Aerobic Treatment Unit (ATU) technology has been used widely in the USA for well over 100 years. First used in Houston and Milwaukee USA to treat municipal, domestic, or household wastewater and later in the mid 1950’s to treat individual home wastewater onsite. The ATU process consists of extended aeration, activated sludge and suspended growth microorganisms. This ATU process is the most widely used process in the world today to treat domestic wastewater both on large scale and on individual homes. Truly a discovery with long term benefits.
ATU Technology
The latest ATU discovery however came about in the last 2 or 3 decades. Researchers, installers, and other OSSF industry people have discovered that ATU effluent will rejuvenate a failing drainfield.
That’s right! Discharging an ATU effluent into a failing drainfield will rejuvenate or bring back to life a failing drainfield over time. That’s a remarkable discovery especially considering that the US EPA in 2005 estimated that there are 26 million homes in the US alone using septic drainfield systems. And these will eventually fail due to biomat plugging.
Here’s what researchers are saying:
“Aerobic treatment units (ATUs) are systems that use natural processes to treat wastewater and are frequently used to renovate biologically clogged, failing septic tank-soil absorption units.” -West Virginia University Read more from WVU
A Purdue University Study reports adding an aerobic treating unit (ATU) has been found to restore the original functioning of the soil absorption system (drainfield) in a matter of months. Read more from Purdue
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RioVation offers a new solution that can transform any septic system into a Suspended Biofilm Generator™ which produces clear, odorless effluent high in dissolved oxygen and aerobic bacteria. Click here to learn more.