1. NYC Watershed/Tifft Science & Technical Symposium September 19, 2013
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

2. INTRODUCTION
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: ,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

3. TASK II - RESEARCH
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

4. TASK IV – SELECTION, SAMPLING, AND EVALUATION
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

5. TASK IV (A) 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.

6. Commercial Applications (1,000-30,000 gpd)
TASK IV (A)
Residential Applications (300-1,000 gpd)
BioMicrobics’ MicroFAST®
Lombardo Associates’ NitrexTM System (with Orenco’s Advantex®, and Waterloo Biofilter’s Waterloo Biofilter® Nitrifying systems)
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) ? 63 18 4
2 (Residential)
4 (Commercial)

7. TASK IV (A)
AquaPoint – Bioclere® System

8. TASK IV (A) BioMicrobics – MicroFAST® System BLOWER
WASTEWATER INFLUENT
TREATED EFFLUENT
PRIMARY ZONE
SECONDARY ZONE
MICROFAST® UNIT

9. TASK IV (A)
WesTech – STM - AerotorTM
Process Tank
Clarifier

10. TASK IV (A) Waterloo Biofilter, inc. – Waterloo Biofilter®
SeptiTech, inc. – SetpiTech® System
Lombardo Associates, Inc. – NitrexTM System
Orenco System, Inc. – Advantex® System
DECANT CHAMBER
SOLIDS PUMP-BACK
RECIRCULATION PUMP
WASTEWATER INFLUENT
TREATED EFFLUENT
WIRE MESH BASKET
FILTER POD
BIOTUBE FILTER
PROCESSOR TANK

11. H2M TASK IV (B) Sampling Coordination Sampling Phase Lab Analysis
Homeowners/ Commercial Property
Independent Operators
CDM
System Manufacturer
H2M
CDM Field Engineers
Sampling Phase
Lab Analysis
Data Coordination and Analysis
Reported to SCDHS
Shipment
H2M Labs
Prepare Bottles:
BOD, TSS, TKN, TN

12. TASK IV (B) Location of systems samples:
Average TN Concentrations - Residential Dwellings
Location of systems samples:
Massachussetts, Maryland, Minnesota, California
Influent and effluent grab samples
Parameters analyzed included: Alkalinity, BOD, TSS, & TN
BioMicrobics MicroFAST®
(mg/L)
Lombardo Associates NitrexTM
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®
Lombardo Associates NitrexTM
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

13. 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

14. TASK VIII – REQUIREMENTS SET FOR THE INSTALLATION
I. MASSACHUSETTS
II. RHODE ISLAND
III. NEW JERSEY
IV. MARYLAND
EFFLUENT REQUIREMENTS
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)
30 mg/L
Total Suspended solids (TSS)
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.
5 ft.
Private well
50 ft.
75 ft.
Public Water Supply
200 ft.
100 ft.
Wetland
300 ft. -
Vertical Separation (depth to groundwater)
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.

15. TASK VI - COST AND BENEFIT ANALYSIS
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.
Residential System Costs

16. 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.

17. Questions. SCDHS Website: http://www. suffolkcountyny
Presented by:
Eliora Bujari
575 Broad Hollow Road, Melville, New York t f
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