N

A

C L E A R I N G H O

MALL FLOW

S

A collection of

professional papers on

the study of onsite and

small community

wastewater issues.

The

Flows

Small

Journal NATIONAL SMALL FLOWS

C L E A R I N G H O U S E

Volume 5, Issue 1, Spring 1999
The Small Flows Journal Volume 5, Issue 1, Spring 1999
The Small Flows Journal Volume 5, Issue 1, Spring 1999

1

Contents ontents

LOWS

E A R I N G H O U S

E

NATIONAL SM

C

L E A R I N G H O U

MALL FLOWS

C L E A R I N G H O

U

S

E

N

ATIONAL SMALL F

C L E A R I N G H O U S

N

ATIONAL S

C L E A

AL SMALL

FL

O

WS

G H O U S E

printed on recycled paper

NATIONAL SMALL FLOWS

CLEARINGHOUSE

The Small Flows Journal

sponsored by:

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Steve Hogye, Project Officer

Municipal Support Division

Office of Wastewater Management

Washington, D.C.

National Small Flows Clearinghouse

West Virginia University

John L. Mori, Ph.D., Manager,

Environmental Services and

Training Division

 Peter Casey, P. Eng.,

Program Coordinator and

Technical Advisor

Cathleen Falvey, Editor

Kairi Frame, Graphic Designer

International Standard Serial Number

1079-1531

The Small Flows Journal

National Small Flows Clearinghouse

West Virginia University

P.O. Box 6064

Morgantown, WV 26506-6064

(800) 624-8301

(304) 293-4191

www.nsfc.wvu.edu

Reprints

For permission to reprint information

appearing in The Small Flows Journal,

please send a letter of request to

the editor.

The Small Flows Journal is funded by

the U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA). The contents of this

journal do not necessarily reflect the

views and policies of the EPA, nor does

mention of trade names or commercial

products constitute endorsement or

recommendation for use.

The

Flows

Small

Journal

Editorial Review Board ................................................................................. 2

From The Editor: Big Changes in Store for

Readers of the Journal, Small Flows ..................................................................... 3

by Cathleen Falvey

RESEARCH

Study of the Use of Fine Media Biofilm Reactors

 to Renovate High Fat Wastewater ....................................................................... 4

by Qingwei Liu, Ph.D.,

Karen M. Mancl, Ph.D.,

and Olli H. Tuovinen, Ph.D.

Development of an Influent Flow Monitoring and Autosampling

System for Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems ........................................... 12

by Frank Huang, Ph.D.

NSFC NEWS/RESOURCES

ETI Fact Sheets Are Now Available ...................................................................... 20

Earth Day Special—All NSFC Products

Will Be Half Price April 22, 1999 ......................................................................... 21

NSFC Seeking Onsite System Information for Report Update ............................... 22

NSFC Web Site Has Been Updated and Redesigned ................................................23

Information Wanted for Wastewater Facilities Database .....................................23

PROFESSIONAL NEWS

National Onsite Demonstration Project

Succeeds in Helping Small Communities............................................................... 24

NOWRA to Host Annual Conference and Exhibit .................................................... 28

Manuscript Submission Guidelines ..........................................................29
The Small Flows Journal Volume 5, Issue 1, Spring 1999

2

James A. Bell, P.E.

Vice President Technical Services, Smith & Loveless, Inc.

Lenexa, Kansas

Steven Berkowitz, P.E.

Onsite Wastewater Section, Division of Environmental Health

North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources

Terry Bounds, P.E.

Roseberg, Oregon

Craig Cogger, Ph.D.

Washington State University, Puyallup

Research and Extension Center

James Converse, Ph.D., P.E.

Biological Systems Engineering Department

University of Wisconsin

Brian Cooper, C.E.T.

Simcoe Engineering Group, Ltd.

Pickering, Ontario

Ron Crites, P.E.

Brown and Caldwell

Sacramento, California

Donald Gray, Ph.D.

Professor of Civil Engineering

West Virginia University

Mark Gross, Ph.D., P.E.

Associate Professor, Department of Civil Engineering

University of Arkansas

David Gustafson, P.E.

Extension Service

University of Minnesota

Michael Hines, M.S., P.E.

Quantum Engineering Corporation

Knoxville, Tennessee

Anish Jantrania, Ph.D., P.E.

Technical Services Engineer

Virginia Department of Health

Craig Jowett, Ph.D., P. Eng.

Research Associate Professor

Waterloo Centre for Groundwater Research

University of Waterloo, Ontario

Jim Kreissl

Environmental Engineer, Center for Environmental Research

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

George Loomis

Research Soil Scientist, Natural Resources Science Department

University of Rhode Island

Ted L. Loudon, Ph.D., P.E.

Professor and Extension Agricultural Engineer

Michigan State University

Roger E. Machmeier, Ph.D., P.E.

Professor Emeritus

University of Minnesota

Karen M. Mancl, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Agricultural Engineering

The Ohio State University

Don P. Manthe, P.E.

Water Resources/Wastewater Section Manager, Entranco

Phoenix, Arizona

Stewart Oakley, Ph.D., P.E.

Professor, Department of Civil Engineering

California State University, Chico

Michael H. Ogden, P.E.

Southwest Wetlands Group

Santa Fe, New Mexico

Richard J. Otis, Ph.D., P.E.

Vice President, Ayres and Associates

Madison, Wisconsin

Mike A. Parker

i.e. Engineering Inc.

Roseburg, Oregon

Frank Pearson, Ph.D., P.E.

Hercules, California

Sherwood Reed, P.E.

Consultant and Principal

Environmental Engineering Consultants

Norwich, Vermont

Will Robertson, Ph.D.

Research Assistant Professor, Department of Earth Sciences

University of Waterloo, Ontario

A. R. Rubin, Ph.D.

Extension Specialist and Associate Professor

North Carolina State University

William A. Sack, Ph.D., P.E.

Professor Emeritus, Civil and Environmental Engineering

West Virginia University

C. M. Sawyer, Ph.D., P.E.

Director, Municipal Wastewater Division

Virginia Department of Health

Robert L. Siegrist, Ph.D., P.E.

Research Associate Professor

Environmental Science and Engineering Division

Colorado School of Mines

Dennis Sievers, Ph.D.

Biological and Agricultural Engineering

University of Missouri

Steve Steinbeck, P.G.

Onsite Wastewater Section, Division of Environmental Health

North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources

Jerry Stonebridge

President, Stonebridge Construction, Inc.

 Langley, Washington

William L. Stuth Sr.

Stuth Company Inc.

Maple Valley, Washington

George Tchobanoglous, Ph.D., P.E.

Professor of Civil Engineering

University of California, Davis

Jerry Tyler, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

University of Wisconsin

Ted Walker, R.E.H.S.

Sonoma County Health Department

 Sonoma, California

A. T. Wallace, Ph.D., P.E.

Professor, Department of Civil Engineering

University of Idaho

Robert C. Ward, Ph.D., P.E.

Director of the Water Center

Colorado Water Resources Research Institute

Colorado State University

Editorial Review Board
The Small Flows Journal Volume 5, Issue 1, Spring 1999

From the Editor

3

From the Editor

I n 1995, the National Small Flows Clearinghouse (NSFC) launched its

 first issue of The Small Flows Journal in response to interest expressed

 by readers of the Small Flows newsletter and a general demand for more

 technical information about wastewater treatment options for small communities.

The technical articles published in the journal are peer reviewed, and the journal’s

reputation and circulation have steadily grown over the past five years. Currently,

journal subscribers include more than 6,000 community officials, system operators,

research libraries, and university engineering and research departments.

Now the NSFC has a unique opportunity to increase readership of its journal technical

articles by as much as 43,000 in a single year. Based on suggestions from readers of

the Small Flows newsletter, the NSFC is planning a major redesign of that publication.

Small Flows readers are again requesting more technical content in the newsletter, and

many have indicated that they would like the newsletter’s format to change from the

current 11 by 17-inch size to an 8 1/2 by 11-inch magazine format to make reading

and photocopying articles easier. After careful consideration, the NSFC staff has

decided the best way to improve the newsletter for readers is to combine the editorial

content of the Small Flows newsletter and The Small Flows Journal into one publication.

Although many of the details concerning the format of the new publication are still

being worked out, it will include the same type of news and feature articles currently

found in the Small Flows newsletter as well as one or more juried technical articles

per issue. The peer review process and editorial review board currently used by The

Small Flows Journal will remain intact. The mailing lists of the two publications

will be combined, which will greatly increase exposure for the juried technical

articles. In addition, the new publication will be published quarterly, which will

increase the frequency of publication for technical articles. The NSFC hopes that the

new publication and increased circulation for the juried technical articles also will

attract additional manuscript submissions, which will benefit both journal authors

and readers, as well as satisfying Small Flows readers’ desire for additional technical

content, which was the reason that The Small Flows Journal was originally developed.

If you currently subscribe to either The Small Flows Journal or Small Flows, you

automatically will begin receiving the new publication when it becomes available. If

you are not yet a subscriber but would like to be, please fill out and return one of the

reply cards on the back of this issue or call the NSFC at (800) 624-8301 or (304)

293-4191.

Sincerely,

Cathleen Falvey, Editor

The Small Flows Journal

Big Changes in Store for Readers of Journal, Small Flows
The Small Flows Journal Volume 5, Issue 1, Spring 1999

Study of the Use of Fine Media

Biofilm Reactors To Renovate High To Renovate High To Renovate High

Fat Wastewater Fat Wastewater Fat Wastewater

4

Study of the Use of Fine Media

Biofilm Reactors To Renovate High

Fat Wastewater by Qingwei Liu, Ph.D.,

Karen M. Mancl, Ph.D.,

and Olli H. Tuovinen, Ph.D.

ABSTRACT: The purpose of this work was to investigate the feasibility of using sand

media biofilm reactors to treat an aqueous solution containing a butterfat-detergent

mixture. This solution was white and cloudy, and the fat content was analogous to milk

production wastewater. Two sand column filters were inoculated with lipolytic bacteria

to establish a biofilm on the sand particles. The sand filter reactors comprised either

one layer of fine sand or two layers of sand with the coarse sand on the top and fine

sand on the bottom. A butterfat and detergent mixture formulation was fed daily to the

filters. The sand column filter with two layers of sand exhibited a faster and higher

degree of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and five-day biochemical oxygen demand

(BOD5 ) removal and a longer filter run as compared with the one-layer sand filter.

Biodegradation of trapped butterfat/detergent in the one-layer sand filter was slow and

incomplete. Organic matter and biomass accumulated in the one-layer sand filter

reactor and eventually clogged the sand media. The two-layer sand filter operation

continued 27 percent longer than the one-layer sand filter before clogging. A higher

concentration of biomass measured as adenosine triphosphate (ATP) was observed in

the upper zone of the one-layer sand filter. Biomass was evenly distributed in the top

coarse-sand layer and was present at a higher concentration in the upper part of the

bottom fine-sand layer in the two-layer sand filter. When compared by volume, no

statistically significant difference in biomass accumulation was observed between the

top coarse-sand layer and the bottom fine-sand layer. Statistically significant differences

were evident when the biomass was standardized to the surface area.

O

il and grease in wastewater streams

can clog drainage systems and

tend to accumulate on interior

pipe surfaces in treatment plants.

Traditionally, specific engineering designs

such as screening, settling, and dissolved

air flotation are available to physically

separate grease and oil from wastewaters

for separate treatment or disposal. Due to

their insolubility in water, the biological

degradation of fat, oil, and grease in

wastewater treatment systems is slow at

best (Johns, 1995).

Aerobic biofilm reactors such as packed

bed reactors, rotating biological contactors,

and fluidized bed bioreactors are some

typical examples of designs commonly

used in wastewater treatment applications

(Bryers and Characklis, 1990). Sand

filters historically have been used for

wastewater and drinking water treatment,

and intermittent sand filters were common

in the U.S. before the 1900s for treating

community sewage.

RErereSEARCH

RESEARCH
The Small Flows Journal Volume 5, Issue 1, Spring 1999

5

With intermittent sand filter treatment,

pretreated wastewater, with solids

removed, is intermittently applied to the

surface of a bed of sand. A biofilm of

attached growth microorganisms develops

on the sand media particles. Aerobic

biological decomposition of organic

matter is accomplished as wastewater

percolates through to the bottom of the

bed where it is collected for additional

treatment or disposal. Intermittent sand

filters need a minimum of care and

maintenance, have low operating costs,

and have proven to produce a consistently

high quality effluent at low hydraulic

loadings when used in secondary treatment (Pell and Nyberg, 1989a; Widrig,

1990). Key parameters influencing the

efficacy of sand filter reactors include the

hydraulic loading rate, dosing frequency,

microbial transformation and respiration

activity, and characteristics and depth of

the media (EPA, 1985; Pell and Nyberg,

1989b; Darby et al., 1996; Widrig et al.,

1996). To date, little information is

available in the literature on the effects of

layering media of different sizes on the

performance of biodegradation of animal

fats using intermittent sand filter biofilm

reactor systems.

Qingwei Liu, Ph.D., Karen M. Mancl, Ph.D., and Olli H. Tuovinen, Ph.D.

FIGURE 1.

Schematic profile of (A) the two-layer sand column filter and (B) the one-layer

sand column filter. The dimensions are indicated in centimeters. The

positioning of the sampling ports also is shown.

The objectives of this study were to (a)

evaluate the effects of layering sand of

different sizes on the performance of sand

filters biofilm reactors in the renovation of

wastewaters high in butterfat and (b)

characterize biomass accumulation in the

sand filter media. Butterfat was chosen as

the substrate because of its high content in

dairy farm and dairy industry discharges.

The butterfat was emulsified with a detergent in this study, and the resulting solution

was white and cloudy but not representative

of typical restaurant waste streams.

 MATERIALS AND METHODS

Sand Columns

Two columns were constructed of transparent plastic material (inside diameter of

14.6 cm) and filled with sand to a height

of 61 cm (2 feet) (see figure 1). A 6.4-cm

(2.5-in.) layer of pea gravel was placed in

the bottom of each sand filter. For the onelayer sand filter, the column was filled

with sand with a particle size of 0.85 to

1.70 mm in diameter (15.45 kg sand and

2.87 L void volume). For the two-layer

sand filter, the top 30.5-cm layer was

coarse sand with a particle size of 2.36 to

3.36 mm in diameter (7.65 kg sand and

1.74 L void volume). The underlying

30.5-cm layer was fine sand with particle

size distribution ranging from 0.85 to 1.70

mm in diameter (7.72 kg sand and 1.44 L

void volume). The effective size was 0.95

mm for fine sand and 2.40 mm for coarse

sand. The uniformity coefficient of the

fine sand and the coarse sand was 1.32

and 1.25, respectively.

The sand particles were sterilized by

autoclaving twice at 121°C for 30

minutes. The plastic columns were rinsed

with 75 percent ethanol three times before

filling with sterile sand. The columns

were inoculated with a consortium of

lipolytic microorganisms (Liu et al.,

1998). The sand column reactors were

covered with sterile cotton plugs and

operated next to each other at 22±2°C.

▼
The Small Flows Journal Volume 5, Issue 1, Spring 1999

6

Sand Filter Reactor Operation

and Sampling

On a daily basis, 750 mL aliquots of

sterile artificial wastewater were fed into

each sand filter reactor at 1 gal/ft2/day (1.7

L/m2/hour) from the top and drained by

gravity immediately from the bottom. A

commercially available dishwashing

detergent IvoryTM (Procter and Gamble,

Cincinnati, OH) was used as the supplement of the artificial wastewater and the

ratio of milkfat to detergent was standardized to 1:0.4 to facilitate the dispersion of

butterfat in the aqueous phase. The

chemical oxygen demand (COD) and fiveday biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5)

values of the artificial wastewater were

2,260 and 1,520 mg O2/L, respectively.

The artificial wastewater was supplemented with sterile mineral salt solution

based on the formulation used for BOD5

dilution water (APHA, 1995). The

experiment was terminated when the

media of both sand column filters became

clogged, as indicated by the accumulation

of wastewater on the media surface.

Analytical Methodology

Both COD and BOD5 were measured in

effluent samples to monitor the performance of the sand column filters. Standard

Methods (APHA, 1995) were followed for

COD and BOD5 measurement. The

relative efficiency (E) of COD and BOD5

removal was calculated as follows:

E = (A – B) • 100/A

where:

A = the average influent COD (or

 BOD5), and

B = the effluent COD (or BOD5)

 expressed as mg O2/L.

Upon the clogging of reactor media, sand

samples were taken for COD and lipid

measurement. Sand samples from the

unclogged sand filter reactor also were

taken for COD analysis. When the onelayer sand filter clogged, sand from the

filter was thoroughly mixed before

sampling. For the two-layer sand filter,

equal amounts of sand from the upper,

middle, and bottom parts of the coarseand fine-sand layers were removed

through the sampling ports (see figure 1).

The subsamples were mixed to prepare

composite coarse- and fine-sand layer

samples, and these composites were

sampled for COD and lipid measurements.

When the two-layer sand filter clogged,

the coarse- and fine-sand fractions were

separated for mixing and sampling. Lipids

were extracted and measured by chloroform-methanol extraction method as

described by Findlay et al. (1989).

The amount of biomass was determined

by measurement of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Sand samples from the

upper, middle, and bottom parts of the

one-layer sand filter reactor and from the

top coarse-sand layer and bottom finesand layer of the two-layer sand filter

reactor were retrieved after each month of

operation. ATP was extracted as described

by Tseng et al. (1996), except that all the

samples were centrifuged at 8,000G for 20

minutes at 4°C. ATP was measured with a

luciferin-luciferase bioluminescence assay

(Adenosine 5'-Triphosphate Bioluminescent Assay kit, Sigma Chemical Co., St.

Louis, Mo.) and a photometer (Monolight

2010, Analytical Luminescence Laboratory, Ann Arbor, Mich.).

 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The one-layer sand filter reactor was

taken out of service on day 112 due to

media clogging, and the two-layer sand

filter reactor was operated for 142 days

until the media became clogged. The

performance of sand filters is shown in

figure 2 based on the measurements of

effluent COD and BOD5.

The increasing COD and BOD5 removal

efficiency of the one-layer sand filter

reactor during the first three weeks was

attributed to the physical trapping and

infiltration effect. Subsequent removal

efficiencies declined during the following

five weeks. This decline may be due to

accumulation of the soluble products

Study of the Use of Fine Media Biofilm Reactors To Renovate High Fat Wastewater
The Small Flows Journal Volume 5, Issue 1, Spring 1999

7

resulting from biological decomposition

of butterfat (e.g., fatty acids), or metabolites and lysis of microbial cells. Although

sand filters were operated under bulk

aerobic conditions, anaerobic conditions

tend to readily develop in interior zones of

the sand media because of the slow

diffusion of O2 (Iwai and Kitao, 1994).

The diffusion of O2 within the depth of

the sand filter media can be inhibited by

the continuing accumulation of organic

matter from the influent feed and the

formation of biomass in the sand filter.

Microbial respiration (i.e., O2 consumption) in the upper part of sand filter may

also accelerate the O2 deficiency in the

deeper layer of sand filter. Dark discoloration, possibly due to iron sulfide, was

observed at the interface of the supporting

gravel layer and fine-sand layer after five

weeks of operation. This black zone may

indicate anaerobic sulfate reduction,

implying that O2 was absent at the bottom

of the sand filter.

During the final two months of operation,

removal efficiencies increased until the

sand filter media became clogged (see

figure 2). The increased removal efficiencies

were most likely due to an increased

retention time effect as the time required

for drainage (i.e., the contact time

between sand grains and substrate)

gradually increased.

Removal efficiencies of the two-layer

sand filter reactor were relatively constant

with an average removal of 77 percent for

COD and 85 percent for BOD5. The

increased contact time for biodegradation

balanced the accumulation of organic

matter in the sand column reactor. The

difference of removal efficiencies of the

one-layer and the two-layer sand filters

can be discerned from table 1. For the

one-layer sand filter, the average removal

efficiencies were 69 percent for COD and

76 percent for BOD5, which were significantly (P < 0.05) lower values than those

of the two-layer sand filter. Because the

one-layer sand filter had a smaller void

volume and larger total surface area than

did the two-layer sand filter, it would have

Qingwei Liu, Ph.D., Karen M. Mancl, Ph.D., and Olli H. Tuovinen, Ph.D.

TABLE 1. TABLE 1.

Mean removal efficiencies (± standard error) of COD and BOD5 of sand

column filter reactors. The values with different designations are

significantly (P < 0.05) different from each other within each column.

Sand Filter % COD Removal % BOD5 Removal

two-layer (142 days) 77 + 0.8 a 85 + 1.0 a

one-layer (112 days) 69 + 2.8 b 76 + 2.9 b

FIGURE 2. FIGURE 2.

Time course of (A) COD and (B) BOD5 removal of the one-layer sand column filter

(■) and the two-layer sand column filter (❑) receiving 0.1% (weight/volume)

butterfat plus 0.04% (weight/volume) IvoryTM.

▼

▼
The Small Flows Journal Volume 5, Issue 1, Spring 1999

8

better physical filtration properties as

compared to the two-layer sand filter. In

contrast, the data indicated that COD and

BOD5 removal via the filtration mechanism

was not the predominant mechanism. The

two-layer sand filter reactor demonstrated

comparable, and even slightly more efficient,

organic removal. The upper coarse-sand

layer of the two-layer sand filter has a

larger void volume than does fine sand,

which may facilitate the penetration of O2

down into the two sand layers.

Upon the termination of the experiment,

the total COD accumulation in the bottom

part of the two-layer filter was 104,920 mg

O2, which was equivalent to about 97

percent of the COD accumulated in the

entire one-layer filter (see table 2). At the

termination of the one-layer sand filter

reactor operation, the two-layer sand filter

reactor had depleted 36,510 mg COD-O2

(19.2 percent of the total input) while the

one-layer filter had removed 27,650 mg

COD-O2 (14.6 percent of the total input).

Through the entire study duration, the

two-layer sand filter depleted 56,110 mg

COD-O2 (23.3 percent of the total input)

while the respective value for the one-layer

sand filter totaled 27,650 mg COD-O2 (see

table 2).

The amount of lipids in the sand was

analyzed at the termination of each

column. The two-layer and one-layer

column reactors contained 2.96 and 2.47

mg lipid/g dry sand, respectively. Differences in lipid contents were statistically

not significant. For the one-layer sand

filter, the upper part of the sand media

accumulated more biomass (measured as

ATP) than did the middle and lower

sections (see figure 3). For the two-layer

sand filter, biomass did not seem to

accumulate in any one particular zone of

the coarse-sand layer. The fine-sand layer

accumulated more biomass in the upper

zone than in the middle and lower sections

of media.

The difference of biomass accumulation

in the one-layer and two-layer sand filters

can be discerned from table 3 and figure

4. The differences in ATP concentration

Study of the Use of Fine Media Biofilm Reactors To Renovate High Fat Wastewater

parameter length of experiment

 112 days142 days

sand filter two-layer one-layer two-layer

total input COD (mg 02) 189,840 189,840 240,690

total effluent COD (mg 02) 45,560 56,190 57,770

total COD remaining in sand filters (mg 02) 107,770 106,000 126,810

amount of COD consumed (mg 02) 36,510 27,650 56,110

% of total input COD removed 19.2 14.6 23.3

TABLE 2. TABLE 2.

Analysis of COD balance of sand column filter reactors.

FIGURE 3. FIGURE 3.

Concentration of ATP in (A) the top one-foot layer of coarse sand of the two-layer sand

filter, (B) the bottom one-foot layer of fine sand of the two-layer sand filter, and (C) the

one-layer sand filter measured on monthly basis. The sand was sampled in the upper

(❑, 5 cm from the top), middle (❍, 15 cm from the top), and bottom (✕, 25.5 cm from

the top) ports of the top coarse-sand layer and in the upper (■, 35.5 cm from the top),

middle (●, 45.5 cm from the top), and bottom (+, 56 cm from the top) ports of the

bottom fine-sand layer of the two-layer sand filter. The sand was sampled in the upper

(■, 5 cm from the top), middle (●, 30.5 cm from the top), and bottom (+, 56 cm from

the top) ports of the one-layer sand filter.

▼

▼ATP (

μg/cm

3 sand)
The Small Flows Journal Volume 5, Issue 1, Spring 1999

9

levels were statistically not significant

between the upper coarse-sand levels and

the lower fine-sand levels of the two-layer

sand filter reactor on a unit sand-volume

basis. However, the coarse-sand media

contained a higher level of ATP when

normalized to surface area. The top coarsesand layer and the bottom fine-sand layer

had the same volume but differed in the

total surface area. On the average, no

statistically significant (P < 0.05) differences of ATP concentration were found

between the upper coarse-sand layer and

the lower fine-sand layer except when

normalized to the surface area (see table 3).

 CONCLUSIONS

This study investigated how different sand

media affected the performance of sand

column filter reactors in the renovation of

high fat content wastewaters. This shortterm study indicated that by placing a

coarse-sand media layer on the top of a

fine-sand layer, treatment of high fat

wastewater would improve.

Even as the permeability of the media

decreased and clogging was impending,

the treatment efficiency remained high in

the two-layer sand filter reactor. The

microbial contribution in removing COD

(and BOD5) in such reactors is important,

because the conversion of nonpolar

substrates such as fat to water-soluble

products and the degradation of lowmolecular fatty acids and other decomposition products to H2O and CO2 are

microbiologically mediated.

Of the two filter media, the coarse sand

seemed to support more biomass accumulation, and, therefore, biofilm development,

perhaps because of faster mass transfer of

O2. Adjustment of such physical parameters as loading rates and dosing patterns

may enhance filter reactor performance

and increase the extent of fat degradation

before clogging. Periodic resting of the

filter matrix may avoid media clogging

problems but was not evaluated with these

reactors. Additional studies on the

 Qingwei Liu, Ph.D., Karen M. Mancl, Ph.D., and Olli H. Tuovinen, Ph.D.

sand samples ATP ATP

μg/cm3 dry sand μg/mm2 sand surface

coarse-sand layer of two-layer filter 2.1 + 0.49 a 17.6 + 4.03 a

fine-sand layer of two-layer filter 2.7 + 0.58 a 6.9 + 1.43 b

TABLE 3. TABLE 3.

Mean ATP concentrations (± standard error) of the two-layer sand filter

measured on monthly basis. The values with different letter designations are

significantly (P < 0.05) different from each other within each column.

FIGURE 4. FIGURE 4.

Average concentration of ATP in the top coarse-sand layer (❑) of the twolayer sand filter, the bottom fine-sand layer (■) of the two-layer sand filter

(▼) measured on a monthly basis.

▼

▼
The Small Flows Journal Volume 5, Issue 1, Spring 1999

10

biodegradation of fat in layered sand filter

reactors are to be continued.

 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Salary and partial research support to K.

M. Mancl were provided by state and

federal funds appropriated to the Ohio

Agricultural Research and Developmental

Center, The Ohio State University.

Additional research support from the Baas

Memorial Endowment Fund is gratefully

acknowledged. We also thank Mr. Carl

Cooper and Mr. John Maul for technical

assistance in constructing the experimental

columns.

 REFERENCES

American Public Health Association

(APHA). 1995. Standard methods for

the examination of waters and wastewaters, 19th ed. Washington, D. C.:

APHA.

Bryers, J. D. and W. G. Characklis. 1990.

Biofilms in water and wastewater

treatment. In Biofilms. eds. W. G.

Characklis and K. C. Marshall. 671–

696. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Darby, J., G. Tchobanoglous, M. Asri Nor,

and D. Maciolek. 1996. Shallow

intermittent sand filtration: performance evaluation. The Small Flows

Journal 2: 3–14.

Findlay, R. H., G. M. King, and L.

Watling. 1989. Efficacy of phospholipid analysis in determining microbial

biomass in sediments. Applied and

Environmental Microbiology 55:

2888–2893.

Iwai, S. and T. Kitao. 1994. Wastewater

treatment with microbial films.

Lancaster, Penn.: Technomic Publishing Company, Inc.

Johns, M. R. 1995. Developments in

wastewater treatment in the meat

processing industry: a review.

Bioresource Technology 54: 203–216.

Liu, Q., K. M. Mancl, and O. H.

Tuovinen. 1998. Effect of inoculation

on the biodegradation of butterfatdetergent mixtures in fixed-film sand

columns. Bioresource Technology 64:

27–32.

Pell, M. and F. Nyberg. 1989a. Infiltration

of wastewater in a newly started pilot

sand-filter system: Part I. Reduction of

organic matter and phosphorus.

Journal of Environmental Quality 18:

451–457.

 _____. 1989b. Infiltration of wastewater

in a newly started pilot sand-filter

system: Part II. Development and

distribution of the bacterial populations. Journal of Environmental

Quality 18: 457–462.

Tseng, D.Y., J. J. Chalmers, and O. H.

Tuovinen. 1996. ATP measurement in

compost. Compost Science and

Utilization 4, no. 3: 6–17.

U. S. Environmental Protection Agency.

1985. Technology assessment of

intermittent sand filters. Office of

Municipal Pollution Control, Washington, D. C.

Widrig, D. L. 1990. Effect of filter depth

on wastewater treatment and saturated

hydraulic conductivity in intermittent

sand filters. Master’s Thesis, The Ohio

State University, Columbus.

Widrig, D. L., J. A. Peeples, and K. M.

Mancl. 1996. Intermittent sand

filtration for domestic wastewater

treatment: effects of filter depth and

hydraulic parameters. Applied Engineering in Agriculture 12: 451–459.

Study of the Use of Fine Media Biofilm Reactors To Renovate High Fat Wastewater
The Small Flows Journal Volume 5, Issue 1, Spring 1999

11

Qingwei Liu, Ph.D.

Qingwei Liu was a graduate research associate in

the environmental science graduate program at

The Ohio State University at the time of this

research. She has a bachelor of science degree in

microbiology from Naikai University, China, a

master of science degree in food science and

engineering from Tianjin Institute of Light Industry,

China. She received her Ph.D. in environmental

science at The Ohio State University in Columbus.

Qingwei Liu, Ph.D., Karen M. Mancl, Ph.D., and Olli H. Tuovinen, Ph.D.

Karen M. Mancl, Ph.D.

Karen M. Mancl is an associate professor in the

department of food, agricultural, and biological

engineering and the environmental science

graduate program at The Ohio State University in

Columbus. She also is an ASAE member engineer.

Readers with questions

about this study

may contact

Dr. Karen M. Mancl

Department of Food, Agricultural,

and Biological Engineering

The Ohio State University

590 Woody Hayes Drive

Columbus, OH 43210-1058, U.S.A.

Phone: (614) 292-6007

Fax: (614) 292-9448

E-mail: mancl.1@osu.edu

Olli H. Tuovinen, Ph.D.

Olli H. Tuovinen is a professor in the department of

microbiology and the environmental science

graduate program at The Ohio State University in

Columbus.
The Small Flows Journal Volume 5, Issue 1, Spring 1999

12

A

lthough conventional septic tank/

drainfield systems are widely

used in the U.S. for onsite

wastewater treatment, groundwater

contamination resulting from these

systems has been observed in some areas

(Gover, 1996; Earp et al., 1986). While

the septic tanks may remove a considerable amount of total suspended solids

(TSS) from household wastewater through

settling, they have limited ability to

reduce biochemical oxygen demand

(BOD) and total nitrogen due to the

predominant anaerobic conditions in the

septic tanks (Huang, 1997). The receiving

soils in the leachfields are relied upon to

provide much of the treatment and are

designed primarily based on soil percolation

rates and hydraulic loadings, without

consideration given to their effectiveness

in removing pollutants. The nitrogen

removal capability of these systems is a

primary concern for groundwater contamination. In general, the septic tank

effluents contain large amounts of total

Kejdahl nitrogen (TKN) (~50 mg/L) and

very little NO3

-

. Oxidation of organic

nitrogen and NH4

+

 to NO3

-

 occurs quickly

in the vadose zone underneath the drainfield

and causes an elevated concentration of

NO3

-

 (> 10 mg/L) in groundwater

(Wilhelm et al., 1996).

According to the 1990 U.S. Census, about

17,800 conventional septic tank/drainfield

systems are in Bernalillo County, New

Mexico (Gaume et al., 1995). Recent

studies indicate that groundwater contamination caused by these systems may be

widespread (McQuillan et al., 1989; Kues,

1990; Kues et al., 1995). Based upon the

Albuquerque/Bernalillo County GroundWater Protection Policy and Action Plan

(GPPAP), a two-year field study is

Abstract: A two-year field study is currently underway in Bernalillo County, New Mexico

to evaluate the performance of five onsite wastewater treatment systems. These systems

will be evaluated, in particular, for their effectiveness in removing nitrogen species

(organic-N, NH4

+, NO2- and NO3-). Performance standards of alternative onsite wastewater treatment systems developed in this study will be used to modify city and county

liquid waste ordinances. Before the two-year demonstration project was commenced, a

short-term sampling of raw wastewater at three homesites was conducted to better

understand the characteristics of raw wastewater generated in arid areas. The data

collected were used to design an automated influent flow monitoring and autosampling

system (INFMAS) to be used in the two-year project. This paper presents the preliminary

data collected during the short-term field sampling and the design details of the INFMAS.

by Frank Huang, Ph.D.

Development of an Influent Flow

Monitoring and Autosampling

System for Onsite Wastewater

Treatment Systems

Development of an Influent Flow

Monitoring and Autosampling

System for Onsite Wastewater

Treatment Systems

RESEARCH
The Small Flows Journal Volume 5, Issue 1, Spring 1999

13

currently underway to demonstrate the

ability of alternative onsite systems to

remove conventional wastewater pollutants,

particularly nitrogen species (organic-N,

NH4

+

, and NO3

-) (WERC, 1996). Four

alternative onsite systems and a conventional septic tank system will be evaluated

for their ability to remove nitrogen species,

organics, suspended solids, fecal coliform,

and other constituents while in place at

various homesites throughout Bernalillo

County. Performance standards developed

in this study will be used to modify city

and county onsite liquid waste ordinances.

In order to properly evaluate the performance of an onsite wastewater treatment

system, the average mass loadings of

various pollutants in both the influent and

effluent of the system must be characterized.

Influent of an onsite treatment system is

difficult to properly characterize because

various water-use events within a dwelling

create an intermittent flow of wastewater,

which can vary widely in strength and

volume. Effluent of the system, however,

tends to be more homogeneous because

all flow has undergone treatment and

equalization through the process.

A number of studies have been conducted

to delineate the characteristics of wastewater produced from individual homes

(Laak, 1966; Watson et al., 1967; Siegrist

et al., 1976; and EPA, 1978). None of

these studies, however, was conducted in

arid areas like New Mexico, which may

have very different wastewater characteristics due to water conservation policies.

From these studies, flow-composited

sampling is determined to be the most

appropriate influent sampling methodology.

Since no commercial equipment is

available, a trailer-mounted influent flow

monitoring and autosampling system

(INFMAS) was constructed to perform the

task cost-effectively. Information, such as

storage volume during peak flow, fluctuation of chemical/physical parameters, and

sample deterioration rates, are required for

the design of the INFMAS. Although

several influent sampling systems were

developed by other researchers in the

1960s and 1970s, their mechanical and

electronic components are largely dated

(Watson et al., 1967, and EPA, 1978).

Before the two-year demonstration project

was commenced, a short-term field study

for a period of 15 days was implemented

to collect preliminary data for a better

understanding of onsite wastewater characteristics in arid areas like New Mexico

and for the design of an INFMAS. These

preliminary data and the detailed design of

the INFMAS are presented in this paper.

 MATERIALS AND METHODS

Three single-family homesites were

selected based on their representation of

different population groups. Site I has two

adults working outside the home and an

infant. Site II has two adults working

outside the home and three children. Site

III is occupied by an elderly couple with

one working outside the home and one

staying at home all day. All of the sites

have garbage grinders in the sinks. Raw

wastewater at each site was sampled

continuously for at least three days (two

weekdays and one weekend) during which

the total flow was collected as the sum of

incremental flow volumes. Figure 1

shows the influent characterization setup.

A three-foot diameter manhole was

installed at the inlet of each onsite system.

Sumps (collection basins) with liquid

volumes of 15 gal. (56.7 L) were installed

in the manholes. During sampling, an inline globe valve was shut off to divert

normal sewage flow into the sump

through a Y connection. A submersible

sewage grinder pump (Goulds RGS 2012,

Goulds Pumps, Inc.) was placed in the

sump and connected to the above-ground

sampling tanks through a 1.5-inch (38-mm)

diameter hose. The grinder pump is

capable of pumping up to 41 gal. per

minute (155 L) at 95 feet (29 m) of head.

A float switch in the sump activated the

pump when the liquid volume in the sump

reached about 7 gal. (26.4 L). A data

logger was used to record the pump-on

times (Station-Analyzer Model 302,

Marsh-McBirney, Inc.). Two 30-gal.

Frank Huang, Ph.D.
The Small Flows Journal Volume 5, Issue 1, Spring 1999

14

(113.5-L) high-density polyethylene tanks

were used above-ground for the sampling

events so that all of the flow could be

captured during high-flow periods.

Each time the grinder pump was activated,

the wastewater was collected in one of the

tanks and mixed with a stirrer to a homogeneous solution. The volume of the wastewater collected was recorded manually. This

volume should be the amount of wastewater

generated between two consecutive pumpon times. Two one-L samples were then

taken from the wastewater before it was

drained by gravity back into the onsite

treatment system. If the grinder pump was

activated again during the sampling of the

previous event, the wastewater was

diverted manually through the control of a

three-way valve to the other tank.

The samples analyzed for chemical

oxygen demand (COD), NH3-N, and TKN

were preserved using H2SO4 and the

samples analyzed for TSS were not preserved using H2SO4 to minimize solubilization of the solids. All of the samples

were stored at 4°C and transported in the

same day back to the university laboratory

for analysis. Dissolved oxygen (DO), pH,

and temperature of the sewage were

measured directly in the sump during the

pump-off times to minimize the effect of

the grinder pump to the DO readings.

When grinder pumps are used to provide

homogenized influent samples (especially

for suspended solids) at an individual

home, raw wastewater is sometimes

allowed to accumulate in the sump over

an extended period of time without any

preservation until the float switch of the

grinder pump is activated. It therefore is

important to investigate how unpreserved

wastewater deteriorates over time. The

unpreserved flow-composited wastewater

samples collected at the three sites were

used to study the effect. (It is important to

note that these homogenized samples

should degrade faster than unhomogenized

raw wastewater.) One liter of each

composited sample was placed in a beaker

without agitation at 25°C to simulate the

short-term storage of raw wastewater in

the field. TSS, COD, NH3-N, TKN, DO,

and pH were monitored at the end of 1, 2,

3, 6, and 12 hours.

TSS and COD of the samples were

measured in accordance with the methods

listed in the Standard Methods (APHA,

1992). NH3-N concentrations of the

samples were measured using a gassensing ammonia probe with an air gap

assembly (Hach Company). TKN in the

samples was measured using the Digesdahl

Digestion Apparatus (Hach Company).

 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Figures 2, 3, and 4 show the volume of

wastewater recorded at each pump-on

time and the associated constituent concentrations for sites I to III. A bi-pinnacle flow

pattern is normally observed in sites I and II

during the weekdays with peak flows

occurring from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. and from

6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Site III, however, has no

steady flow pattern observed during the

sampling period possibly due to the

reason that one resident is at home all day.

FIGURE 1. FIGURE 1.

The influent

characterization

setup

Development of an Influent Flow Monitoring and Autosampling System for Onsite Wastewater Systems

▼
The Small Flows Journal Volume 5, Issue 1, Spring 1999

15

The daily wastewater volume generated

during the sampling period at each of the

three sites is shown in table 1. The

average wastewater volume produced

from the three sites was about 27 gal.

(102.2 L)/capita/day, which is lower than

the typical 44 gal.(166.5 L)/capita/day for

residential areas (U.S. EPA, 1980). Active

water conservation programs may be an

important factor contributing to the low

wastewater production. Based on the flow

data, two 30-gal. (113.5-L) polyethylene

tanks were used as the storage tanks of

the INFMAS for alternating sampling

since the volume of wastewater collected

each time when the grinder pump was

activated was always less than 30 gal.

The concentrations of NH3-N, TKN-N,

TSS, and COD fluctuated significantly

throughout the sampling period for all of

the sites. The average concentrations

(weighted for flow) were NH3

-N, 10 mg/L;

TKN-N, 68 mg/L; TSS, 286 mg/L; and

COD, 758 mg/L, which are all within the

typical ranges of residential sewage. The

average mass loadings were NH3-N, 1.1 g/

cap/day; TKN-N, 6.3 g/cap/day; TSS, 26.2

g/cap/day; and COD, 70.2 g/cap/day,

which are mostly below the typical ranges

of residential sewage (U.S. EPA, 1980).

DO and temperature readings recorded at

the three sites exhibited a much larger

fluctuation during the sampling period than

that of pH. The data recorded at site I, which

Frank Huang, Ph.D.

FIGURE 3. FIGURE 3.

Volume of wastewater recorded at each pump-on time

and the associated constituent concentrations (site II).

FIGURE 2. FIGURE 2.

Volume of wastewater recorded at each pump-on time

and the associated constituent concentrations (site I).

▼ ▼
The Small Flows Journal Volume 5, Issue 1, Spring 1999

16

had the largest fluctuation of the parameters

among the sites, are presented in table 2.

In the experiment to study how unpreserved

wastewater samples (homogenized)

deteriorate over time, very little reduction

was observed for COD over a 12-hour

interval with a maximum concentration

decrease of 5 percent. Significant reduction of TSS concentrations up to 20

percent was observed after a 12-hour

storage period possibly due to aerobic and

anaerobic solubilization of organic solids

(Droste, 1997). This reduction, however,

was expected to be much less in the field

with unhomogenized wastewater.

NH3-N concentrations of the samples also

exhibited up to a 30 percent increase over

the 12-hour interval as a result of ammonification. Little changes were observed in

TKN concentrations of the samples, which

suggested that little NO3

- was produced

during the period. The majority of the

composite samples showed fairly constant

concentrations of COD, TSS, NH3-N, and

TKN in the first 2 to 3 hours of storage.

DO concentrations of most of the samples

decreased from about 5 mg/L to 1 mg/L

after 3 hours. Over a 12-hour interval, pH

of all the samples increased about one-half

units.

 INFMAS DESIGN AND UTILIZATION

Based on the field information collected,

an influent flow monitoring and

autosampling system (INFMAS) was

constructed to provide representative

flow-composited samples. The system

was mounted on a trailer so that it could

be towed from site to site. Figure 5 depicts

the setup of the INFMAS at a homesite.

Wastewater flowing to an onsite treatment

system is intercepted at the sump. A

grinder pump is used to lift intercepted

wastewater to the trailer system. The

diverted wastewater is quantified, sampled,

preserved, and the remaining fluid

returned to the onsite treatment system.

FIGURE 4. FIGURE 4.

Volume of wastewater recorded at each pump-on time and the

associated constituent concentrations (site III).

TABLE 1. TABLE 1.

The daily wastewater flow of sites I, II, and III.

Site I Site II Site III

number of people two working adults two working adults one working adult

one infant three children one non-working adult

daily flow(gallons)

weekday 1 64 42.3 36.4

weekday 2 46.5 139.7 30.6

weekday 3 36.4 59.3

weekend 75 72.7 158.3

average 55.5 78.5 75.1

Development of an Influent Flow Monitoring and Autosampling System for Onsite Wastewater Systems

▼

▼
The Small Flows Journal Volume 5, Issue 1, Spring 1999

17

A schematic representation of the trailer

system is depicted in figure 6 and essential

components used to build the INFMAS

are listed in table 3. The single-axle trailer

is approximately 9 feet (2.7 m) long by 6

feet (1.8 m) wide. Two 30-gal. (113.5-L)

plastic tanks are centrally located on the

trailer. Each tank is bolted to the trailer-bed

and angled to drain toward one corner. A

small wooden cabinet is used to house a

PC-based controller and data acquisition

system and ancillary circuitry. A Sigma

9000 Autosampler is used to withdraw

samples from the tanks. A 1/3-hp centrifugal pump is used to rapidly drain each tank

following sampling.

Figure 7 depicts the layout of the sample

tanks. Tank components include four

solenoid valves (all normally closed), a

propeller mixer, and a fluid-level transmitter.

The fluid-level transmitter provides a

constant signal between 4 mA and 20 mA

that is proportional to the depth of liquid

in the tank. The level transmitter signal

carries an accuracy of ±0.125 in. (0.318 cm).

Wastewater discharged from a household

is collected in a 10-gal. (37.8-L) sump

located ahead of the septic tank. A 220-volt

single-phase grinder pump actuated with a

float switch is positioned at the bottom of

the sump. The float is set to activate the

pump when approximately 7 gal. (26.4 L)

of wastewater has entered the sump. A

current-loop detector attached to the grinder

pump’s float switch signals the logic

controller/data acquisition system (LC/

DAS) when wastewater is on the way.

Logic programming checks the status of

each tank and opens the appropriate

solenoid valve. For instance, if tank one is

full or being sampled the pathway to tank

two will be opened.

Upon collection of 21 gal. (79.4 L) of

wastewater or two hours of inactivity in

either tank, the LC/DAS initiates a sampling

subroutine. The volume of wastewater in

each tank is determined by the signal from

the liquid-level transmitter. The purpose of

activating the sampling subroutine if two

hours of inactivity passes is to reduce

sample degradation. While the sampling

Site I Range Average Standard Deviation

DO (mg/L) 3.4 – 6.4 4.49 0.66

Temp. (°C) 18.4 – 32 23.62 4.26

pH 7.3 7.86 0.51

TABLE 2.

DO, temperature, and pH of the wastewater samples collected at site I.

HOME

Grinder

Pump Septic Tank

Trailer-mounted Influent

Flow Monitoring and

Autosampling System

Drain/Return

Sample

Sump

FIGURE 6. FIGURE 6.

Schematic of INFMAS.

HOME

Grinder

Pump

SUMP

SIGMA

9000

Tank 2

(30-gal)

Tank 1

(30-gal)

pump

Controller/

Data

Aquisition mixer

mixer

FRESHWATER

Influent Flow Sample-tank

Drain

Sample

Collection Line

Frank Huang, Ph.D.

▼

▼

FIGURE 5. FIGURE 5.

Setup of the INFMAS at a homesite.

▼
The Small Flows Journal Volume 5, Issue 1, Spring 1999

18

subroutine is busy, the tank is flagged so

that incoming wastewater will be diverted

to the other tank. In addition, the liquid

levels in each tank and the date and time

are recorded at each sampling event.

The sampling subroutine consists of the

following steps:

1. Activate a dual-propeller mixer for

homogenization of the tank contents.

2. Open the sample-port solenoid valve

after 5 minutes of mixing.

3. Initiate the Sigma 9000 Autosampler.

4. Open the solenoid valve connected to

the tank drain port.

5. Activate the drain pump.

6. Open the freshwater rinse valve for 2

minutes.

7. Deactivate the mixer and drain pump

when the tank is emptied.

8. Return each valve to the ready

position.

The Sigma 9000 Autosampler is initiated

by the LC/DAS, which sends a pulse to

the closure-contact switch located at the

auxiliary port of the autosampler. Upon

activation, the Sigma 9000 Autosampler

pumps two one-liter samples from the

tank. Since every other sample jar in the

Sigma 9000 Autosampler is spiked with 5

milliliters of concentrated sulfuric acid,

each sample subroutine yields a one-liter

sample preserved with sulfuric acid and a

fresh sample. A total of 12 sample sets can

be collected before the 24-L capacity of

the autosampler is reached. Additionally,

ice is packed in the sample-jar basin to

keep samples cool during storage.

Whenever the influent of an onsite

wastewater treatment system is scheduled

to be sampled, the trailer will be towed to

the site and activated the night before the

sampling day. The sampling will continue

unsupervised for about 24 hours after

which composite samples will be formulated manually based on the flow data

recorded in the computer. Temperature,

DO, pH, and conductivity readings of

unhomogenized wastewater collected in

the sump also will be recorded manually

at this time. Sensors for continuous onsite

monitoring of DO, pH, temperature, and

DESCRIPTION QTY

PVC Level Transmitter1 2

1-inch Solenoid Valves 2

3/4-inch Solenoid Valves 2

1/4-inch Solenoid Valves 2

PCL-818L Data Acquisition Card2 1

16-position Solid State Relay Carrier Board2 1

16 SE Analog Input Screw Terminal Board2 1

1/3 HP Centrifugal Sewage Pump 1

Submersible Grinder Pump3 1

Float Switch 1

Propeller Mixer 2

Autosampler4 1

30-gallon HDPE Tank 2

1. GEMS Sensors, IMO Industries, Inc. / Model #XTP-800

2. American Advertech Corp.

3. Goulds Pumps, Inc. / Model #RGS2012

4. American Sigma / Model #9000

TABLE 3. TABLE 3.

Essential components of INFMAS.

FIGURE 7. FIGURE 7.

Sample tank layout.

Level Transmitter

4-20 mA output

0.75-inch Bore

NC-Solenoid Valve

from: Grinder Pump

0.25-inch Bore

NC-Solenoid Valve

to: Sigma 9000 Autosampler

mixer

0.5-inch Bore

NC-Solenoid Valve

from: Freshwater

1.0-inch Bore

NC-Solenoid Valve

to: Drain/Return Pump

30-gallon tank

conductivity are not installed on the

INFMAS to avoid routine service of

sensors due to bio-fouling. In order to

reduce the sampling cost and minimize

maintenance requirements, each site will

only be equipped with influent/effluent

sampling sumps. The grinder pump will be

an integral part of the INFMAS.

 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This project was partially funded by

Bernalillo County Environmental Health

Department, New Mexico.

Development of an Influent Flow Monitoring and Autosampling System for Onsite Wastewater Systems

▼

▼
The Small Flows Journal Volume 5, Issue 1, Spring 1999

19

 REFERENCES

American Public Health Association

(APHA). 1992. Standard methods for

the examination of waters and wastewaters. 18th ed. Washington, D. C.:

APHA.

Droste, R. L. 1996. Theory and practice of

water and wastewater treatment. New

York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Earp, D. E. and G. J. Koschal. 1986. A

field investigation of effects of septic

tank density on ground-water quality

in New Mexico. Report No. EID/

GWH-86/3. New Mexico Environmental Improvement Division, Santa Fe.

Gover, N. 1996. Thurston County surveys

failing septic systems. Small Flows, 10

(spring) : 5.

Gaume, A. N., J. Witherspoon, C.

Montman, D. Earp, J. C. Wooldridge,

S. E. Jones, J. L. Casaus, and J.

Peterson. 1995. Ground-water protection policy and action plan for

Albuquerque/Bernalillo County. Policy

Coordinating Committee. Albuquerque

and Bernallillo County, New Mexico.

Huang, F. Y. C. 1997. Alternative on-site

liquid waste disposal systems–an

overview. Paper presented at New

Mexico Conference on the Environment. Albuquerque.

Kues, G. E. 1990. Ground-water availability and quality in eastern Bernalillo

County and vicinity, Central New

Mexico. Water-Resources Investigations Report No. 89-4127. U.S.

Geological Survey. Albuquerque.

Kues, G. E. and B. M. Garcia. 1995.

Ground-water-quality and groundwater-level data, Bernalillo County,

Central New Mexico, 1990–93. OpenFile Report No. 95-385. U.S. Geological Survey. Albuquerque.

Laak, R. 1966. The effects of aerobic and

anaerobic household sewage pretreatment on seepage beds. Ph.D. diss.,

Department of Civil Engineering,

University of Toronto. Canada.

McQuillan, D. M., M. J. Jasper, and B. H.

Swanson. 1989. Ground-water

contamination by septic-tank use: a

field study in the Albuquerque South

Valley-West Mesa Region, Bernalillo

County, New Mexico. Report No. EID/

GBW-89/2. New Mexico Health and

Environment Department, Santa Fe.

WERC. 1996. Development of a study plan

for evaluation of on-site wastewater

treatment and disposal: determination

of groundwater contamination and

demonstration of alternative technologies. Report prepared for the Bernalillo

County, New Mexico, Environmental

Health Department.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

(EPA). 1978. Management of small

waste flows. EPA-600/2-78-173.

Cinncinnati, Ohio: Municipal Environmental Research Laboratory, Office of

Research and Development.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

(EPA). 1980. Design manual: Onsite

wastewater treatment and disposal

systems. EPA-625/1-80/012, Washington, D. C.: Office of Research and

Development.

Wilhelm, S. R., S. L. Schiff, and W. D.

Robertson. 1996. Biogeochemical

evolution of domestic waste water in

septic system: 2. Application of

Conceptual Model in Sandy Aquifers.

Ground Water, 34: 853–864.

Frank Huang, Ph.D.

Frank Huang, Ph.D.

Frank Huang is an assistant professor in the

department of mineral and environmental

engineering at New Mexico Tech. He received both

his Ph.D. and M.S. in environmental engineering

from Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee.
The Small Flows Journal Volume 5, Issue 1, Spring 1999

20

ETI Fact Sheets Are

Now Available

Fact sheets on domestic wastewater are

now available through the National Small

Flows Clearinghouse (NSFC). Funded by

the U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA), the fact sheets are part of

EPA’s Environmental Technology Initiative (ETI) project, which gathers, assesses, and disseminates information

about innovative and alternative wastewater technology practices.

The fact sheets were designed to be used

as a preliminary process selection tool in

identifying an appropriate wastewater

technology/practice for single-family

residences, clusters of homes, subdivisions, or communities. Two versions of

fact sheets are available for each technology:

1) a four-page technical overview for

engineers, manufacturers, regulators, and

other technical audiences and

2) a two-page general overview for

elected officials and the public.

Both fact sheets provide an overview of

how the technology works, its advantages

and disadvantages, operation and maintenance, and costs. The technical fact sheets

also include design/process specifications,

performance characteristics, and application results in the form of case studies.

Listed below are the titles and item

numbers of the fact sheets that are

available:

• Ultraviolet Disinfection (A Technical

Overview) Item #WWFSOM20.

• Ultraviolet Disinfection (A General

Overview) Item #WWFSGN98.

• Chlorine Disinfection (A Technical

Overview) Item #WWFSOM21.

• Chlorine Disinfection (A General

Overview) Item #WWFSGN99.

• Ozone Disinfection (A Technical

Overview) Item #WWFSOM22.

• Ozone Disinfection (A General

Overview) Item #WWFSGN100.

• Fine Bubble Aeration (A Technical

Overview) Item #WWFSOM23.

• Fine Bubble Aeration (A General

Overview) Item #WWFSGN101.

• Trickling Filters: Achieving Nitrification (A Technical Overview) Item

#WWFSOM24.

• Trickling Filters: Achieving Nitrification (A General Overview) Item

#WWFSGN102.

• Recirculating Sand Filters (A Technical

Overview) Item #WWFSOM25.

• Recirculating Sand Filters (A General

Overview) Item #WWFSGN103.

• Intermittent Sand Filters (A Technical

Overview) Item #WWFSOM26.

• Intermittent Sand Filters (A General

Overview) Item #WWFSGN104.

• Mound Systems (A Technical Overview) Item #WWFSOM27.

• Mound Systems (A General Overview)

Item #WWFSGN105.

• Composting Toilet Systems (A Technical Overview) Item #WWFSOM28.

• Composting Toilet Systems (A General

Overview) Item #WWFSGN106.

NSFC News / Resources

NSFC News / Resources NSFC News / Resources
The Small Flows Journal Volume 5, Issue 1, Spring 1999

21

• Low-Pressure Pipe Systems (A

Technical Overview) Item

#WWFSOM29.

• Low-Pressure Pipe Systems (A General

Overview) Item #WWFSGN107.

• Septage Management (A Technical

Overview) Item #WWFSOM31.

• Septage Management (A General

Overview) Item #WWFSGN109.

• Evapotranspiration Systems (A

Technical Overview) Item

#WWFSOM32.

• Evapotranspiration Systems (A General

Overview) Item #WWFSGN110.

• Water Efficiency (A Technical Over

view) Item #WWFSOM33.

NSFC News / Resources

• Water Efficiency (A General Overview)

Item #WWFSGN111.

The fact sheets are free at this time.

However, in the future, there may be a

charge to recover printing expenses.

Shipping and handling charges apply and

are based on the actual weight of the

order. Orders are limited to a maximum of

10 copies each. If additional copies are

needed, you may photocopy the fact

sheets.

To place an order, call the NSFC at (800)

624-8301 or (304) 293-4191. Orders also

can be placed on the Web at

nsfc_orders@estd.wvu.edu or faxed to

(304) 293-3161. In addition, plans are

being made to post the ETI fact sheets on

NSFC’s Web site at www.nsfc.wvu.edu.

Earth Day Special—

All NSFC Products

Will Be Half Price

April 22, 1999

In honor of Earth Day, the National Small

Flows Clearinghouse (NSFC) is offering

50 percent off the regular price of all

product orders placed by phone, fax, or email on Thursday, April 22, 1999. Regular

shipping charges still will apply. Phone

orders must be placed between 8 a.m. and

5 p.m. Eastern Time, and orders placed by

fax or e-mail will be accepted until

midnight, April 22.

Readers can contact the NSFC in advance

to request a free NSFC Products Guide.

This catalog provides descriptions and the

regular prices of the more than 250

documents and educational products the

NSFC offers on small community

wastewater treatment topics. Categories of

NSFC products include:

• case studies,

• computer searches and software,

• design manuals and modules,

• finance and management information,

• newsletters,

• operation and maintenance information,

• public education materials,

• regulations,

• research,

• technology packages,

• fact sheets, and

• videotapes.

To request a free NSFC Products Guide

(Item #WWCAT) or to place an order,

contact the NSFC by calling (800) 624-

8301 or (304) 293-4191 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Eastern Time. Orders also may be faxed to

(304) 293-3161 or sent via e-mail to

nsfc_orders@estd.wvu.edu.

The NSFC Products Guide also can be

downloaded from the NSFC’s Web site at

www.nsfc.wvu.edu.

EARTH DAY 1999
The Small Flows Journal Volume 5, Issue 1, Spring 1999

The National Small Flows Clearinghouse

(NSFC) is undertaking the task of

contacting people at health departments

and local permitting agencies for information about onsite systems across the U.S.

This effort is a follow-up to a project that

began in 1994, when the NSFC sought

information about the status of onsite

systems across the country by contacting

those in local and state public health

agencies who work with these systems

every day. Approximately 3,500 agencies

were sent a questionnaire about onsite

systems.

The project objectives included determining the following for each state for the

year 1993:

• which local agencies work with onsite

systems,

• the number of new onsite systems

 permitted,

• reasons for permit denial,

• permit costs,

• types of onsite technologies permitted/

allowed,

• number of onsite systems reported to

have failed,

• reasons for system failure,

• new onsite system construction/

installation cost,

• how often onsite system inspections

were performed, and

• who has responsibility for onsite

system maintenance.

The results of the returned questionnaires

were compiled into the report titled

National Onsite Wastewater Treatment: A

National Small Flows Clearinghouse

Summary of Onsite Systems in the United

States, 1993, which provides information

about alternative and conventional onsite

systems across the country.

In an effort to expand on the findings of

the 1993 report, the NSFC is again

contacting local health agencies for

information about permits, types of

systems allowed, repairs, licensing/

certification, system costs, inspections,

and maintenance. The NSFC will then

create an updated report based on the new

information collected from local health

departments across the nation about the

status of onsite systems within their

jurisdictions.The report also will incorporate the information from 1993.

The questionnaire was recently revised

based on advice received from consultants/engineers, regulators, manufacturers,

installers, educators, testing facilities, U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency,

planners/administrators, and local and

state officials. In addition, five experts

with varying backgrounds in the wastewater industry were chosen to serve as a

panel to review the revised questionnaire,

assist with developing the report, and

provide overall guidance on the project.

The updated questionnaire will be mailed

in March, 1999. The information obtained

from local health departments across the

country will be summarized to show

differences and similarities with onsite

wastewater systems within individual

states and in relation to the entire country.

This data also will be compared with the

information from 1993 to examine trends

and changes. The goal is to create a report

that everyone in the wastewater industry

can use—a report that will be helpful not

only to health and environmental departments, but also to local, state, and federal

agencies; researchers; educators; installers;

consultants; and others in demonstrating

situations that occur across the country.

Please watch for the questionnaire in the

mail and take some time to complete and

return it to the NSFC as soon as possible.

To find out more about this second phase

of the health department report on onsite

systems, call the NSFC at (800) 624-8301

or (304) 293-4191.

NSFC Seeking Onsite

System Information for

Report Update

NSFC News / Resources

22
The Small Flows Journal Volume 5, Issue 1, Spring 1999

The NSFC would like to hear from you if

you own, operate, or manage a small

wastewater treatment system (one million

gallons per day or less) for any of the

following:

• a small community (population of

 10,000 or less),

• a mobile home park,

• a campground or state park,

• a restaurant,

• a condominium,

• a correctional facility, or

• any other small public, private, or

 commercial establishment.

The NSFC is undertaking the task of

providing a network of owners, operators,

and managers of small facilities across the

country. The purpose is to provide a

resource for wastewater professionals,

community officials, and citizens to help

The National Small Flows Clearinghouse

(NSFC) recently redesigned and updated

its Web site (located at www.nsfc.wvu.edu)

with information about new products,

NSFC services, and upcoming conferences and events for 1999. New information also has been added about related

projects such as the Environmental

Technology Initiative.

The NSFC also has placed online revised

versions of three informational products

that are related to septic tank operation

and maintenance. Located on the NSFC’s

NSFC Web Site Has

Been Updated and

Redesigned

Web page titled “Septic News” are three

brochures available for downloading:

“So . . . now you own a septic system,”

“The care and feeding of your septic

system” and “Groundwater protection and

your septic system.”

As in the past, the latest issues of Small

Flows, Pipeline, and The Small Flows

Journal continue to be placed online, and

the Web site offers links to other wastewater-related organizations. In addition, the

Web site maintains two distinct discussion

groups that users can participate in: the

NSFC discussion group, which provides a

forum for people across the country to

discuss wastewater issues in general, and

the National Onsite Demonstration Project

(NODP) discussion group, which serves

as a networking tool for people interested

in the NODP or involved in a demonstration project in the U.S.

NSFC News / Resources

Information Wanted for

Wastewater Facilities

Database

one another by sharing wastewater

treatment information and advice based on

real-life experiences.

The Facilities Database provides contacts

with small-scale facilities using conventional, innovative, or alternative wastewater treatment technologies throughout the

U.S. It allows users to locate people

experienced with particular technologies

to discuss operational problems, troubleshooting, or to determine which options may

best suit a community’s particular needs.

The database contains listings for approximately 1,000 facilities. While not inclusive

of all small treatment facilities in the U.S., a

variety of technologies is represented.

In addition, the Facilities Database will

house information on innovative technology projects funded through the U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency’s

Construction Grants Program created by

Congress through the Clean Water Act.

To find out how to submit information

about your facility or to obtain information about other facilities, call the NSFC

at (800) 624-8301 or (304) 293-4191.

23
The Small Flows Journal Volume 5, Issue 1, Spring 1999

National Onsite

Demonstration Project

Succeeds in Helping

Small Communities

since the original demonstration project

was completed.

Another example of NODP participants

being empowered is Richard Piluk, who

worked on the NODP Phase I project in

Anne Arundel County, Maryland. Piluk, a

county health department official, now

serves on the expert panel for Phase II

based on the expertise he acquired by

being involved with Phase I.

Professional News

Professional News Professional News

Students collect a sample from a suction lysimeter in Paradise, California,

NODP site. (Photo by Stewart Oakley.)

24

Since its first funding in 1993, the National

Onsite Demonstration Project (NODP) has

become a successful model for introducing

onsite wastewater treatment technologies

to small communities. Now, six years

later, four additional phases of the project

have been funded based on the success of

Phase I of the project.

The NODP is designed to help communities across the U.S. to protect public and

environmental health by successfully

demonstrating alternative onsite wastewater treatment and management programs.

“Our overall experience has shown that

demonstration projects are a wonderful

way to transfer good information and

technology to small communities,” said

John L. Mori, Ph.D., NODP Phase I

program coordinator. “The model that has

been created is successful. It gets results.”

Phase I Success

The U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA) has provided funds to the

National Small Flows Clearinghouse

(NSFC) to administer the NODP. According to Mori, what began as a technology

transfer project to bring diverse onsite

wastewater treatment technologies to

small communities evolved into a community empowerment project.

by Jill A. Ross

NSFC Contributing Writer

“By unanimous consent of everyone

involved, the real importance of the

demonstration project is the empowerment of the community,” said Mori. “The

communities got smarter, better, energized. The communities themselves

became experts.”

Mori cited the experience of Gloucester,

Massachusetts, an NODP Phase I

community. Based on its successful

experience with the project, Gloucester

has already installed 60 new systems
The Small Flows Journal Volume 5, Issue 1, Spring 1999

Professional News

In addition to empowering communities,

the NODP has had other unexpected

impacts, said Mori. “We learned there is a

great need for education across the

board—for everyone from the homeowner

to the local official to the engineer. And

the education has to happen in concert

with the project.”

As part of the contract to have a demonstration project, each selected community

was asked to develop an educational

component. Mori said every Phase I

community not only developed educational

Funding

Period:

Communities

Served:

Project

Objectives:

Project

Status:

Program

Coordinator:

Information

Available:

Contact:

October 1993 –

September 1999

* Paradise, CA

* North Gloucester, MA

* Waquoit Bay, MA

* Anne Arundel County, MD

* Benzie County, MI

* Monongalia County, WV

* Demonstrate a variety

of onsite systems.

* Select appropriate

wastewater treatment

based on site

characteristics and

community issues.

* Monitor system performance and environmental impact.

* Develop educational

and technology transfer

programs.

Construction, public education, and monitoring

complete. Information

dissemination is ongoing.

John L. Mori, Ph.D.

* National Onsite Demon-

 stration Project, Summary

 Report: Phase I

* Technical data files

 1-800-624-8301

 www.nsfc.wvu.edu

October 1996 –

September 1999

* Rockbridge, MO

* Centerville, PA

* Green Hill Pond, RI

* Franklin, Addison, and

Windham Counties, VT

* Burnett, WA

* Monongalia County, WV

Same as for Phase I and:

* Establish national

repository of demonstration project information

at the National Small

Flows Clearinghouse.

* Establish partnerships

with regulators, manufacturers, industry, and

organizations.

* Form onsite management districts in two

communities.

* Target failed septic systems and environmentally-sensitive areas.

Most systems installed,

monitoring has begun,

training and public

education are ongoing.

Clement Solomon

* Fact sheet

* Database collection

information packet

 1-800-624-8301

 www.nsfc.wvu.edu

June 1997 –

May 1999

* Alaska

* New York

* Oregon

* Vermont

* West Virginia

Same as for Phases I – II

and:

* Use public and private

financing methods.

* Provide training to

onsite practitioners.

* Use watershed-based

approach.

* Assist recently flooded

communities.

* Increase states' ability

to analyze causes of

onsite system failures.

Some projects approved,

some projects pending,

four training centers

proposed.

Mike Aiton

Final Report: Failure

Analysis of Home Aerobic

Treatment Units

1-800-624-8301

www.nsfc.wvu.edu

October 1998 –

September 2001

Project is national in

scope, two or three pilot

communities may be

selected.

* Collect information

about management

programs.

* Develop model

management

programs.

* Develop model

programs for

demonstration.

Research is underway.

Graham Knowles

”Septic Stats” available

on Web site.

 1-800-624-8301

 www.nsfc.wvu.edu

October 1999 –

September 2002

To be determined

Same as for Phases

I – III and:

* Meet the wastewater

treatment needs

of underserved

communities in

Appalachia.

Project to begin

October 1, 1999.

To be announced.

None at this time.

 1-800-624-8301

 www.nsfc.wvu.edu

Phase I Phase II Phase III Phase IV Phase V

National Onsite Demonstration Project Phases I - IV at a Glance

components, but did a better job than was

expected of them.

“These communities have become

magnets, drawing thousands of visitors

interested in onsite systems. Over 3,000

individuals have visited these sites and

thousands more read about the project in

our publications,” he said.

The project did fulfill its technology

transfer lesson, said Mori. “We have

learned technical lessons. We learned the

value of risk assessment, site evaluations,

25
The Small Flows Journal Volume 5, Issue 1, Spring 1999

technology selection, monitoring, and

technical training for installers.”

Phase I of the NODP has resulted in the

compilation of a mass of engineering and

scientific data that is housed at the NSFC.

Mori encourages anyone with technical

questions about the NODP to call the

NSFC and speak with a technical assistant. A free report, National Onsite

Demonstration Project, Summary Report:

Phase 1, also is available from the NSFC.

“The benefits of this project are twofold,”

said Robert Mayer, president-elect of the

National Onsite Wastewater Recycling

Association. “First, the participating

communities become aware of various

alternative onsite systems. Then, other

communities nationally benefit from

dissemination of the outcomes.”

Additional Phases

Additional phases of the NODP were

funded based on interest expressed from

other local communities that wanted to

have demonstration projects and support

from the U.S. Congress, said Mori. “As

word got out about the project, it had a

ripple effect.”

To date, the NODP has served 13 states.

“By 2002, we will have served half of the

states,” said Mori.

By the time Phase II was funded in 1996,

“we had learned to narrow our focus,”

said Mori. To that end, Phase II targeted

environmentally sensitive areas. It also

added more emphasis on education and

training and the task of developing a

database of all known onsite demonstration projects.

According to Mori, two-thirds of the

technologies have been installed, monitoring has begun, and training is occurring

for communities involved in Phase II of

the NODP. The project is expected to go

on for another year.

According to Clement Solomon, Phase II

program coordinator, “These demonstrations to single family dwellings, small

communities, and others have far-reaching

benefits. The long-term effect of integrating different groups (public officials,

manufacturers, regulators, researchers,

citizen groups, and the general public)

through these demonstration projects

builds consensus in developing and

implementing sound environmental

policies for rural and suburban areas.”

An interesting development in this phase

of the project was Vermont’s approach to

administering the funding to communities,

said Mori. “While in Phase I needy

communities were selected for the project,

Vermont solicited proposals and communities competed for the funding. People

were willing to get involved in the process.”

Phase III of the NODP, funded in 1997, is

giving Alaska, New York, Oregon,

Vermont, and West Virginia the opportunity to increase their capacity to deal with

onsite wastewater issues.

According to Mike Aiton, Phase III

program coordinator, this phase is less

about showcasing technology and more

about helping states to develop the

capacity to implement them. “Direct

technical assistance is being provided to

communities, a failure analysis of home

aerobic treatment units is being conducted, a limited number of technology

demonstrations will be implemented, and

seed money is being provided to start

onsite training centers.”

The project is moving forward, said Aiton,

with a number of projects approved, some

projects pending, and four onsite training

center projects proposed. “Vermont has

been approved for a training center and

has already received funding,” said Aiton.

He added that the failure analysis of home

aerobic treatment units has been completed as well.

Phase IV of the NODP began October 1,

1998, and will run for three years. This

phase differs significantly from the other

26

Professional News
The Small Flows Journal Volume 5, Issue 1, Spring 1999

phases in that it will not be installing or

demonstrating technologies, but rather

will focus on developmental processes

that enable small communities to develop

management districts for onsite systems,

said Graham Knowles, program coordinator for Phase IV.

“Our mission is fourfold. Firstly, to

increase community awareness of the

potential public health benefits of onsite

system management programs. Secondly,

to establish a national state-of-the-art

repository of institutional, technological,

and managerial resources for small

communities striving to establish management programs. Thirdly, to diffuse the

management program innovation through

focused educational materials that will

share ideas to selected national audiences.

Finally, we are striving to assist interested

communities with practical, hands-on

technological and management expertise,

thus facilitating community onsite system

management programs that meet particular local needs,” said Knowles.

According to Knowles, this phase of the

NODP will create a wide range of quality

products such as brochures, videotapes, a

CD-ROM, and an interactive Web training

site. These materials will be designed to

share the onsite management concept with

individuals, communities, local officials,

and regulatory agencies. He expects the

project to culminate in the development

and dissemination of a series of userfriendly tools to set the backdrop, as well

as to stimulate dialogue, for interested

individuals, local leaders, proactive

agencies, and small communities.

“We are really excited about Phase IV,”

said Mori. “We have been able to assemble some of the best people who will

give excellent, practical guidance to the

communities involved in this phase.”

According to Mori, money has been

appropriated by Congress for Phase V of

the NODP that will begin in October

1999. The goal of this phase is to target

services toward the must underserved,

neediest counties in Appalachia.

27

Professional News

Onsite system operation and

maintenance are demonstrated at

NODP sites at Chestnut Ridge

State Park, Morgantown, West

Virginia. (Photos by Tricia Angoli.)
The Small Flows Journal Volume 5, Issue 1, Spring 1999

Future of the NODP

According to the January 1999 Report to

Congress: The National Onsite Demonstration Project, “In the five-year NODP

experience, demonstrations have been

invaluable in the process of introducing

technologies to empower communities to

solve their wastewater issues. Similar to

ripples in the water, both successes and

challenges of the participating communities have benefits for other similar

communities in other states.”

So far, states the report, the NODP has

had financial benefits, improved public

and environmental health, stimulated

private sector development, empowered

communities, educated local officials and

the public, enhanced the quality of life for

citizens, and verified technologies.

The NODP transfers technology and

information to small communities in a

systematic and consistent way,” said Mori.

“We believe that every state would benefit

from it.”

According to the NODP report to Congress, without intervention, more than

four million onsite systems may be

malfunctioning each year by the year

2025. “Clearly, there is a need for other

states to benefit directly from the NODP

project,” states the report.

Mori said he would like to see projects in

all 50 states in the next five to 10 years,

including an emphasis on serving special

populations, such as Appalachia, Native

Americans, and the colonias.

“This project has proven that demonstrations have a good, useful role and they

need to be continued,” said Mori. “This is

a great model and there still is a lot of

need.”

For more information about the NODP,

call the NSFC at (800) 624-8301 or (304)

293-4191 or visit the NSFC’s Web site at

www.nsfc.wvu.edu.

28

Professional News

NOWRA to Host Annual

Conference and Exhibit

The National Onsite Wastewater Recycling Association (NOWRA) will host its

8th Annual Conference and Exhibit at

Jekyll Island, Georgia, November 3–6,

1999. NOWRA is a not-for-profit professional association serving the onsite

wastewater treatment industry.

The conference provides a forum for the

exchange of ideas, and educational

advancement to a broad range of onsite

wastewater treatment professionals.

Programs are divided into multiple tracks

that primarily relate to the private sector

or the regulatory or academic communities. This year, the conference will feature

40 seminars, panels, and presentations,

and more than 60 exhibitors showing the

latest in onsite wastewater treatment

technology. A proceedings book will be

available at the conference.

Exhibitor and registration information

will be available in June. For more

information about the conference, visit

NOWRA’s Web site at www.nowra.org,

or contact their headquarters by phone

(800) 966-2942, fax (847) 559-9235, or

e-mail 103061.1063@compuserve.com.

Or, write to NOWRA at P.O. Box 647,

Northbrook, IL, 60065-0647.
✂

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order) abstract, text, footnotes, references,

and tables. Figures prepared on a computer

should be submitted on diskette as separate

files (*.tiff or *.eps) with accompanying

“camera-ready” copy. Photographs should

be sharp, glossy, black and white prints,

when possible, and identified on the back.

Submit electronic files on 3.5 inch

diskettes, an original of the manuscript,

and three printed copies to the editor.

All manuscripts go through a blind peer

review. Therefore, the title page of the

manuscript should be on a separate page

from the remainder of the manuscript.

Names of authors should not appear in the

manuscript except as a reference citation

when appropriate.

Authors of manuscripts accepted for

publication will be required to transfer

Manuscript Submission Guidelines

copyright to the National Small Flows

Clearinghouse, publisher of The Small

Flows Journal.

Authors warrant that the manuscript is

original except for excerpts and illustrations

from copyrighted works as may be included

with the permission of the copyright owners,

such permission to be obtained by the

authors at their expense.

Submit all manuscripts to:

Cathleen Falvey, Editor

The Small Flows Journal

National Small Flows Clearinghouse

West Virginia University

P.O. Box 6064

Morgantown, WV 26506-6064

Manuscripts submitted to The

Small Flows Journal should

not be submitted to another

publication before or while

under review by The Small Flows Journal.

Manuscripts should be accompanied by an

abstract of 150 words or less.

Authors are requested to follow the

directions given in ASAE’s Guide for

Refereed Publications, Monographs, and

Textbooks for preparing the text, tables,

and figures of the manuscript. Contact the

National Small Flows Clearinghouse to

obtain a copy.

Manuscripts that are prepared on a personal

computer or Macintosh should be submitted

in WordPerfect 5.1, Microsoft Word, or

ASCII format. Files should include (in this

29
National Small Flows Clearinghouse

West Virginia University

P.O. Box 6064

Morgantown, WV 26506-6064

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