ASABE Technical Library - Abstract

Click on “Download PDF” for the PDF version or on the title for the HTML version.
If you are not an ASABE member or if your employer has not arranged for access to the full-text, view access and subscription options

THE RESPONSE OF EFFLUENT ABSORPTION RATES TO RESTING TRENCHES OF A SERIALLY LOADED SEPTIC FILTER FIELD

Published by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, St. Joseph, Michigan www.asabe.org

Citation:  Paper number  701P0104,  . (doi: 10.13031/2013.15779)
Authors:   P.R. Owens, E.M. Rutledge, M.A. Gross, S.C. Osier and R.W. McNew
Keywords:   

Since the biomat can become the limiting factor in determining the effluent loading rate, a study was conducted to 1) determine the hydraulic performance of a serially loaded filter field following annual summer resting for fall and spring effluent absorption rates, and 2) test the hypothesis that summer resting of upper trenches of serially loaded filter fields will improve the subsequent fall and spring effluent absorption rates. Earlier studies have assumed that the biomat at the soil-trench interface has been degraded by aerobic microbial activity and thereby increase effluent absorption rates. This study was initiated on a 10-year-old serially loaded septic system. The filter field consists of eight 9-to 17-m long, 60-cm wide, and 46-cm deep trenches on 3-to 4-m centers in a Fragiudult. Effluent absorption rates were calculated by dividing the effluent load by the trench bottom area used. The filter field was rested during the summers of years 10 through 14. During years 7 through 10, the mean EAR had been near stable at about 2.8 cm d-1. This mean rate increased to average 10.6 cm d-1 in the fall of years 11 through 14. Spring EAR increased from around 2.8 cm d-1 to an average of 5.0 cm d-1 in years 11 through 14. These data indicate that resting increased EAR in all cases, approximately 280 percent in the fall and 70 percent in the spring.

(Download PDF)    (Export to EndNotes)