The Vermontville system was intended, in the conceptual stages, to provide phosphorus removal both by harvesting of terrestrial grasses and by soil-water contact as wastewater seeps downward from the irrigation fields. Up to four inches of water applied over several hours time once each week would flood the fields briefly until the water seeped away. Fields 1-4 have all been colonized by volunteer wetland vegetation, and are now eutrophic emergent marshes. Figure 2 Cross section of the Vermontville wastewater treatment system. The units are set on a steep hillside, with large driving forces for hte gravity flow from lagoons to wetlands.
Elevations shown on the left are in feet above sea level.
Overflow occurs out of wetland 4 to the right. Should the water level exceed 6 in. All applied water would seep into the ground before leaving the treatment area. The system is operating nearly in this manner today. There is a constant surface overflow from the final wetland, made up of ground-recycled wastewater which enters the final field at springs.