Operation and Maintenance of Operation and Maintenance of Onsite - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Operation and Maintenance of Operation and Maintenance of Onsite Waster Systems in Onsite Waster Systems in Maryland Maryland

A growing challenge for the A growing challenge for the industry and regulators industry and regulators

BRF Funds intended to reduce BRF Funds intended to reduce nitrogen from onsite systems nitrogen from onsite systems

• Residential failed systems

Residential failed systems

• Small community trailer park failed systems

Small community trailer park failed systems

• New Construction in “Sensitive areas”

New Construction in “Sensitive areas”

(or anyone wishing an upgrade while funds are available) (or anyone wishing an upgrade while funds are available)

$9 Million in Bay Funds already $9 Million in Bay Funds already collected collected

• Hundreds of new onsite treatment systems will be

Hundreds of new onsite treatment systems will be installed each year installed each year

With mandatory 5 year Operation & Maintenance With mandatory 5 year Operation & Maintenance

• The time to prepare for the long term is now

The time to prepare for the long term is now

• Training and licensing or certification of:

Training and licensing or certification of:

– – Operation & Maintenance Providers Operation & Maintenance Providers – – Installers Installers

• Training Programs for:

Training Programs for:

• Designers

Designers

• Regulators

Regulators

Licensing/Certification Program Licensing/Certification Program

• Currently, systems over 5,000 gpd require

Currently, systems over 5,000 gpd require licensed operators for operation, maintenance and licensed operators for operation, maintenance and testing testing

• A similar requirement for onsite systems would

A similar requirement for onsite systems would preserve the benefits of individual onsite systems, preserve the benefits of individual onsite systems, particularly nitrogen reducing onsite treatment and particularly nitrogen reducing onsite treatment and pumped disposal systems pumped disposal systems

Concepts and Examples Concepts and Examples

Small residential and commercial Small residential and commercial

• nsite advanced wastewater
• nsite advanced wastewater

treatment systems treatment systems

Typical Recirculating Denitrification Treatment System

First step: The Processing Chamber, functions similar to a septic tank to remove solids and clarify the raw sewage

Nitrification occurs in the second chamber. Second Step: The ammonia (NH4+) in the effluent from the processing tank is pumped to the advanced treatment unit and converted to nitrate (NO3-) in the aerobic treatment area.

Third Step: The aerobically treated effluent is recirculated back to the processing tank for Denitrification to nitrogen gas (N2).

Recirculation System Illustration Recirculation System Illustration

• Processing Chamber feeds effluent to

Processing Chamber feeds effluent to aerobic process aerobic process

• Aerobically treated effluent is recirculated

Aerobically treated effluent is recirculated into the anaerobic tank into the anaerobic tank

• NH

NH4

4 + + 

 NO NO3

3

• 

 N N2

2

Textile filters are Textile filters are typical units that typical units that use processing use processing tanks tanks

Requires Competent Operator Requires Competent Operator

• The recirculation ratio is critical. If the rate is too high the

tank becomes aerobic and denitrification does not occur.

• If it is to low, BOD and TSS reduction are inadequate.

There must be a balance.

• This is a component of “Operation and Maintenance” -

not merely deciding when to pump the tank.

A Training and

Licensing/Certification Program

will help insure that operation and maintenance providers are qualified for the job

Suspended Growth Suspended Growth

• Aerobic microbes free

Aerobic microbes free swimming in the swimming in the aeration chamber aeration chamber

• Mixing in the chamber

Mixing in the chamber mixes the microbes mixes the microbes and the wastewater and the wastewater contaminants contaminants

• Extended aeration to

Extended aeration to limit biomass wasting limit biomass wasting

Submerged Attached Growth/Fixed Submerged Attached Growth/Fixed Film Media Film Media

• Media is submerged in

Media is submerged in the aeration chamber the aeration chamber

• Microbes are attached

Microbes are attached to the media to the media

• Effluent is circulated

Effluent is circulated through the media thus through the media thus passing contaminants passing contaminants by the microbes by the microbes

• Extended aeration to

Extended aeration to limit biomass wasting limit biomass wasting

Rotating Biological Contactor Rotating Biological Contactor

• Fixed film media

Fixed film media

• Media is a disk

Media is a disk

• Motor slowly rotates

Motor slowly rotates disks through the disks through the effluent effluent

• Aeration is achieved

Aeration is achieved by passing the media by passing the media through the air space through the air space in the chamber in the chamber

Venting/Air supply Venting/Air supply

Air supply method: Air supply method:

  Aspirator Aspirator  Aerator Aerator  Compressor Compressor  Blower Blower   Free Air Free Air

Attached growth Attached growth-

• media evaluation

media evaluation

• a. Plugging
• a. Plugging
• b. Floating
• b. Floating
• c. Media washed
• c. Media washed

– – Air Air – – Water Water

• d. Media replaced
• d. Media replaced

A Training and

Licensing/Certification Program

will help insure that the practitioners (you and me) are qualified for the job

MOWPA providing a forum MOWPA providing a forum

• The (

The (M M)aryland )aryland ( (O O)nsite )nsite ( (W W)astewater )astewater ( (P P)rofessionals )rofessionals ( (A A)ssociation )ssociation

• Providing a forum for regulators, designers,

Providing a forum for regulators, designers, installers, suppliers, service providers to installers, suppliers, service providers to address policies and practices of our address policies and practices of our profession profession

CONCEPT CONCEPT

• Develop a process for Onsite Wastewater

Develop a process for Onsite Wastewater Professional Practitioners to be licensed/certified Professional Practitioners to be licensed/certified under oversight of the Water/Wastewater under oversight of the Water/Wastewater Operators Board Operators Board

• The Board would be expanded to include

The Board would be expanded to include wastewater professionals to assist in setting wastewater professionals to assist in setting policies policies

• Structure similar to Well Drillers

Structure similar to Well Drillers

License/Certification Classes License/Certification Classes

• Class 1

Class 1 – – Entry level class (similar to existing Entry level class (similar to existing requirements for installers) requirements for installers)

• Class 2

Class 2 – – Appropriate training requirement to Appropriate training requirement to install advanced treatment and disposal systems install advanced treatment and disposal systems ( (i.e i.e….sand mounds, low pressure dosing and drip ….sand mounds, low pressure dosing and drip irrigation systems) irrigation systems)

• Class 3

Class 3 – – Additional, more advanced training, for Additional, more advanced training, for Operation and Maintenance service providers Operation and Maintenance service providers

A Respected and Well A Respected and Well Developed Training Program Is Developed Training Program Is Essential Essential

CIDWT Training Program CIDWT Training Program

• The

The C Consortium of

• nsortium of I

Institutes for nstitutes for D Decentralized ecentralized W Wastewater astewater T Treatment reatment made up of representative of 5 universities made up of representative of 5 universities and a host of wastewater treatment and a host of wastewater treatment practitioners, including service providers has practitioners, including service providers has recently completed a 5 year project to recently completed a 5 year project to develop a state of the art training program develop a state of the art training program

Positive reception in Maryland Positive reception in Maryland

• Several MDE

Several MDE personel personel as well as Maryland as well as Maryland private sector private sector practioners practioners have taken the course. have taken the course.

• Some have qualified as trainers

Some have qualified as trainers The course materials and Operational Checklists The course materials and Operational Checklists provides a comprehensive resource for provides a comprehensive resource for providing a thorough operation and maintenance providing a thorough operation and maintenance service on virtually any treatment and disposal service on virtually any treatment and disposal system system

THIS IS ONLY A CONCEPT AT THIS IS ONLY A CONCEPT AT THIS TIME THIS TIME

• The dialogue was begun with a recent

The dialogue was begun with a recent presentation to the Environmental Health presentation to the Environmental Health Directors Association Directors Association

• It is only a concept that will require a well

It is only a concept that will require a well designed program to be established designed program to be established

DISCUSSION DISCUSSION