re: alternative septic system solutions SOLAR.KnowledgePublications.com

re: alternative septic system solutions
24 oct 2005
bettym wrote:

> are there alternatives to septic systems that a metro county will
> approve near a well and with less field lines?  i tried proposing an
> aeration system but the county requires the same length of field lines
> and distance from the well.

pa would allow that, but likely require the same, and chlorination.
they seem to have no problem with systems with no liquid output...

the pa-approved "sundrive" evapotranspiration system uses the sun to 
evaporate water from a reed bed in a large greenhouse with a waterproof
bottom. the greenhouse could be a lot smaller if it condensed the water
vapor before it left the greenhouse or condensed (distilled) a small
amount of potable water from black water and filtered the grey water
for non-potable reuse. this might be the only water supply for a house,
with some rainwater to make up for evaporation. 

the standards are clear and easy to test for in pa: max limits for bod,
suspended solids, and ammonia as nitrogen, which you can test in your
kitchen. i made a system that processed 12 gallons per day of wastewater
and exceeded public treatment plant standards treatment with a few plastic
trash cans, an air pump, a heater, a ferric chloride drip, and a sand
filter. complications come with the required permits, licensing, public
hearings, periodic testing, and ownership and maintenance issues, if
it's a small shared system. 

nick