Big Green: Re: Septic system alternatives

Muscoe muscoe at hotmail.com
Fri Mar 14 15:36:55 EDT 2008


Gary-
we were able to get a permit for the "marsh machine" at the Cusano
Environmental Education Ctr in Philly from DEP. This uses the Solar Aquatics
system (similar to a Living Machine) However, it is a recirculating system -
with treated water used to flush the toilets. We were not able to get a
permit to discharge the treated effluent. That was 7 years ago and the
building manager is trying again for this discharge permit (we installed the
valves and piping in hopes this would eventually be possible).

For a project in design in Maryland, we're using a system from Clivus
Multrum that includes composting toilet, liquid waste collection and gray
water treatment by a constructed wetlands. The officials down there are very
open to this approach.

Muscoe Martin
m2 Architecture

> -----Original Message-----
> From: biggreen-bounces at lists.biggreen.org 
> [mailto:biggreen-bounces at lists.biggreen.org] On Behalf Of Gary Moshier
> Sent: Friday, March 14, 2008 11:54 AM
> To: biggreen at lists.biggreen.org
> Subject: Big Green: Re: Septic system alternatives
> 
> What about regulatory issues with constructed wetlands?  I 
> understand PA DEP is slow to approve anything other than a 
> traditional septic system. Does anyone have experience with 
> these in Pennsylvania?
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> Gary P. Moshier, AIA ? Partner ? LEED Accredited Professional 
> Moshier Studio   Architecture   ?  Interiors  ?  Planning    
> ?  Sustainable Design 
> 201 S. Highland Avenue, Suite 203 , Pittsburgh, PA 15206
> P-412-361-5302 ? F-412-361-7302
> www.moshierstudio.com ? gary at moshierstudio.com  P Please 
> consider the environment before printing this e-mail
>  
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: biggreen-bounces at lists.biggreen.org 
> [mailto:biggreen-bounces at lists.biggreen.org] On Behalf Of 
> biggreen-request at lists.biggreen.org
> Sent: Thursday, March 13, 2008 7:00 PM
> To: biggreen at lists.biggreen.org
> Subject: BigGreen Digest, Vol 29, Issue 5
> 
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> Today's Topics:
> 
>    1. Re: Septic system alternatives (Charles Brown)
> 
> 
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Message: 1
> Date: Wed, 12 Mar 2008 21:52:57 -0400
> From: Charles Brown <charles at brownarchitecture.net>
> Subject: Re: Big Green: Septic system alternatives
> To: BigGreen List <biggreen at lists.biggreen.org>
> Message-ID: <C3FE0139.28EF%charles at brownarchitecture.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
> 
> We just compared a system similar to what Bill describes to a 
> conventional
> septic system for a small group toilet in a park.  It would 
> have been a wash
> or even less given different soil conditions.
> Check out; http://waterrecycling.com/
> 
> CB
> 
> Charles Brown, AIA LEED AP
> Brown Architecture Inc.
> 324 So. Wilmington Street
> Box 117
> Raleigh, North Carolina 27601
> charles at brownarchitecture.net
> 919.280.0741
> 
> 
> 
> From: Bill Reed <reed at integrativedesign.net>
> Date: Wed, 12 Mar 2008 11:59:44 -0400
> To: Ralph Bicknese <rbicknese at hellmuth-bicknese.com>, 
> 'Jennifer Hendricks'
> <jshendricks at napervilleparks.org>, <biggreen at lists.biggreen.org>
> Conversation: Big Green: Septic system alternatives
> Subject: Re: Big Green: Septic system alternatives
> 
> Ralph et al,
> 
> We typically use constructed wetland systems.  In more than a 
> few cases they
> have been less costly to install than conventional septic systems.
> Particularly where soil strata and type require that leech 
> field lines are
> installed more than six feet deep.  The wetland Œwaste¹ water 
> is at tertiary
> level and with additional filtration is at a potable level.  Thus, we
> install the leech lines (dosing lines in the case of 
> wetlands) at 10² below
> grade saving money.  We also save having to reserve an extra 
> leech field
> area because the dosing field has no suspended solids to clog 
> it after years
> of use. 
> 
> Best regards,
> 
> Bill
> 
> 
> Bill Reed, AIA, LEED
> Regenesis
> Integrative Design Collaborative
> 
> C.  617.797.6099
> T.  781.483.3040 / 505.986.8338
> www.regenesisgroup.com
> www.integrativedesign.net
> 
> Things happen - 
> Please follow up critical Emails
> with a phone call if you have not
> had a reply to your message
> 
> 
> 
> 
> From: Ralph Bicknese <rbicknese at hellmuth-bicknese.com>
> Organization: Hellmuth - Bicknese Architecture LLC
> Date: Wed, 12 Mar 2008 10:30:14 -0500
> To: 'Jennifer Hendricks' <jshendricks at napervilleparks.org>,
> <biggreen at lists.biggreen.org>
> Subject: Big Green: Septic system alternatives
> 
> Jennifer:
>  
> I have no experience with the Dri-Let toilet system.  However 
> this does
> raise a related issue that we have been struggling with.  
> What are green
> recommendations for replacing a conventional septic system?
>  
> As much as I like them, a living machine is probably not an 
> option in this
> case due mostly to cost. Residential septic systems are 
> typically installed
> for $10-15k so costs would need to be relatively comparable. 
> We have also
> heard of ³drip irrigation² systems but I have no experience with them.
>  
> Cheers,
> Ralph Bicknese
>  
>  
> 
> From: biggreen-bounces at lists.biggreen.org
> [mailto:biggreen-bounces at lists.biggreen.org] On Behalf Of 
> Jennifer Hendricks
> Sent: Wednesday, March 12, 2008 7:56 AM
> To: 'biggreen at lists.biggreen.org'
> Subject: Big Green: Dri-Let
>  
> Does anyone have experience with the Dri-Let toilet systems?  They're
> billing themselves as an environmentally friendly 
> self-contained, compact,
> portable, electric powered toilet system that processes waste 
> into a fine
> ash.  I'd love to hear your reviews of the product, if any of 
> you have used
> it.  http://www.DriLet-America.com
>  
> Jennifer Strauss Hendricks, RLA
> Project Manager, Naperville Park District
> 320 W. Jackson Ave, Naperville, IL 60540
> Phone: 630-848-3597, Fax: 630-848-5019
>  
>  q Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail.
>  
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________________________
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> _______________________________________________________________
> This green building dialogue is provided as a public service
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