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The speaker was Damann Anderson, Vice President of Hazen and Sawyer a large engineering firm that specializes in water environment solutions. Mr. Anderson has over 30 years of experience in the area of of waste water treatment and is a leader in the area of research related to onsite wastewater treatment systems ( OWTS ).

 

Mr. Anderson explained that a major environmental concern of government agencies is the infiltration of nitrogen into ground and surface water. Although the vast majority of this comes from fertilizer and the burning of fossil fuels, some percentage is the result of sewer and septic systems. It is the nitrogen that may be entering from septics (OWTS), that this seminar addressed.

 

A non - scientific explanation is that septic systems employing current technology, that are well maintained, do a good job with the elimination of fecal coloform, but are largely ineffective in controlling nitrogen. Hazen and Sawyer, under a grant from the Florida Department of Health, is attempting to design and test concepts that will effectively address that problem. They have done some initial testing of a concept that shows great promise. The basic idea is to employ a second tank that would remove nitrogen, before the effluent enters the existing drain field. The system would require little, or no additional maintenance and hopefully could be retrofitted into existing systems.

So far, only pilot projects have been done. The next step is to install and test the system in typical residential settings. This testing may take a year, or more. If the testing is successful, the results would be presented to the Florida Department of Health, for their approval. The entire process is likely to take two years, or more.

 

If this technology is approved, early indications are that it could be implemented much more economically than installing sewers on the key. And of course the environmental damage that installing sewers could bring would be avoided.

 

Please understand that Hazen & Sawyer is an environmental engineering firm. They do not sell, install, or service septic systems. They are simply doing research for the State of Florida, looking for alternative, cost effective solutions to protecting our water and the environment. There is much more to be learned and many unanswered questions. Among them are timing, cost and whether the State and the Englewood Water District will endorse this technology. We will do our best to keep you informed of new developments.