OSSF Design
Custom Wastewater Solutions, Treatment & Disposal Systems
Small businesses outside of municipal borders are required to build their own on-site sewage facility (OSSF). For example, a school district located on the outskirts of Austin proper likely needs an OSSF system for wastewater treatment and disposal. WWD Engineering designs on-site septic systems to treat and dispose of effluent, or wastewater, on the land in which it was initially produced. Specializing in OSSF design, WWD Engineering provides clear answers to your wastewater questions.
The On-Site Wastewater System
The septic unit incorporates an inlet pipe to allow the wastewater into the tank. Once in the holding area, primary treatment occurs: the waste disperses from the water with the solids sinking and the scum floating. Regular OSSF maintenance includes sludge accumulation inspections and grease pumping to eliminate the refuse. The leftover water then proceeds through a pipe on the opposing wall, either continuing to the next treatment level or descending immediately into the drain field, also called a seepage or leach field. Dependent upon your unique plumbing needs, our design team determines how many treatment levels effectively cleanse your wastewater to governmental, environmental and your personal satisfaction. After progressing through the subsurface wastewater infiltration system, the effluent’s residual contamination dissipates through various routes: evaporation, plants’ root consumption or simple soil processing, returning the treated water to a groundwater source.
The Drain Field
Just like the design of the water treatment system, the design of the disposal unit is subject to a number of geographical and situational regulations. The drain field’s measurements generally parallel proportionately to the amount of wastewater and the property dimensions. Gravity tends to control the disposal rate; if it proves lacking, a lift pump and additional siphons add pressure to rectify the rate.
The most frequently used wastewater allocation methods tend to lie in spray irrigation and drip irrigation, or trickle irrigation. Drip irrigation utilizes plastic tubes to directly focus the wastewater on suitable root areas, exercising a slow and steady precipitate to effectively water plants. Subsurface drip irrigation provides an additional protection against daily wear, as the tubing lies underground.
Our design team also conceptualizes methods for wastewater distribution after it passes through the wastewater treatment system. The most common options appear in spray irrigation and drip irrigation, or trickle irrigation. With the use of interconnected plastic tubes, drip irrigation allows the treated wastewater to travel to the most dehydrated roots. The subsurface avenue of drip irrigation utilizes the same materials in the same fashion, only underground, maintaining their structural integrity. The primary difference between drip and spray irrigation lies in the mode of treated wastewater disposal – drip irrigation applies the wastewater slowly and steadily to the ground, while spray irrigation spouts the water.
Tank Materials
Precast concrete tends to be the construction material of choice for strength and durability purposes. Additionally, such options as cast-in-place concrete, polyethylene and fiberglass allow alternatively appealing options.
Evaluations & Inspections
To discern the most appropriate choices in OSSF design suitable to your property’s needs, WWD Engineering conducts a site evaluation prior to actual design. The site tells us how many and which types of treatment levels best purify your effluent. We conduct complete OSSF feasibility studies, in addition to site and soil evaluations, accurately assessing your wastewater system needs. WWD Engineering holds safety as a high priority, following the OSSF design regulations of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). These designations secure public health and diminish environmental side effects. Our professionals assist you in all necessary TCEQ OSSF paperwork. In addition, our design team considers the Texas Health and Safety Code which guides design, construction and maintenance for on-site sewage systems.
WWD Engineering wields the resources to design any commercial on-site treatment plant. Call today to discuss your customized options with our team.