Eliminite 120 C Retrofit

A client was required to add advanced treatment to his existing onsite system and chose to use Eliminite.  (Studies show that Eliminite clients generally have higher IQ's )

The existing septic tank lid is visible near the steps.  We just dug the hole and set the 120 C.  The whole operation took just a few hours and we were working in sub-zero temps. When finished, all that will be exposed will be the small riser lids set flush with the ground.  (Other studies show that Eliminite clients also have more cash left in their wallets)

A few "decentralized" thoughts

If you were to ask, the people in XXXX would say they need a centralized wastewater treatment system. But the way I think of it, due to its size, is more akin to a cluster or community system. While the plant will be “centralized”, the design concept will be decentralized and therefore, custom tailored to fit precisely the needs of the community.
The field of decentralized wastewater treatment is relatively new and continues to evolve. Perhaps the greatest challenge to the professional practicing in the field is that decentralized design requires a fluent command of numerous disciplines and areas of expertise. While a, large multi-disciplinary engineering firm may be able to assemble the appropriate expertise by employing many individuals, this strategy is not desirable because no one person is sufficiently experienced in all areas of expertise and leadership of the group will be lacking. The result is important tasks are handed off to personnel with little understanding of the goal and without a clear sense of direction or what the finished product should look like. The “Big Pipe” approach works this way. Ultimately, Big-Pipe design places little or no value on the actual needs and resources of the community but requires that the community force itself into compliance with the design. Big-pipe does not rely on creative thinking because every design has already been built and is explained in thousands of textbooks. This lack of creative thought leads to problems for the community however, because once the actual requirements deviate (and they always deviate) from the example presented in the textbook, the designer attempts to force compliance no matter how procrustean the fit. Big-Pipe can be described as a “brute force” approach to wastewater design where rather than the population being served by the treatment system, the treatment system is served by the population.

Decentralized, in contrast, begins with an understanding of the needs and resources of the humans being served by the wastewater treatment system. Assessing realistic growth patterns and growth potential is fundamental because an overdesigned system is, arguably, a more egregious design flaw than an under-designed one. Generally the problems associated with a smaller system may take years to develop and are easy to remedy. A typical grossly oversized big-pipe system will develop problems from the first day it is brought on line. Therefore, the decentralized approach will use realistic methods of flow prediction to arrive at a design that is congruous with the needs of the community. I am not suggesting that we under-design the wastewater treatment system, to the contrary, I suggest we develop a modular plan that allows the community to expand and contract according to its natural tendency and as driven by market forces. A decentralized approach demands an intimate understanding of the physical characteristics of potential sites and service areas so that many options and configurations can be considered before selecting the one best suited to the needs of the community.

An interesting aspect of the economic downturn is that classic big-pipe companies are now vying for much smaller projects than they typically manage. These firms generally, fail to offer due respect to the smaller systems and operate as though a system design for a community the size of XXXX is no more than a down-sized version of a large municipal plant. This thinking would lead one to believe that children are simply smaller versions of adults sharing the same needs ands concerns. Maybe I am stretching the analogy a little but the concept is intact; decentralized wastewater treatment is not simply a scaled-down version of municipal design but rather is a completely different way of thinking and approaching the task.

DNRC Study shows consistent, long term treatment with Eliminite

Decentralized vs Big Pipe

I subscribe to several blogs where many of the main contributors are manufacturers or engineers who design and build decentralized onsite wastewater systems. A major issue in these forums is the fact that regulatory agencies seem to be much more willing to construct "big pipe" sewage treatment plants than even consider a decentralized system. One such issue has been working its way through the regulatory mess called the L.A. Regional Water Board. ( If I had a choice, I would choose the other kind of water boarding rather than be exposed to this governmental torture). Apparently, onsite systems, the scourge of society, are responsible for all types of horrors such as polluting the bay, the aquifer, the soil....In fact they think they may have found a link between the septic system pollution and nancy pelosi's non-responsive blink reflex. But that's another water-board story.

Here is the interesting part, excerpted from their local paper:


"The Board estimated costs for a new sewer system and treatment plan for the city would range from $16 million to more than $80 million, with locals footing much of the bill. I could mean fees of $500 a month for local residents and $17,000 a month for local businesses." First I have to commend the Board on its "Cracker-Jack job of estimating the costs. $16 million to $80 million...a $64,000,000 spread! Translation: The project will cost more than $80,000,000 because these people don't know what they are talking about. It's like going to a restaurant and reading the menu:


12 oz. Porterhouse Steak.....$30 to $150

16 oz. Prime Rib (fridays and saturdays only).....$40 to $200

Bottle of Bud.....$4 to $20


Or how about....the new car you are looking to buy will either get 8 MPG or 40 MPG. Who knows?

The point is that any option costing businesses $17,000 per month is a dumb option. Period. But here is why, in my opinion, dopey regulators are so fixated on big pipe systems and unwilling to even consider a decentralized option: The manufacturers and designers of "decentralized" systems design and manufacture systems that look, to any rational person, dumb. A case in point can be found in an old edition of Onsite Installer magazine. Back in 2007 there was an article titled, "Soaring with Eagles" or something grand like that. I suggest you find that article, read it and decide whether or not it is "eagles" doing the soaring. Soaring cost? You bet. High flying absurdity? Absolutely. Stratospheric stupidity? Without a doubt. These types of designs, and they are common....in fact many designers and manufacturers cannot wait to land a job like that...only serve to damage the decentralized industry. Who cares that the mfg and designers were able to talk an obviously catatonic client into this foolishness, the fact is, when people think decentralized, that is what they envision because that is what gets designed and installed. As a result the decentralized industry is not given serious consideration because the designs it presents do not appear as if the designer is serious. The pod proliferation looks like something out of the old kids game "Mouse Trap". The idea behind the game was to perform a simple operation with the most convoluted apparatus possible. Take a look at http://www.rubemachine.com/. I am certain most of the decentralized "Big Boys" have a pretty good shot at sweeping the Rube-Goldberg competition with their existing designs.

The result, in the decentralized industry, are goofy wastewater treatment systems requiring, in some designs, continuous on-line babysitting. It seems to me that the only reason a manufacturer would require 24/7 monitoring of the septic system (something that is not very popular with the owner of the system) is because they NEED it. In other words, the system is so unreliable that without a continuous on-line connection, the system is in imminent danger of failing catastrophically without warning. It is interesting that most other industries, automobile industry for instance, have progressed to a point where cars can log 100,000 miles before a tune up. Auto warranties have gone from 12 months to 24 months to 36 months and they keep improving. The onsite industry, in contrast, has regressed from bury it forget it and replace it in 30 years to installing a full time digital link-up in an attempt to keep the goofy thing running until the next onsite maintenance visit. And I don't want to hear about system failures....from what I have seen, the only systems failing are the "new" ones that cost a fortune and were supposed to be a panacea for all of our perceived wastewater issues. If the decentralized industry wants to make progress and compete effectively with big pipe, it will need to conduct a serious self-evaluation and stop pretending that all the snake-oil, pod after pod systems are real wastewater treatment systems and accept what they are, goofy.

Aerobic Treatment Units ATU

Before my rant begins I just want to express my amazement and gratitude at how many hits this blog receives each day...wow!! I'm starting to get embarrassed. Thank you, I appreciate the fact that so many people take the time to read some of these comments.

I want to take some time to poke fun at a class of onsite wastewater treatment systems (yeah, right) referred to as ATU's or aerobic treatment units. These contraptions are slapped together by a variety of snake-oil purveyors and find their way into peoples yards through a complex and effective manipulation of smoke, mirrors, sleight of hand, payola and coercion, in other words, marketing. In their most basic form (and that's really all there is) they are simply aerated septic tanks. Somehow, someone figured out that that could toss a fish tank aerator into a common septic tank and charge thousands of dollars for it.

(The heart of the scam can be found at your state or local environmental health office however. This is because if the regulations determine that you need and ATU, you cannot simply go buy your own aerator for $250.00 and stick the hose in your septic tank NOOOOOOO......you have to go pay thousands of dollars to buy their aerator so they can stick the hose in your septic tank.)

You have to admit, that's pretty slick marketing... unless you happen to be the one paying for it of course. What's really funny about ATU's is the lengths each peddler will go to to try to differentiate their ATU from all other ATU's. This is a losing battle because they are all exactly the same thing, Aerated Septic Tanks. Some will extol the virtues of the geometric precision of their dynamic aeration chamber which leads to enhanced treatment including the conversion of chicken-shit into chicken salad. Others will try to close the blinds on your ability to think by telling you that their gizmo provides an attachment surface for tired little microbes and thus combines suspended and fixed growth processes. This is of course chicken salad (or was it the other one?) because they don't put enough attachment media in the things to do anything...it's all a hoax, period. All the work is done by the air compressor that runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year. And yes, the electrical cost is significant.

As far as actual treatment results.....well let's just say that, from what I have seen, the only data that shows that these Aerated Septic Tanks consistently remove nitrogen from wastewater, is the data the snake-oil salesmen have paid for. In other words, in real-world applications, where they are not being spoon-fed a select diet of organically grown, antibiotic free, scientifically diluted, free range wastewater prepared by the galloping gourmet, served according to a precise dining schedule and in carefully measured bite-sized pieces, they just do not seem to work......

ATU's do, however, come complete with an extensive list of excuses provided free of charge by the manufacturer as to why that stink-pot in your back yard is not doing the job you paid for. When the list is exhausted, most of the peddlers have a toll free phone number you can call to get more. I hear a few of these companies have web sites where you can download thousands of previously tested excuses that are guaranteed, in writing, to make you think the reason the thing is not working is your fault. Here are a few:

You are using too much water.
You are not using enough water.
You are using the correct amount of water at the wrong time.
Your water is too hard.
Your water is too soft.
Your water is just right and the monotony is killing the microbes off.
Have you tried talking to it? Try enunciating more clearly.
Have you tried praying for it? To it?
You need to buy another "pod".
You are using antibacterial soap. Can't you just rinse off outside?
You are taking penicillin or some other antibiotic.
You can't use oral contraceptives and expect this thing to work!
How do you expect it to work with all these kids you have?!

ATU....Always Trouble Underground
ATU...Another Troubled Unit
ATU...Always Totally Under-performs

Residential Onsite Wastewater Treatment System Cost

We finished up a job last week.....the original plans showed the other guys system. A single family home, five bedrooms, nothing special, was being served. I guess they decided to check us out after they received the quote for the components of the system. It was almost $18,000.00 just for the parts!

The Eliminite system came in at $10,800 for the entire system. And we are making a handsome profit at that price.

Like I said....Better products. Better prices.

Smart onsite design means big cost savings

Advanced onsite wastewater treatment systems are expensive so it is important to get the most value for your money. I want to provide an example of the savings you can realize by selecting an Eliminite system rather than another competing onsite wastewater treatment system. We recently quoted a project with a design flow rate of 5000 GPD. The project engineer had the "big manufacturer" draw up a design and he just pasted it into his plans. The system included a 15,000 gal fiberglass septic tank, 2 treatment boxes full of their media, a 4000 gal recirculation tank, 4000 gal dosing tank, an electric heater and a fresh water cistern to wash off the media everytime it clogs. The owner was also being required to install a dedicated phone line, presumably because the system needed to chat with someone.

The Eliminite system consisted of 2, 3000 gal concrete septic tanks and 2, Eliminite 320 C treatment units. (The largest tank the local concrete company we were working with has is 3000 gal or else we could have done the entire system in one or two tanks.) We do not need the enormous septic tank volume because our MetaRocks are much less likely to clog. The big guys media is so fine and has such little pores that even the tiniest piece of gunk will get caught on the surface and send the whole thing on its way to bio-foul city. The Eliminite design is much simpler, more compact and is not nearly as sensitive installation so the contractor does not have to get stressed out about fractions of inches in elevation. Our price came in a full $10,000 lower than theirs on parts alone. By the time you figure in labor Eliminite blows them away! But, here is the kicker: The competition was so angry that we were bidding the job that they bullied the project engineer into making us bid it with the big fiberglass septic tank even though we don't need one that large. And I am fairly certain that the competitions local distributor is deviating from the manugacturers recommendations regarding system design to try to get his prices down. But, even in the face of their dirty dealings, we were still $10,000 lower than their bid. Without the huge fiberglass septic tank, which we will omit and substitute correctly sized septic tanks, our bid will be around $20,000 below theirs.....not bad considering their price was around $85,000. Our price was for the ENTIRE system...sewer, septic tank, treatment system and drainfield.

The simple truth is that Eliminite is the smartest choice for onsite wastewater treatment systems and I can prove it. Oh....our treatment numbers are better too and we did not need a water cistern to wash the media. Our MetaRocks don't clog the way the other guys media does which means our maintenance is far less invasive, far less expensive and far less STINKY.

I was driving around the other day and I saw one of the competing systems in someones backyard. What a mess!! If I were the homeowner I would bring them up on charges for sticking all that junk right off my patio! Vents, risers, big lids, cleanouts. There is no way you could put up a volleyball net, or a small swimming pool, or throw a ball. The centerpiece of the entire backyard is the shit tank....And when they come next week to hose down the clogged media, you know where the mess is going. It will be splashed all over the patio furniture, the barbecue grill, the dog will be rolling in it. Give us a call and we can help you avoid those kind of mistakes. One lady told me she cursed the day they put the other system in her yard. When she saw how unobtrusive the Eliminite is and what she could have had, I thought she was going to cry.

Advanced Onsite Wastewater Treatment By Choice

Ask yourself why a developer would scrap his approved plans, choose to push his construction schedule back and submit his 20 Lot project to state review for a second time. Anyone would say that's crazy, considering how much effort goes into the permitting process. Allow me to explain: The developer decided that the onsite wastewater treatment system his engineer specified was not the best choice (that engineer no longer works for him and perhaps engineers and designers should take note of this. Many of the onsite treatment systems we provide, replace the one the engineer specified. In other words, when your clients learns about Eliminite, they, almost without exception, choose it over the competing system...the one YOU specified. I have witnessed those conversations and it can be very embarrasing for the engineer when the client wants to know why his engineer was so cavalier with his interests and money and did not provide him with information on Eliminite.)

Take a look at the photo of the pristine Montana lakefront development and notice the Eliminte system being installed in the foreground. Here in Montana, Eliminite is one of only a few advanced treatment options available, and it is the only system produced by a small, independent engineering and manufacturing firm. Eliminite's competition is produced by corporate giants who've indiscriminately sold cookie-cutter "black boxes" from coast to coast for the past several years, with mixed results. In a state that is at the headwaters of the rest of the nation, what do you see being installed?

The treatment system in the picture took about 3.5 hours to install and saved the developer tens of thousands of dollars compared to the previously approved onsite system. He got a better wastewater treatment system for a lot less money....wow.

In case you were still wondering

I see that some of the "big boys" have been visiting this blog and the http://www.squirtonsite.blogspot.com/ recently. It looks like they have really been scouring the site! Maybe they are trying to get some fresh ideas on how to improve their products. (remember, you saw it here first) Maybe they are trying to understand exactly how my small company is responsible for winning over so many of their clients. In this tight economy people are looking to get the best value for their money and, I am happy to report, they are increasingly selecting Eliminite as their advanced onsite wastewater treatment system. In fact, our client base has grown dramatically as these new customers do their homework and deliberately choose Eliminite over other systems. Once people become aware of us and what we can do for them we are the system of choice almost without exception. So the "big boys" are well advised to look out because Eliminite is winning over the market everywhere we go. So come on guys....pick up the phone and give me a call and let's see how we can work together to provide the best possible products and services to the public. Oh...I just got a call while I was writing this entry, another client wants to install an Eliminite rather than the advanced treatment system he was already permitted with...right, yours. I'll finish his drawings tomorrow.

Two 320 C Advanced Treatment Systems Serve a School

Our 320 C Advanced Onsite Wastewater Treatment System is a good choice for schools for several reasons. The compact footprint and minimal surface exposure means valuable space is conserved. The only component that will be visible at the surface when these are finished will be four 24" dia. lids. Compared to other systems, that is a very slight visual impact and if you think about it, has a lot of benefits such as reduced heat loss, more aesthetic appeal and lower risk of being tampered with. Each unit contains more than 300 ft^3 of MetaRocks media and will reliably meet a 60% nitrogen removal standard while gulping 2500 GPD each. Installation of both units took about 3.5 hours and that included setting up the drainfield pumps. Maintenance is easy and we will train school personnel to look after the system. The popularity of our systems is growing dramatically as people become aware of us. In fact once we have had the opportunity to describe and discuss our treatment systems and philosophy with people most of them will specify Eliminite exclusively. I would love to visit with you and show you why these advanced onsite systems make so much more sense.

Eliminite 120 C Replaces Failed Sand Filter

Here is the finished job before final landscaping. The two small green lids are the only visible system components. No big square lids, and multiple riser lids like some systems. No ugly vent pipes sticking up in the yard, no noisy blowers running all day and all night forever. This system will produce BOD and TSS of about 10 mg/l at a price that blows the competition right out of the water. Really.

Another Failed Sand Filter

Sand filters, what a mess. I have never liked them and here is why. The photo shows a failed sand filter we abandoned last week. These things were supposed to last for years and years and only cost $4000 to install. Right. This one probably cost the owner $15,000 and probably failed within a year of being put into use. I hear from engineers, and this one was designed by an ENR top 500 firm, about how they have designed hundreds of sand filters and have never had any problems. I am pretty sure the designer knows nothing about this one and therefore it surely gets included in the "never had any problems" category. And what motovation does an engineer have, after specifying "hundreds" of sand filters to admit they don't work? Some people just refuse to give a straight answer.

You can clearly see the thick, black pea gravel layer right above the sand. Notice how clean the sand looks. In fact, the interface had become so completely sealed off that the sand below was almost dry. The gravity drain pipe at the bottom of the sand filter barely had a water stain on it. This is a strong statement about the ability of the soil to account for unreliable onsite treatment systems. I was amused to find the little devices that the manufacturer claimed would shield the distribution orifices clogged with a disgusting black anaerobic sludge. It looks like that was a really great idea, right up there with Edsel, New Coke and "I hate math Barbie". I know some will be offended by what I am saying but I refuse to dance around these issues any more. Real people are paying real money for this garbage. And I don't want to hear any excuses about how sand filters must be designed, installed and maintained properly to function. Anything that requires such an enormous expenditure of resources is simply not suitable for an onsite wastewater treatment system. The reason sand filters are so popular is because manufacturers provide plans that design firms can cut and paste into their drawings. The client gets charged engineering prices for a cut and paste operation. Then, when the thing fails, the homeowner or contractor gets blamed. The sand is too coarse. The sand is too fine. The sand is too dirty. The sand is too clean. The sand is too sandy. The soil cap is too thick, it couldn't breath. The soil cap is too thin, it froze. The owners used too much water, it was overloaded. The owners didn't use enough water, it starved. And I love the investigative questions....Does anyone in the house take penicillin? Use antibacterial soap? Do you use any household cleaners..bleach, lysol,comet. Has anyone ever walked on it? Looked at it? Anything to find some reason to pin the failure of the thing on the homeowner when the simple fact is sand filters are just unreliable and poised, for no apparent reason and at any moment, to fail miserably and create a mini sewage lagoon in the back yard.

My fix? We dug a hole in the center of it and installed an Eliminite 120 C. Problem solved.

If you want to see what I have to say about the "brilliant" distribution system design, check out: http://www.squirtonsite.blogspot.com/

Fixed film systems are really just boxes full of something...

The question is: What is the "something"? You probably have a pretty good idea of what is available to fill the boxes; sand, gravel, textiles, peat, foam, sponges, plastic sheets, plastic beads and, of course, MetaRocks. Selecting the best treatment media can be confusing; too often, the manufacturer with the best marketing and sales pitch is disproportionately represented in the decentralized market, regardless of the quality of their treatment media.

As an aside, a boneheaded marketing guy once told me that my strategy for marketing my products was all wrong. You see , we dedicate quite a bit of effort and money to improving our products and developing better ways to accomplish our treatment goals. This "head-up-his -a*#, hand-in-my-wallet" marketing clown told me to stop trying to build a better mousetrap, and, instead, build a better brand. In other words, waste more money with him to develop a plan to dupe people into buying products. I could produce an inferior product as long as it had a really slick marketing plan. In fact, this particular marketing firm attempted to convince me that an ideal marketing campaign would include fear-mongering advertisements warning new parents that, without my advanced treatment system, they would be subjecting their children to heightened risk of "blue baby syndrome". That was pretty much the last straw for me. I fired that clown and kept improving the effectiveness, efficiency, reliability and value of our products. From the looks of things, however, it appears that many of my competitors embrace similar advice, and have profited not through the merits of their systems, but through their impressive marketing force and widespread distribution networks.

Now back to our regularly scheduled program...

So, what makes an effective treatment media?

Most people will say that surface area and porosity are the most important characteristics of packed bed reactor/biofilter media used in onsite systems. Using this logic, one might decide that a media offering a surface area of 45 m^2/gram and a porosity of 55% would provide superior wastewater treatment compared to media with 0.0005 m^2/gram and a porosity 40%. However this comparison is between Kaolinite clay and coarse sand. Clays have extremely high specific surface areas but are not at all suitable for use as a wastewater treatment medium. ( A cubic ft of Montmorillonite for example, has over 8000 Acres of surface area) Clearly, then, there are considerations other than maximizing the specific surface area of the media. Furthermore, the high porosity of clays and other types of media, when considered alone, really mean nothing. If the porosity is "dead-end" porosity or closed porosity, or if the pores are small enough to be bridged by microbial growth, then, as the media is put to use, there is a corresponding decrease in porosity over time. If, for instance, water can seal off pore spaces, then that porosity really is not available for treatment purposes. Enter the slick marketing clowns who will try to convince you that a treatment media is better simply because it boasts a lot of surface area.

Think of a kitchen sponge. It has internal porosity, and this porosity is effective porosity because the pores connect to one another. The sponge probably has a pretty high specific surface area, as well. Now, imagine the sponge being saturated. Even after gravity drainage, water is still being held in some of the pores. The water that is held creates a barrier to the transfer of air in and out of the pore spaces. Aerobic bacteria will be starved for O2 and die off. Is this what you want to happen in an aerobic bioreactor? NO!

Now think of all the different types of treatment media and evaluate whether or not the phenomenon I described can occur in each one. If it can, grab your rubber gloves, bleach, Hefty Steel Sacks, pressure washers and maybe even a Haz-Mat suit, because you will be washing, "fluffing", or replacing that media sooner than you think.

Next, I want to discuss how MetaRocks overcomes the limitations so apparent in other packing media.

Community systems

I am working on several community wastewater treatment systems that I thought I would present here. My philosophy regarding these systems is that they have to fit the application, be reliable, be cost effective and do a great job treating wastewater. I do not at all like the fad of stringing together "pods". And I don't really care what you use to fill the pods. I think that type of system looks goofy and ultimately give onsite and decentralized a black eye. I prefer custom and semi-custom systems that are sized for the job. The only reason a manufacturer daisy-chains a bunch of little boxes together is because it is cheaper for them to make one thing and replicate that thing over and over. It's odd, however, that the cost benefit does not pass through to the owner. Here is a sweet little community system I am working on. This will go inside a small building so that it can be accessed any time of the year. Here is a photo of one we did a while ago.

Compare this very professional onsite wastewater treatment system to the "field of pods" concept. This is why our little Montana company has been taking so much work from the big guys.

We can add UV disinfection too.

If you want it completely buried...we can do that.

Nobody wants to see the septic system

This photo illustrates our philosophy of designing advanced onsite systems for the people that will use them. This Eliminite serves several homes and the only exposure of the system will be the small green risers shown in the photo. No huge lids, stand-pipes and multiple risers. It seems to me that most manufacturers design and build their "thing" for their own convenience and the homeowner is expected to put up with it and shut up. Unlike most, Eliminite takes care to reduce the visual impact of our advanced treatment systems because nobody wants to see the septic system.

Another grueling day at the office

Can you spot the mountain goats?

MetaRocks are an ideal treatment medium

Here is a photo of a system that has been in operation for 3.5 years. These MetaRocks have a single slit to increase surface area. Currently, we put three slits on each one. Again, no flushing, hosing, fluffing, replacing or washing has been done. MetaRocks are highly resistant to biological fouling and the most recent sample from this system measured about 6 mg/l total nitrogen. You can imagine how easy Eliminite maintenance is compared to other systems.

Here is an interesting photo. This system was installed four years ago an is located at about 7500 ft above sea level. You are looking at an older style version of our MetaRocks, we have improved them significantly since this system was built. What is important however, is that these MetaRocks have never been washed, hosed off, fluffed, changed removed, replaced or cleaned. There is obvious junk on them from opening the lid and knocking rocks and wood chips in the tank but the large open pores are also clearly visible. Here is the good part: the influent to this system is quite potent TKN: 112-164 mg/l and BOD 800-1500 mg/l.

When the Eliminite was turned on effluent TN measured 20.5 mg/l. Considering the minimal maintenance this system requires and its alpine location, a nitrogen reduction such as this is remarkable.

This is a picture of an Eliminite retrofit where we added a Model 120 C to an existing system in a locally supplied precast tank. We built the system in the field by modifying the tank to accommodate the Eliminite components. You can see our Lung in the foreground and the media bed in the large compartment. This system contains about 100 ft^3 of MetaRocks media.

We complete the job by continuing to fill the tank with MetaRocks media. This system has approximately 600 cubic ft of MetaRocks media and will treat 4000 GPD to tertiary standards. No smoke and mirrors here. We use a lot of our proprietary media and build a remarkably robust system with a small footprint and simple maintenance requirements.

The bottom is complete, next the top tank section is placed and we continue to fill with MetaRocks.

In this photo , Tony is filling the tank with MetaRocks.

Eliminite model 620 C being installed at a state park.