General Discussion If it's Baja Related but Don't Know Where? Post it Here...

Old 08-05-09, 11:50 AM   #1
ncampion
 
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Default Active sewage treatment systems in Baja

Anybody know about the latest requirement from SEMERNAT for sewage treatment systems that require active aeration and other "treatments"? This has been stipulated in our environmental impact permit and I found a couple of systems, both of which take a 1/2hp electric motor to run which will totally killl my solar system. Apparently It's no longer OK for a simple two chamber tank with leech field. HELP



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Old 08-05-09, 12:04 PM   #2
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Default Re: Active sewage treatment systems in Baja

I forwarded via email your questions to a friend who should be able to help. I will post his answer...
Old 08-05-09, 03:05 PM   #3
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Default Re: Active sewage treatment systems in Baja

For the past 2-3 years, SEMERNAT will ONLY approve totally enclosed plastic tank systems. They refused my application to build a totally enclosed block tank with interior plaster & no leach system. My argument was the systems are too small & have to be pumped every few months which is really expensive here. They agreed that the system I'd designed would work better & not require constant pumping, but they stuck to their guns & wouldn't approve my building permit until I modified my specifications. Sewer lines are slowly going in in my area, but I guesstimate I'll have to pump for another 2-4 years.

There are 2-tank systems that filter solids in the first tank with a second larger storage tank that do not require an internal pump to make them work. I have one.

I watch new construction in the area & it appears that my place has the only legal new septic in my area, but I personally wasn't willing to violate current codes & put in a leach field.

What area are you going to be building in? The tank systems are available in La Paz.
Old 08-05-09, 04:02 PM   #4
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Default Re: Active sewage treatment systems in Baja

I saw mention recently of systems that separate black water and gray water. I'm guessing that would help with not having to pump the black tank so often. Perhaps you can design your system to take advantage of the gray water which can be used for irrigation, or just put back in the ground.

If you do use a gray water system, you may want to be cautious or at least aware of the soaps and detergents you use. Some are better than others as far as low phosphates, biodegradable, etc, especially if you use it for watering a vegetable garden.

No idea if separating black and gray water is legal per Semernat, might just have to be one of those "after-hours" modification .
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Old 08-05-09, 04:20 PM   #5
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Default Re: Active sewage treatment systems in Baja

Yup....it's legal! I recycle 100% of my grey water....the ONLY thing that goes into my black water tank is the toilets.
Old 08-05-09, 04:25 PM   #6
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Default Re: Active sewage treatment systems in Baja

We are building a home in the Loreto area, just a few miles North of town. It will be an off-grid home and therefore power will be limited. The system we are looking at is at the following link:

Proline Wastewater aerobic septic system distributor info

I still don't have a definite answer from them as to how many watthours/day the system requires, but I think it is high as that pump runs all the time. There is a local distributor in Loreto that I am in touch with, but he's a little short on information "has to talk to the engineers first". I'm hoping there may be another acceptable solution to SEMARNAT. So far they seem solid on this type of system.


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Old 08-05-09, 05:43 PM   #7
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Default Re: Active sewage treatment systems in Baja

"runs all the time"?!?

We wire up pressurized septic systems all the time and they work on a series of floats. Think of a stick hanging in the tank that has 3 or 4 floats/contactors spaced veritcally on it. When the floats change position, (tank is empty, so all the floats are hanging down) as the tank fills up, each float changes position to hanging "UP" in the liquid. When the tank gets full enough and the top float goes into the "UP" position, it closes a contact that activates the pump. The pump pumps the liquid out of the tank until the liquid level is low enough that the bottom float goes "DOWN" which closes a contact that switches the system OFF.

The ones we wire up have "high water alarm" and/or "low water alarms" which is the reason for the extra floats instead of straight ON/OFF.

An approximate cost for the floats and a control box is about $300usd.

If you install a system like this you could put a manual override switch in the system so your septic doesn't try to pump at 3am when power is low. You can manually turn it on when power high or a generator is on.

Even if you don't go with a float-type system, you could install a manual override switch. Just make sure the switch you install (have installed) is rated for the size of the load.
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Old 08-05-09, 05:56 PM   #8
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Default Re: Active sewage treatment systems in Baja

Nuts, I understand that system you describe, but I think this is different. The pump is not a fluid pump, but an aeration pump, that pumps oxygen into the effulent thereby providing an aerobic environment to accelerate the natural digestion process. I believe the process has to occur constantly to work.
Old 09-06-09, 11:46 PM   #9
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Default Re: Active sewage treatment systems in Baja

Quote:
Originally Posted by ncampion
We are building a home in the Loreto area, just a few miles North of town. It will be an off-grid home and therefore power will be limited. The system we are looking at is at the following link:

Proline Wastewater aerobic septic system distributor info

I still don't have a definite answer from them as to how many watthours/day the system requires, but I think it is high as that pump runs all the time. There is a local distributor in Loreto that I am in touch with, but he's a little short on information "has to talk to the engineers first". I'm hoping there may be another acceptable solution to SEMARNAT. So far they seem solid on this type of system.


.
I am building in the same area (north of Loreto) and I am in the process to apply for approval for a below surface wetland to treat my waste water after the septic tank I will as well separating the grey water and using it for irrigation (needs to have a oil separator at the house before you can use it for irrigation though)

Last edited by Johannes; 09-06-09 at 11:52 PM.
Old 09-08-09, 06:04 PM   #10
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Default Re: Active sewage treatment systems in Baja

these Mighty Mac systems look pretty slick and are supposed to be fully approved.

Does anyone know what they cost to purchase the system? Not in the market for one yet, just curious...
Mighty Mac Systems
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Last edited by BajaNuts1; 09-08-09 at 06:04 PM. Reason: spelling
Old 09-08-09, 08:13 PM   #11
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Default Re: Active sewage treatment systems in Baja

Quote:
Originally Posted by ncampion
Anybody know about the latest requirement from SEMERNAT for sewage treatment systems that require active aeration and other "treatments"? This has been stipulated in our environmental impact permit and I found a couple of systems, both of which take a 1/2hp electric motor to run which will totally killl my solar system. Apparently It's no longer OK for a simple two chamber tank with leech field. HELP
I searched every site I could that sold aerobic septic systems and couldn't find one document that stated how much power the compressor that aireates the system uses... nothing. I would imagine the compressor is pretty power hungry. That combined with the pump to evacuate the holding tank would require quite an investment in panels and batteries to keep running.

My neighbor in Baja has one of these, so I'll ask if he knows how much power it uses. He's solar also, but he does run his generator quite a bit. He is able to have a lot more landscaping though, even has a small lawn!
Old 09-08-09, 09:05 PM   #12
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Default Re: Active sewage treatment systems in Baja

I recall a reference somewhere that the mighty mac pump was equivalent to a 60W light bulb.


I'd have to do some searches for the direct quote, but that's what I remember.
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Old 09-09-09, 09:28 AM   #13
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Default Re: Active sewage treatment systems in Baja

My friend just wrote back. His system is from Bio-Aqua. The compressor draws 85 watts and runs 1 hour on, then shuts off for 15 to 30 minutes depending on temperature, then 1 hour on again etc. etc.
Old 09-14-09, 07:52 AM   #14
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Default Re: Active sewage treatment systems in Baja

Here's the system that I'm looking at now. It's actually made in Baja. Draws 60 watts so I can run it on solar. The 500 gal/day unit costs about $4500. And you can reuse all the water for irrigation.


http://www.h2obaja.com/sitebuilderco...chureFinal.pdf


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Old 09-14-09, 11:32 PM   #15
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Default Re: Active sewage treatment systems in Baja

that sounds like a pretty good system, considering I paid that much for a conventional septic system and you couldn't even reuse the water!
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Old 09-21-09, 07:21 AM   #16
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Default Re: Active sewage treatment systems in Baja

I really like that system - the cost makes it very accessible. It would be great to know how many they have sold and have operating to see how they hold up...





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