Our Sewer System is Nearly Maxed Out The Big Pipe cost $1.44 billion and captures 96% of sewer overflows Capturing another 3% of overflows would cost an additional $300+ million Nancy Rommelmann, The Oregonian "Portland's $1.4 billion Big Pipe project comes to an end after 20 years" Beth Slovic, The Oregonian, Nov. 25th, 2011 http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2011/11/portlands_14_billion_big_pipe.html
Portland's Sewerage Operations and Maintenance Costs Portland high sewer rates are second only to Redmond, WA. In 2010, sewer fees ranked second in complaints sent to the mayor's office. “Infrastructure” 49.1m and “Operational Issues” 50.5m pg 240 & 241, City of Portland, OR FY2010-2011 budget 13.9m cost of treatment plant: <http://www.portlandonline.com/bes/index.cfm?c=29323&a=265796> "Portland Sewer Rates Lack 3rd Party Check" Janie Har, The Oregonian, March 27 2010 http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2010/03/portland_sewer_water_rates_lac.html “Take Your City and Shove it” page 12 Portland Mercury: Oct. 14, 2010
Decentralized Treatment Makes Sense 35% of Portland's stormwater is handled by bioswales, constructed wetlands, permeable pavement, and downspouts with rainwater gardens. 39% of Portland's stormwater is handled by sewers. "New Strategies for Controlling Stormwater Overflows", Linda Baker, Governing Magazine, February 2011 http://www.governing.com/topics/energy-env/New-Strategies-Controlling-Stormwater-Overflows.html images from: "BIOFILTERS" Dennis Jurries, DEQ NW Region, January 2003. http://www.deq.state.or.us/wq/stormwater/docs/nwr/biofilters.pdf
Graywater Reuse San Franscisco Greywater Design Manual, 2011
Graywater Reuse San Franscisco Greywater Design Manual, 2011 Photo Credit: Josh Lowe
Graywater Fees Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3 application: $50 $545-2,723 $534 renewal: $40 $50 $341-817 <300 gal/day doesn't fit tier 1 or 2 <1,200 gal/day t
Shared Graywater Systems Tier 1 Tier 3 application: $50 $1,500 renewal: $40 $800 <300 gal/day doesn't fit tier 1 or 2 t Application Fee for 30 households costs $50/household Renewal fees: A system for 20 households costs $40/household
the systems formerly known as Onsite Sewage Disposal Systems
Onsite Sewage Disposal Systems now known as Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems
"Disposal" is a myth Caffeine on the Oregon Coast: caffeine detected caffeine not detected caffeine was found in highest concentrations after storms, not correlated with wastewater treatment plant locations. Figures 1, 2 "Occurence and Concentration of Caffeine in Oregon Coastal Waters" Rodriguez del Rey et. al., Marine Pollution Bulletin 64 (2012) 1417-1424
What is the future of onsite? "Passive, natural systems designs offer a more robust alternative, use the least amount of energy of any OWT system, and exhibit treatment performance equivalent to centralized plants" (Oakley, Stewart 1529). ■ Design for beneficial reuse ■ Cost will always be a deciding factor ■ Performance Based Rules
Performance Based Codes ● Verifies treatment to protect environmental and human health ● Encourages innovation ● Grow Oregon's green technology sector
Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems
Beneficial Reuse of Solids 1 3 2 4 sources: (1, 2) Hidenori Harada 2010 , (3)Colors Magazine 82, James Mollison, Moosburg, Germany, (4) SuSanA Secretariat.
Groundwater Recharge
Assumed Plumes Determining Setbacks groundwater flow - Saskatchewan Watershed Authority.SH/SWA H01-2009, Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems in Subdivisions, Pg 22.
Assumed Plumes Actual Plumes groundwater flow Saskatchewan Watershed Authority.SH/SWA H01-2009, Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems in Subdivisions, Pg 22. US EPA, Onsite Systems Treatment Manual. Revised 2002, 3-25. US EPA Onsite Wastewater Treatment and Disposal Systems
Wastewater: Concerns: } ● nutrients ● feces & urine ● pathogens ● food wastes } ● emerging pollutants ● washing soaps ● washing chemicals ● cleaning chemicals ● personal care products ● pharmaceuticals ● misc. micropollutants
The Dangers of Nitrates Eutrophication Cancers and "dead zones" health complications Health problems correlated with nitrogen concentrations in drinking water below the EPA's maximum contaminant level of 10mg/L. ● Stomach, bladder, colon, and ovarian cancer ● increased blood pressure and acute respiratory tract infections in children ● Birth defects: congentital malformations, particularly of the nervous system "Workgroup Report: Drinking-Water Nitrate and Sasha Trubetskoy:Eutrophication at a waste water Health—Recent Findings and Research Needs" M.H. outlet in the Potomac River, Washington, D.C., Ward, et al. Environ Health Perspect. 2005 November; 113 (11): 1607–1614 Wikimedia:Potomac_green_water.JPG
Dealing with Nitrates: let plants do it "The organic soils and vegetation in riparian zones can reduce nitrate concentrations dramatically within very short distances... From 65 mg/L down to 3 mg/L... passing through 3 meters of vegetated riparian zone" -Saskatchewan Watershed Authority 2009 SH/SWA H01-2009, Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems in Subdivisions, Pg 22.
In one year you will make: ● 6 cu ft of urine ● 1.5 cu ft of feces ● flushed with a minimum of 220 cu ft of water Feces: based on 843g/week, pg 2358 Digestive Diseases and Sciences, Vol. 43, No. 11: 1998 Urine: based on 2 pintsday pg 118 Integral Urban House, Helga Olkowski et. al. Farallones Institute: 1979 Water: based on .9 gal/flush 5 flush/day Caroma dual-flush toilet, Caromausa.com: 2010
230 liters wastewater per person per day (60 gallons): USEPA 2002: EPA/625/R-00/008, Onsite Treatment Systems Manual, 3.31. 40mg/L nitrogen transported to aquifer: based on 10-40% removal N during infiltration USEPA 2002, Figure 3-17 Human excrement production: 843g/week feces: Digestive Diseases and Sciences, Vol. 43, No. 11: 1998, 2358 2 pints/day urine. Gotaas, Composting-Sanitary Reclamation of Organic Wastes. World Health Organization, Monograph No. 31. Geneva: 1953. Nitrogen transport to aquifer from manure spreading, 5-87mg/L, averaging to 46mg/L: Saskatchewan Watershed Authority 2009: SH/SWA H01-2009, Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems in Subdivisions, Pg 18. 58 liters manure per 1000kg beef cattle: American Society of Agricultural Engineers, 2003: ASE D384.1 FEB03, Manure Production Characteristics, page 683. Full grown Steer 750lb (340kg): Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service: AGEC-579, Steer-Heifer Feeder Cattle Basis by Weight Groups
Comparing Nitrate Reduction Standards
Nitrogen in Treated Effluent Average Septic System Effluent 20% Septic with Urine Diverting Flush Toilet 18% Septic for washwater with Dry Toilet 16% Septic with Sand Filter & Wood Chip Filter
septic tank septic tank with urine diversion septic tank with composting toilet septic tank with sand filter & woodchip filter
Septic with Woodchip Filter (Nitrex) Installation in Harvard, Massachusetts.. Lombardo Associates.
Septic with Woodchip Filter (Nitrex) Diagram of Nitrex passive sand and wood chip filter system. Lombardo Associates.
Septic with Woodchip Filter (Nitrex) Cost: $20-28,000 Impact: 80-90% nitrogen reduction Potential: Nitrex being shipped Patent expired, may from massachusetts be less expensive to construct on site. Problems: not legal without WPCF permit (difficult)
Septic Tank with Urine Diverting Toilet Costs: $3,900-6,500 for retrofit with existing septic. $150-300/ year for once a year pumping of urine and septic. Impact: Reduces nitrogen in effluent by 80%. Potential: Low cost means to meet strict nitrogen standards. Urine can be used as fertilizer. Problems: not recognized as a nitrogen reducing system
User Acceptance of Urine Diversion Peter-Fröhlich, Bonhomme, Oldenburg, 2007. “Sanitation Concepts for Separate treatment of Urine, Faeces, and Greywater (SCST)- Results. Berlin: Kompentzzentrum Wasser Berlin.
Dry Composting Toilet
Dry Composting Toilet Cost: $1,200-6,000 +2/3 scale septic system Impact: 80-90% nitrogen reduction Potential: lowest cost system for nitrogen reduction. Problems: not recognized as a nitrogen reducing system in Oregon, must be coupled with septic. Vera Environmental’s “Carousel” Dry Toilet www.vera.no
Graywater and infiltration system Potential: less expensive than septic system for graywater treatment. Problems: must be coupled with a redundant septic system.
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