Patent ID: 7824554

Claim:
A method for cleaning and shutting down a part-time wastewater treatment system having a water input to receive an influent flow of wastewater to be treated, a water output to discharge treated clean water effluent, and a water treatment capacity volume, the method comprising: obtaining an effluent external tank disposed to receive the clean water effluent and having a size greater than or equal to the water treatment capacity volume; treating the clean water effluent to render it substantially free of pathogens; terminating the influent flow of wastewater to be treated to the water input of the wastewater treatment system; pumping clean water effluent from the effluent external tank to the water input; passing a sufficient volume of clean water effluent through the wastewater treatment system to complete treatment of the wastewater within the wastewater treatment system thereby resulting in a purge of wastewater from the wastewater treatment system via said water output, and filling the treatment system with clean water effluent via said water input; and shutting down the wastewater treatment system.