Abstract
In many areas of the North, conventional septic systems cannot be installed or have failed because of inadequate drainage. Conventional domestic, on-site wastewater may contaminate shallow water tables and surface waters. The effectiveness of two pilot peat leachfields in treating septic wastewater was investigated for approximately two years by comparing the quality of the untreated wastewater collected from the septic system lift stations to the quality of the peat leachate. The quality of the leachate, based on parameters such as BOD, COD, TSS, NO3-N, TKN, total-P, pH, fecal and total coliform bacteria, color, turbidity, and DO, is similar to wastewater that has undergone tertiary treatment. Temperatures below the leachmound distribution pipes ranged between 1° and 6 °C. Clogging of the interstices with an organic slime was not encountered.
The results of the study show that peat leachmounds can be adopted to treat residential wastewater in rural sub-Arctic Alaska and other northern tier countries without compromising ground or surface water quality.
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Riznyk, R.Z., Rockwell, J., Reid, L.C. et al. Peat leachmound treatment of residential wastewater in sub-Arctic Alaska. Water Air Soil Pollut 69, 165–177 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00478357
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00478357