Grants and Contributions:

Grant or Award spanning more than one fiscal year (2017-2018 to 2018-2019).

Decentralized or onsite wastewater treatment can facilitate alternative approaches to wastewater collection, storage, treatment, and disposal in rural areas with low population densities and/or without access to centralized sewer systems. The use of conventional onsite systems, such as septic tanks and leaching fields, at the present time are influenced by soil and site conditions. Advanced onsite wastewater technologies are developed to overcome the site and soil limitations conventional treatments face. In addition to regulations around treatment and effluent requirements vary depending on where a system's effluent discharge point is. Onsite advanced wastewater treatment systems with integrated fixed film processes are a reliable solution in these circumstances due to their ability to effectively and efficiently treat residential wastewater with variable flows and qualities. Submerged fixed film processes utilize naturally occurring bacteria to oxidize organic matter, remove nutrients and reduce solids, converting wastewater into a clear and odourless effluent. This research project will focus on the operation, assessment and optimization of an innovative Waterloo Stack system for residential applications. In order to meet these objectives the Waterloo Stack system will first be evaluated in its current state before it is modified and optimized for increased treatment performance under regular operating conditions, stress periods and increased flows. The results of this applied research will improve knowledge of the current system, enhance the product, and increase technical credibility.