Patent ID: 8119009

Claim:
In a method for removing one or more dissolved metals from water wherein metal-containing water is flowed through a bed, pond or channel containing a plurality of media bodies interspersed with spaces to remove the dissolved metals from the water, said media bodies becoming associated with contaminants derived from the metal-containing water, said contaminants occupying said spaces and plugging said bed, pond or channel to inhibit water flow, the improvement comprising: (a) scooping contaminated media bodies from the bed into a bucket mounted on an axis for rotation, said bucket including a peripheral wall spaced radially outwardly from said axis, at least a portion of said peripheral wall comprising a sieve, (b) immersing the bucket loaded with contaminated media bodies into a liquid held in a wash basin, (c) rotating the bucket about its axis, thereby washing said media bodies and abrading them against each other and against the peripheral wall to separate the contaminants from the media bodies for producing rehabilitated media bodies, said separated contaminants passing through said sieve and into said wash basin, and (d) dumping rehabilitated media bodies from the bucket, said rehabilitated media bodies being suitable for reuse in removing additional dissolved metals from the water.