Wastewater management system
First Claim
1. A method of “
- rejuvenating”
a wastewater treatment system of the type including a septic unit, an aerobic treatment unit or the like connected by a pipe to a “
plugged”
downstream soil absorption system comprising the steps of excavating a volume of soil to expose the pipe, removing at least a section of the pipe, housing a solids settling and retention basin in the excavated volume, connecting an upstream pipe to the basin for effecting wastewater flow into the basin, housing a filtration and flow equalization unit in the basin for effecting wastewater filtration and flow equalization thereby eliminating flow surges, and connecting an outlet of the filtration and flow equalization unit to the soil absorption system whereby substantially solid-free wastewater is delivered to the “
plugged”
soil absorption system while filtered and settled solid can be subsequently removed from the basin and the filtration and flow equalization unit.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of and an apparatus for rejuvenating a wastewater treatment system of the type including a septic tank, an aerobic treatment unit or the like connected by a pipe to a plugged downstream soil absorption system includes a wastewater treatment unit which is interposed between the septic unit/aerobic treatment unit and the downstream soil absorption system. The wastewater treatment unit includes a single piece or a multiple piece solids settling and retention basin within which is suspendingly supported a wastewater treatment mechanism essentially of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,264,120. The wastewater treatment mechanism includes filters for filtering and settling solids from wastewater and flow equalization ports for effecting flow equalization thereby eliminating flow surges to the downstream plugged soil absorption system. By utilizing an extremely compact solids settling and retention basin and its attendant operative components, solids are prevented from passing beyond the wastewater treatment unit to the failed soil absorption system. In this fashion the wastewater treatment unit of the present invention can rejuvenate wastewater treatment systems which have failed, and if installed prior to such failure, can extend the life thereof substantially indefinitely. The latter and other advantages are achieved at relatively low cost, absent destruction of existing sod or lawn, moving fencing, trees, etc., and absent creating a hazard for individuals, particularly small children.
-
Citations
80 Claims
-
1. A method of “
- rejuvenating”
a wastewater treatment system of the type including a septic unit, an aerobic treatment unit or the like connected by a pipe to a “
plugged”
downstream soil absorption system comprising the steps of excavating a volume of soil to expose the pipe, removing at least a section of the pipe, housing a solids settling and retention basin in the excavated volume, connecting an upstream pipe to the basin for effecting wastewater flow into the basin, housing a filtration and flow equalization unit in the basin for effecting wastewater filtration and flow equalization thereby eliminating flow surges, and connecting an outlet of the filtration and flow equalization unit to the soil absorption system whereby substantially solid-free wastewater is delivered to the “
plugged”
soil absorption system while filtered and settled solid can be subsequently removed from the basin and the filtration and flow equalization unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
- rejuvenating”
-
16. The method as defined in claim I including “
- customizing”
the height of the basin to the location of the pipe ends and/or the depth of excavation and/or the position relative to ground level by performing the steps of providing a riser of a peripheral profile substantially matching the peripheral profile of a section of the basin to which the pipe ends are connected, telescopically uniting an axial end of the basin section with a substantially matching axial end of the riser, sandwiching an annular seal between the telescopically united axial ends and outboard of the exteriormost of the axial ends, and exteriorly clamping the telescopically united axial ends together.
- customizing”
-
18. The method as defined in claim I including “
- customizing”
the height of the basin to the location of the pipe ends and/or the depth of excavation and/or the position relative to ground level by performing the steps of providing a ring of a peripheral profile substantially matching the peripheral profile of a section of the basin to which the pipe ends are connected, telescopically uniting an axial end of the basin section with a substantially matching axial end of the ring, and exteriorly clamping the telescopically united axial ends together.
- customizing”
-
25. A wastewater treatment unit comprising a solids settling and retention basin defined by a one-piece body molded from polymeric/copolymeric synthetic plastic material, said body including a tubular wall having an open upper end and a lower end closed by a bottom wall, a plurality of alternating internal and external peripheral ribs and valleys disposed substantially along the axial length of said body between said open upper end and said lower end, at least one of said internal peripheral ribs having a substantially lesser internal diameter than the diameter of internal peripheral ribs located below said one internal peripheral rib, means for introducing wastewater into said body, means for discharging wastewater from said body, wastewater treatment means in said body for treating wastewater during its flow from said introducing means to said discharging means, and means for suspendingly supporting said wastewater treatment means from said at least one internal peripheral rib.
- 32. A settling and retention basin comprising a body including a tubular wall having an open upper end and a lower end closed by a bottom wall, rib means adjacent said open upper end for underlyingly supporting a safety cover, a safety cover having a peripheral edge underlyingly supported by said rib means, an access cover closing said open upper end, and clamping means for clampingly securing said cover relative to said upper end.
-
45. A container particularly adapted to be selectively changed in axial length comprising a body including a tubular wall, said tubular wall including a plurality of alternating radially outwardly projecting circumferential ribs and radially outwardly opening circumferential valleys defining respective inwardly opening circumferential valleys and inwardly projecting circumferential ribs, at least two substantially axially spaced pairs of inwardly and outwardly projecting ribs defined by a common wall therebetween, at least one inwardly directed circumferential rib and an adjacent outwardly directed circumferential rib being located between said two pairs of ribs, and the exterior diameter of said at least one outwardly directed circumferential rib corresponds substantially to the internal diameter of the inwardly opening circumferential valleys whereby upon the removal of said common wall and a circumferential wall of an adjacent inwardly projecting circumferential rib a band of waste material can be discarded and remaining at least two tubular wall portions of said tubular wall can be telescopically mated with said at least one outwardly directed circumferential rib being seated within and upon a remaining wall portion of one of said inwardly opening circumferential valleys.
-
48. A method of installing a new wastewater treatment system of the type including a septic unit, an aerobic treatment unit or like wastewater treatment device comprising the steps of excavating a volume of soil, housing a wastewater treatment device in the excavated volume, housing a solids settling and retention basin in the excavated volume downstream of the wastewater treatment device, connecting an upstream pipe between the wastewater treatment device and the basin for effecting wastewater flow into the basin, housing a filtration and flow equalization unit in the basin for effecting wastewater filtration and flow equalization thereby eliminating flow surges, and connecting the filtration and flow equalization unit to a downstream soil absorption system whereby substantially solid-free wastewater is delivered to the soil absorption system while filtered and settled solid can be subsequently removed form the basin and the filtration and flow equalization unit.
- 70. A settling and retention basin comprising a molded one-piece body of polymeric/copolymeric material including a tubular body wall and axially opposite ends, a pair of openings, said openings being located in substantially diametrically opposite wall portions of said tubular body wall, each said openings having an axis, and said axes being in spaced offset relationship to each other.
Specification