How The Waterloo Biofilter® Works
The Waterloo Biofilter system is a compact, reliable and low maintenance septic system, fully approved in Massachusetts.
While conventional septic systems use a tile bed to treat and dispose of septic tank effluent, the Waterloo Biofilter system uses a highly efficient, patented filter medium to provide a consistent and high level of treatment making disposal in the soil easy.
This system is especially effective for difficult sites such as small lots, heavy clay soils, shallow or exposed bedrock, and high water table, such as the New England coastal areas.
How Does It Work?
The Waterloo Biofilter® system is a single-pass aerobic biofilter designed for the biological treatment of wastewater. The patented process utilizes an absorbent synthetic filter medium designed to optimize the biological degradation of wastewater. Natural microbial action in the filter medium is enhanced by its high porosity, large available surface area, excellent air flow characteristics and ease of microbial attachment. The filter medium has optimized flow characteristics which allow for high loading rate and compact size. Allowable loading rates are typically 10 times greater than sand filters or soils. The Biofilter typically removes 90-98% BOD, 90-99% TSS, 50-60% TN and 98-99% coliform bacteria.
The Waterloo Biofilter® synthetic filter medium allows separate flow paths for air and wastewater. The result is effective treatment and high loading rates.
Traditional trickling filters (sand) rely on solid particles as a filter medium. This limits the airflow and wastewater flow to the biomat and the filters’ effectiveness.
The septic tank treats raw sewage by fermentation (just like making beer of wine). As such, it is important not to kill the bacteria that carry on this process by using excessive disinfectant in the household.
An effluent filter on the septic outlet screens out large particles ensuring effective treatment by the Biofilter®.
The pump chamber collects septic tank effluent which is sprayed onto the Biofilter® on a timed basis.
The Biofilter® consists of a patented absorbent filter medium, contained in patented mesh baskets and sized accordingly to your daily waste use.
The Biofilter® medium houses beneficial microbes that degrade and oxidize organic pollutants, coliform bacteria, ammonium, and other contaminants in septic tank effluent.
The Biofilter® unit may be placed above or below ground.
Disposal of the treated effluent is to a pressure distribution disposal bed or trench.
Waterloo Biofilter® System Performance
For a normal household the expected effluent quality is 0 to 15 mg/L BOD or cBOD (organic matter), 0 to 10 mg/Ltotal suspended solids (TSS), 20-60% total nitrogen removal, and 98-99% fecal coliform removal.
The Table to the left summarizes the Waterloo Biolfilter® system performance.
Proven Applications of the Biofilter® Technology
- Successful sewage treatment in difficult sites
- Municipal wastewater polishing after alum pretreatment
- Landfill leachate treatment with on-site disposal
- Large trailer parks, golf courses and Apartment/Condo complex systems
- Remedial and General Approval in Massachusetts
- Provisional use approval for nitrogen reduction
Waterloo Biofilter
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