How the clean solution by wastewater alternatives works

What Makes it work:

works

Conventional septic systems normally use an anaerobic (without oxygen) septic tank followed by an aerobic (with oxygen) leach field to provide treatment of wastewater. Septic tanks work well for capturing organic and non-organic solids and digesting the organic solids, which are anaerobically fermented over a long period of time, dissolving the solids into the liquid waste. However, a septic tank is not designed to treat the contaminants that dissolve in the liquids; these are treated aerobically in the leach field. Municipal systems, which handle very large volumes of wastewater use different equipment to accomplish the same biological functions as septic systems: primary sedimentation tanks remove solids, and a secondary aerobic treatment process treats the contaminants dissolved in the liquids. The settled solids are removed from municipal primary and secondary facilities for further treatment.

All aerobic treatment systems, whether a conventional leach field, municipal treatment plant, or THE CLEAN SOLUTION, depend on bacteria to purify the effluent from a solids settling system. In order for bacteria to reproduce they require energy and oxygen. By using the contaminants in the effluent as food and atmospheric air for oxygen, the bacteria metabolize the dissolved solids to carbon dioxide, water and sludge (colonies of bacteria), as well as converting ammonia compounds to nitrates.

A large number of bacteria must come in contact with the food source in order to purify an effluent. Treatment systems utilize different methods to provide the necessary bacteria population. A municipal system mechanically stirs up the bacteria in the secondary treatment process so that they will contact their food and not settle out of the effluent. A conventional septic system with a leach field depends upon a large ground surface area for the bacteria to collect. In THE CLEAN SOLUTION the bacteria collect on the plastic media as a thin film within WAI's proprietary BioCon™ biological contact chamber.

The location where the bacteria (sludge) collect is the major difference between a conventional septic system and THE CLEAN SOLUTION. In a conventional system, the sludge that forms along the bottom of the leach field restricts the effluent flow and allows the bacteria time to treat the effluent. This flow rate through the Biomat, coupled with the strength of the wastewater and the nature of the receiving soils determines the required field size. As the Biomat develops it becomes more restrictive and reduces the amount of effluent that can be absorbed by the leach field.

With THE CLEAN SOLUTION, the same biological process that takes place in a municipal secondary treatment plant occurs within the BioCon biological contact chamber: media within this chamber gives the bacteria surface area to collect and air is added via a compressor to supply dissolved oxygen and promote an aerobic environment, allowing the bacteria to convert the carbonaceous dissolved solids to carbon dioxide, water and sludge. In addition, the urea and ammonia convert to nitrates and sludge. The sludge byproduct is then captured within the Settling chamber for periodic removal and a clean, odorless effluent is discharged to the dispersal field.

Since treatment has already occurred within the BioCon chamber of THE CLEAN SOLUTION, only a small dispersal field is required to discharge the treated effluent into the ground. In many cases, this dispersal field will be significantly smaller than a conventional leach field (the dispersal field size varies by State).