Patent ID: 6923905

Claim:
Apparatus for processing wastewater from a source, comprising: a wastewater pipeline, for conveying wastewater from the source to a primary unit; a primary unit, for receiving and primarily treating the wastewater, to thereby produce and discharge primarily treated wastewater; a leach field, located downstream of the primary unit, for receiving and secondarily treating wastewater discharged from the primary unit, comprised of (a) at least one trench within the soil, the trench having a wall through which un-pressurized wastewater flows into an influence zone within soil adjacent the trench wall, wherein said soil runs continuously upwardly from the influence zone to a soil surface which is exposed to atmosphere; (b) a conduit running within the trench, for discharging wastewater at points along the length of the trench; and (c) an influence zone comprised of soil adjacent the trench, for receiving wastewater and enabling biochemical change in the composition of the wastewater; a distribution pipeline, for carrying wastewater from the primary unit to the leach field; and, means for producing a gas pressure differential between the conduit and said influence zone, said means sufficient to create biochemically significant gas flow within the influence zone; wherein, wastewater flows from the primary unit, through said conduit, and into the influence zone; and said gas pressure differential causes air to flow through said soil, to or from said soil surface.