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Benefits and Concerns Associated with Aerobic Treatment Systems (ATS)

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Benefits and Concerns Associated with Aerobic Treatment Systems (ATS) Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service AGEC-1056 Benefits and Concerns Associated with Aerobic Treatment Systems (ATS) Kasie D. Stambaugh Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Fact Sheets Graduate Student, Environmental Science are also available on our website at: Tracy A. Boyer http://osufacts.okstate.edu Associate Professor, Agricultural Economics Garey A. Fox and maintenance requirements are included to provide ATS Professor and Buchanan Endowed Chair owners/operators information to properly care for on-site septic Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering systems. Concerns associated with ATS are also discussed to alert users to potential contamination to surface water that may result from poorly maintained or improperly installed Aerobic Treatment Systems (ATS) collect residential systems. grey water and wastewater leaving homes and discharging the treated effluent on lawns in residential settings (Figure Benefits and Costs 1). ATS installations are increasing in number throughout the U.S., according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ATS collect and treat wastewater leaving homes and re- (USEPA) (USEPA, 2000). ATS are viewed as a beneficial cycle the treated wastewater for outdoor irrigation. Currently, water conservation method because they recycle treated ATS are being installed as a replacement for failing septic wastewater for outdoor irrigation. Proper operation methods systems in the U.S. (USEPA, 2000) and in newly constructed Figure 1: Aerobic Treatment System Treatment Diagram (left to right). (Source: ODEQ, 2011e) Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources • Oklahoma State University residences. ATS is usually chosen only if soil and site char- Certified Installer and Homeowner acteristics are not suited for other simpler systems, such as septic fields. Homebuilders find the idea of offsetting outdoor Maintenance and Requirements irrigation costs as an attractive benefit of ATS compared to A certified installer must be licensed before installing traditional septic systems. Homebuilders and developers may an ATS. A certified installer will perform proper maintenance prefer the installation of ATS compared to septic systems requirements associated with ATS for two years after installa- because they use less yard space and allow homes spaced tion. Once the certified installer’s agreement expires (two years closer when building a residential development (OEDQ, ASTS). after installation), all duties performed by the certified installer Another key benefit for ATS installation in Oklahoma is their initially are then transferred to the homeowner (owner/opera- suitability for poor quality clay or very sandy soils. tor) as defined by the ATS regulatory standards in Oklahoma ATS have a high initial cost for installation; however, ATS (ODEQ, 2012). costs decline through time (ODEQ, ASTS). In Oklahoma ATS maintenance duties include but are not limited to (2015), bids for new installation of a residential ATS were ensuring that “…sewage or effluent from the system is properly roughly $5,500 to $5,700, including a 2-year warranty and treated and does not surface, pool, flow across the ground or four routine inspections. A one-year service contract would discharge to surface waters” (ODEQ, 2012). ATS may discharge cost $150 to $225. A one-time inspection of an ATU would treated effluent only when daily inputs are greater than 100 cost $190. ATS should be serviced and maintained for two gallons or less than 1,500 gallons per day (ODEQ, 2012). years by law after installation by a certified installer (ODEQ, ATS-treated wastewater may only be discharged between 2012). The certified installer covers all costs associated with 1 a.m. and 6 a.m., with no exceptions (ODEQ, ASTS). maintenance performed for the first two years after installa- Water clarity may be measured by a secchi disk (an tion, or amounts agreed upon in a signed contract with the instrument used for measuring water clarity) and the bottom homeowner. of the holding or pump tank must be visible at all times. If a After an ATS has been installed and maintained by a homeowner chooses to discharge treated effluent through certified installer for two years, the maintenance and opera- spray irrigation, “…a free chlorine residual of one-fifth of a tion requirements must be performed by the homeowner (ATS milligram per liter (0.2 mg/l) must be maintained in the pump owner/operator) or by a renewed or newly contracted certified tank.” Fecal coliform bacteria should not exceed 200 cfu maintenance company. Ongoing costs covered by the home- (colony forming units)/100 mL (ODEQ, 2012). owner (owner/operator) may include sludge removal. The fee for hiring a certified technician to collect the sludge from the Recent Research pre-treatment tank along with the charge for proper disposal methods will be paid by the homeowner. The sludge removal on Bacteria Concentrations from ATS process should occur at regular intervals and be determined Pathogenic bacteria have the potential to contaminate by the loading rate and size capacity of each system (ATS). creeks and streams during rainfall events. Reports of human illness are associated with swimming, drinking or ingesting ATS Operations contaminated water with E. coli and fecal coliform bacteria. “Fecal coliforms are bacteria that are associated with human or ATS collect all water leaving a home in a pre-treatment/ animal wastes.” The USEPA has set a Maximum Contaminant trash tank. Solids collect near the bottom of the tank (sludge) Level Goal (MCLG) for fecal coliforms at zero for drinking water. and the liquid is transported to the aerobic treatment unit/ According to the USEPA “Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a type aeration tank (Figure 1). The aeration tank is designed to treat of fecal coliform bacteria… found in the intestines of animals the wastewater through a process of nitrate reduction (ODEQ, and humans. …E. coli is a strong indication of recent sewage 2012). Nitrogen reduction occurs in an aerobic system by mi- or animal contamination. …Sewage may contain many types croorganisms and bacteria present in the system. Nitrogen is of disease-causing organisms” (USEPA, 2013a). oxidized in the aeration tank by the air that is bubbled into the ATS owners/operators do not need to obtain an Oklahoma tank, which causes nitrogen and ammonium to be oxidized Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (OPDES) permit prior into nitrate. Nitrate is then reduced to nitrogen gas during a to discharging treated effluent to the surface (ODEQ, 2011d). period in which the aerators are turned off. Specifications of ATS disposal are not specified (ODEQ, 2012). Chlorine should be added per manufacturer instructions Dependent upon the size and location of the ATS, OKDEQ regarding disinfection. The homeowner is also responsible may consider requiring an OPDES permit prior to discharging for adding chlorine to the treatment tank daily, as well as the treated effluent. cost of the chlorine. Chlorine must be deposited in the treat- Standards for ATS include fecal coliform bacteria con- ment tank by the homeowner (owner/operator) to treat the centrations (ODEQ, 2012. Standards specify ATS should waste with chlorination disinfection prior to disposal through not exceed fecal coliform concentrations above 200 cfu/100 subsurface drip or spray irrigation (ODEQ, 2012). mL per sample; however, fecal coliform sampling and test- Once disinfection occurs, the treated wastewater is trans- ing requirements are not required (ODEQ, 2012). Rules and ported to the holding or pump tank where the water can then regulations associated with ATS in Oklahoma do not include be used for outdoor irrigation purposes. Surface irrigation, the E. coli standards (ODEQ, 2012). most common practice in Oklahoma, is a less expensive way In a 2014 study of three typically installed ATS in Okla- of disposing of effluent, but subsurface drip is safer in terms homa, approximately 10,000 to 200,000 most probable number of avoiding contact with potential contaminants. A drip tube (MPN)/100 mL fecal coliform concentrations were quantified irrigation piping system located at least 30 cm below the soil from ATS holding (pump) tanks. Approximately 1,000 to surface is the safest disposal method for treated wastewater 100,000 MPN/100 mL E. coli concentrations were quantified (Franti et al. 2002). AGEC-1056-2 from these same holding tanks (Stambaugh, 2014).Please References note that cfu and MPN are interchangeable; MPN was the unit Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 2012. E. used in this study (Stambaugh, 2014) However, the USEPA coli (Escherichia coli). General Information: Escherichia states that systems are “…required to disinfect to ensure coli (E. coli). Retrieved from: http://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/ that all bacterial contamination is inactivated, such as E. coli” general/index.html. (January 2014). (USEPA, 2013a). Franti, J.M., Weaver, R.W., and McInnes, K.J. 2002. Surfac- ing of domestic wastewater applied to soil through drip ATS Homeowner Recommendations tubing and reduction in numbers of Escherichia coli. • Do not use ATS effluent to irrigate crops or consumable Environmental Technology 23: 1027-1032. plants. Bacterial contamination is transmitted to humans Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ). or animals through contaminated water or crops (CDC, Aerobic Sewage Treatment System (ASTS). Operation 2012). and Maintenance Guide for Homeowners. Retrieved • Do not allow children to play near ATS discharge effluent from: https://www.deq.state.ok.us/eclsnew/Fact%20
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