Black Water Treatment
ASK THE EXPERT ADVICE
Links to the Ask the Experts page

Q: We are planning to move an existing home onto a piece of property. The property I am interested in won't perk. Are there any green alternatives to a pumping station instead of a septic tank?

A: (Penny Livingston-Stark) The most ecologically sound alternatives for your situation would be an onsite waste water treatment system that is isolated from the ground water until it is treated. The options are a constructed wetland or a reed bed system. There are also other manufactured and engineered systems available. Also a composting toilet is great. You need to check your local environmental health problems.

Q: You mentioned wetland construction and reed bed as a water polisher etc. Do you have any scientific research analysis which indicates the plants that take out more phosphates/nitrates/ecoli etc.

A: (Maya Madrigal) Following are three links to excellent sites on water purification, phyto-remediation, wetland/reed bed construction, etc.

1. A bibliography of research sources related to phyto-remediation.
http://www.rtdf.org/public/phyto/phytobib/bibc-d.html

2. Water Quality Information Center at the National Agricultural Library Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture http://www.nal.usda.gov/wqic/Bibliographies/phyto.html A bibliography of phyto-remediation research sources.

3. A list of international consultants, research groups, suppliers from the Green Pages.
http://www.eco-web.com/index/category/3.8.html

Q: Is the chlorine that you can buy at a pool store be used in a septic system?

A: (Kelly) Pool chlorine is used to disinfect and kill any bacteria or fungus that might form. If you put this in a septic system it will do the same thing, which I think would be counter productive since septic systems rely on bacteria to decompose the wastes.

Q: What type of sewage system do you recommend?

A: (Kelly) Dealing with blackwater and graywater is often a tricky business, mainly because of the regulation imposed by health departments and other regulators. If municipal sewage is available, it is often obligatory to hook up to it. Where septic systems are commonly used, these are also required, even if you have little use for it because you have other methods of treatment. Compost toilets are a possibility, as is graywater and blackwater recycling systems...and these are generally more ecological because they conserve water use.