a quarterly bases for the first three (3) years of piloting program on effluent samples only.

Quarterly effluent samples for the first five (5) years of installation under the O&M contract. No additional sampling required.

TASK VI - COST AND BENEFIT ANALYSIS

COST COMPONENT BIOMICROBICS - MICROFAST®

LOMBARDO ASSOCIATES, INC. - NITREX

TM CONVENTIONAL SEPTIC SYSTEM

Permitting and Regulatory Requirements $5,000 $7,500 $650 Treatment Components (Including Ancillary Equipment and Contractor Markup)

$7,000 $19,500 $3,700

Construction and Installation $13,000 $14,500 $730

TOTAL $25,000 $41,500 $5,080

Annual O & M $1,700 $1,400 $160

Residential System Costs

Purpose: Cost and benefit analysis of alternative OSSDS recommended for use in Suffolk County in both residential and commercial applications.

Cost:– Quotes from system manufacturers and local

manufacturers were obtained.

– Costs of systems were based on criteria established if the systems were to be installed in Suffolk County.

TASK IX -CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Future Work

– Further study and modeling are necessary to further evaluate the alternative on-site sewage disposal systems.

– In depth analysis considering fluctuations in influent strength and inconsistent flow patterns.

Presented by:Eliora Bujari

575 Broad Hollow Road, Melville, New York 11747 t 631.756.8000 f 631.694.4122175 Pinelawn Road, Suite 308, Melville, New York 11747 t 631.756.8000 f 631.393.6322

11 Computer Drive West, Suite 102, Albany, New York 12205 t 518.621.7558 f 518.621.7658254 South Main Street, Suite 500, New City, New York 10956 t 845.499.2264 f 845.499.2265

119 Cherry Hill Road, Suite 200, Parsippany, New Jersey 07054 t 862.207.5900 f 973.334.0507

www.h2m.com

Questions?

SCDHS Website: http://www.suffolkcountyny.gov/Departments/HealthServices

architects + engineers