Introduction and Table of Contents

250 Pages·2005·6.87 MB·English

REVIEW OF TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE ONSITE
TREATMENT OF WASTEWATER IN CALIFORNIA

Prepared for the
California State Water Resources Control Board

Center for Environmental and Water Resources Engineering Prepared by
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Harold Leverenz
University of California, Davis George Tchobanoglous
Davis, California Jeannie L. Darby
Report No. 02-2 August, 2002
NOTICE

Funding for this project has been provided by the
State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB). The
contents of this document do not necessarily reflect the
views and policies of the SWRCB, nor does mention of
trade names or commercial products constitute
endorsement or recommendations for use.
CONTENTS

NOTICE ……………………………………………………………………………………………………. ii
CONTENTS ………………...……….……………………………………………………………………. iii
LIST OF ACRONYMS ………….….……………………………………………………………………. vii
LIST OF TABLES ……………….….……………………………………….………………………… ix
LIST OF FIGURES……………….....………………………………………………………………….… xi
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ……………...………………………………………………………………. xvii

1. INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………………………. 1-1
1-1 Background…………………………………………………………….………….…………… 1-1
1-2 Scope of report…………………………………………………………………..…………….. 1-1
1-3 Report organization……………………………………………………………………………. 1-1
1-4 Acknowledgements….………………………………………………………………………… 1-2

2. REDUCING WASTEWATER GENERATION ……………………………………………… 2-1
2-1 Water usage…………………………………………………………….……………………… 2-1
2-2 Flow reducers………………………………………………………………………………….. 2-2
2-3 Low water appliances…………………………………………………………………………. 2-3
2-4 Efficient water heaters………………………………………………………………………… 2-4
2-5 Water saving toilets and urinals……………………………………………………………… 2-6
2-6 Greywater separation and dual plumbing…………………………………………………… 2-8

3. NON-DISCHARGING (CONTAINMENT) SYSTEMS……………………………………… 3-1
3-1 Composting toilets…………………………………………………………………………….. 3-1
3-2 Incinerating toilets……………………………………………………………………………. 3-21
3-3 Vault toilets and holding tanks…………………………………………………………….. 3-24

4. PRIMARY TREATMENT SYSTEMS AND APPURTENANCES ………………………… 4-1
4-1 Lint filters……………………………………………………………………………………….. 4-1
4-2 Grease traps (oil and grease interceptors)…………………………………………………. 4-1
4-3 Septic tanks……………………………………………………………………………………. 4-3
4-4 Septic tank additives…………………………………………………………………………... 4-5
4-5 Septic tank outlet (effluent) filters…………………………………………………………… 4-5
4-6 Septic tank liners/sealants………………………………………………………………….. 4-10

iii
CONTENTS
5. ANOXIC AND ANAEROBIC SYSTEMS …………………………………………………… 5-1
5-1 Anoxic systems………………………………………………………………………………… 5-1
5-2 Anaerobic systems…………………………………………………………………………….. 5-6

6. TRICKLING BIOFILTERS (ATTACHED GROWTH AEROBIC TREATMENT
SYSTEMS) ……………………………………………………………………………………. 6-1
6-1 Granular media trickling biofilters……………………………………………………………. 6-4
6-2 Organic media trickling biofilters…………………………………………………………… 6-27
6-3 Synthetic media trickling biofilters…………………………………………………………. 6-35

7. SUSPENDED GROWTH AEROBIC TREATMENT SYSTEMS …………………………. 7-1
7-1 Complete mix reactors………………………………………………………………………… 7-4
7-2 Sequencing batch reactors…………………………………………………………………. 7-25
7-3 Membrane bioreactors………………………………………………………………………. 7-32

8. COMBINED SUSPENDED AND ATTACHED GROWTH AEROBIC
TREATMENT SYSTEMS …………………………………………………………………….. 8-1
8-1 Continuous flow packed beds………………………………………………………………... 8-4
8-2 Continuous flow with suspended internal packing……………………………………….. 8-15
8-3 Rotating biological contactors………………………………………………………………. 8-22
8-4 Sequencing batch reactors…………………………………………………………………. 8-28

9. SOLAR, AQUATIC, AND PLANT BASED TREATMENT SYSTEMS ………………….. 9-1
9-1 Constructed wetlands (surface flow)………………………………………………………… 9-1
9-2 Constructed wetlands (subsurface flow)……………………………………………………. 9-3
9-3 Ecological systems……………………………………………………………………………. 9-5
9-4 Evapotranspiration (ET) systems……………………………………………………………. 9-7
9-5 Lagoons………………………………………………………………………………………… 9-9

10. DISINFECTION SYSTEMS ………………………………………………………………….10-1
10-1 Chlorination…………………………………………………………………………………… 10-1
10-2 Ozonation……………………………………………………………………………………... 10-3
10-3 Ultraviolet radiation (UV)……………………………………………………………………. 10-5
10-4 Peracetic acid………………………………………………………………………………… 10-7

11. SOIL ADSORPTION SYSTEMS AND COMPONENTS ………………………………… 11-1
11-1 Soil adsorption systems…………………………………………………………………….. 11-1
iv
CONTENTS
11-2 Drip irrigation systems……………………………………………………………………... 11-11
11-3 Gravelless distribution systems…………………………………………………………… 11-13
11-4 Flow distribution products…………………………………………………………………. 11-18

12. MONITORING AND CONTROL SYSTEMS ……………………………………………… 12-1
12-1 Sensors, alarms, and control devices……………………………………………………… 12-1
12-2 Programmable Logic Controller (PLC)…………………………………………………….. 12-2
12-3 Data loggers………………………………………………………………………………….. 12-3
12-4 Auto dialer…………………………………………………………………………………….. 12-4
12-5 SCADA systems……………………………………………………………………………… 12-5
12-6 Telemetry systems…………………………………………………………………………… 12-6

APPENDIX ……………………………………………………………………………………………… A-1
v
CONTENTS

vi
ACRONYMS

Acronym Meaning
α Recirculation ratio
ATU Aerobic treatment unit
BOD Biochemical oxygen demand
BOD Five day biochemical oxygen demand
5
CBOD Carbonaceous five day biochemical oxygen demand
5
CFU Colony forming unit
COD Chemical oxygen demand
CWC California Water Code
DF Dosing frequency
DO Dissolved oxygen
ES Effective size
ETV Environmental technology verification
FC Fecal coliform
HAR Hydraulic application rate
HLR Hydraulic loading rate
LECA Light expanded clay aggregate
LWA Light weight aggregate
MPN Most probable number
NH3-N Nitrogen as ammonia
NO2-N Nitrogen as nitrite
NO3-N Nitrogen as nitrate
NSF National Sanitation Foundation
NTU Nephelometric turbidity units
OLR Organic loading rate
O&M Operation and maintenance
ON Organic nitrogen
PBF Packed bed filter
PFU Plaque forming unit
pH Inverse log concentration of hydrogen ions
PLC Programmable logic controller
PVC Polyvinyl chloride
RF Roughing filter
RSF Recirculating sand filter
SBR Sequencing batch reactor
SRT Solids retention time
SWRCB State Water Resources Control Board
TC Total coliform
vii
LIST OF ACRONYMS
Acronym Meaning
TF Trickling filter
TKN Total kheldahl nitrogen
TN Total nitrogen
TP Total phosphorus
TSS Total suspended solids
UC Uniformity coefficient
UV Ultraviolet

viii
TABLES

Table Title Page
ES-1 Characteristics of typical residential wastewater xvi
ES-2 Classification system for onsite wastewater treatment system performance xvi
ES-3 Summary of onsite wastewater treatment system performance xvii
1-1 Criteria for selecting an onsite wastewater treatment system 1-1
2-1 Wastewater generation estimated by water usage for various activities 2-1
5-1 Summary of rock denitrification tank performance 5-4
5-2 Selected representative studies of RUCK system performance 5-5
6-1 Typical performance of the EnviroFilter treatment system 6-7
6-2 Selected representative studies of expanded aggregate trickling biofilter 6-10
performance
6-3 Selected representative studies of crushed glass trickling biofilter 6-13
performance
6-4 Selected representative studies of gravel (multi-pass) trickling biofilter 6-15
performance
6-5 Summary of performance results for the RIGHT systems from the 6-19
Washington Island Project
6-6 Selected representative studies of single-pass sand biofilter performance 6-22
6-7 Specifications for stratified sand biofilter media 6-24
6-8 Selected representative studies of stratified sand biofilter performance 6-25
6-9 Selected representative studies of slag trickling biofilter performance 6-26
6-10 Selected representative studies of peat moss biofilter performance 6-32
6-11 Selected representative studies of Puraflo peat biofilter performance 6-35
6-12 Selected representative studies of Advantex performance 6-37
6-13 Selected representative studies of Bioclere trickling biofilter performance 6-41
6-14 Selected representative studies of Waterloo Biofilter performance 6-48
7-1 Mixing and aeration devices used for onsite wastewater treatment systems 7-2
7-2 Treatment processes and the importance of design retention time 7-3
7-3 Recommended maintenance activities for aerated treatment systems 7-4
7-4 Selected representative studies of BESTEP performance 7-8
7-5 Selected representative studies of Brooks system performance 7-10
7-6 Selected representative studies of Whitewater system performance 7-24
7-7 Selected representative studiesof Aquarobic Miniplant performance 7-26
7-8 Selected representative studies of Nitro Raptor performance 7-29
8-1 Mixing and aeration devices used for onsite wastewater treatment systems 8-2
8-2 Treatment processes and the importance of design retention time 8-3
8-3 Recommended maintenance activities for aerated treatment systems 8-4
8-4 Selected representative studies of Bio-Microbics FAST system 8-9
performance
8-5 Reported performance of JET Model 500 8-13
ix
LIST OF TABLES
Table Title Page
8-6 Effluent quality from BioGreen unit after 4 years of operation 8-16
8-7 Selected representative studies of MicroSepTec EnviroServer system 8-18
performance
8-8 Performance of the Nibbler Jr. treatment system 8-21
8-9 Results from Phase I and II of the Florida Keys OWNRS Project 8-27
8-10 Interim results from Buzzards Bay Project for the Amphidrome treatment 8-30
process.
9-1 Typical performance of surface flow wetlands 9-2
9-2 Typical performance of subsurface flow wetlands 9-4
9-3 Expected performance of ecological wastewater treatment systems 9-6
11-1 Summary table of characteristics and applications of soil adsorption 11-1
systems
A-1 Factors for the conversion of U.S. Customary Units to the International System (SI) A-1
of Units
A-2 Conversion factors for commonly used wastewater treatment plant design A-3
parameters

x