College of Engineering News Room
Environmental Engineering Award for On-Site Wastewater Project
By Brad Stager
Solving the problem of environmental pollution from domestic wastewater sources like septic tanks is the focus of a 51在线 civil and environmental engineering research project that has won a prestigious award from the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists (AAEES).
The project鈥檚 approach to treating wastewater is described in its name: Hybrid Adsorption Biological Treatment System (HABiTS) for Nitrogen Removal in Onsite Wastewater Treatment. It employs passive biofilters that absorb nutrients in household wastewater from sinks, showers, laundries and toilets, using low-cost materials like natural zeolite minerals, scrap tire chips, elemental sulfur pellets and crushed oyster shells.
AAEES recognized the onsite wastewater system with the Grand Prize in the University Research category of its Excellence in Environmental Engineering & Science (E3S) awards, which will be presented at the National Press Club in Washington D.C.
Removing nutrients such as nitrogen from wastewater is an area that Professor Sarina Ergas has focused on in her research and teaching at USF. Ergas said that recognition by AAEES is validation that the hard work of the team of students and faculty involved in the project contributes to advancing wastewater mitigation.
鈥淲e鈥檙e very, very excited about this award because of its relevance to global environmental problems that are also major issues in 51在线,鈥� she said.
Ergas adds that progress in nutrient removal is needed because about one third of the wastewater in 51在线 is treated in septic systems, which contribute to harmful algal blooms, loss of seagrass, fish kills, nitrate contamination of well water, and other problems affecting 51在线鈥檚 health, environment and economy.
James Mihelcic, professor and Samuel L. and Julia M. Flom Endowed Chair in Civil and Environmental Engineering at the 51在线 is also involved in the HABiTS project. Water quality and sanitation are research areas of interest for him and are reflected in the project that evolved from a laboratory bench model to a larger-scale pilot system located at a Hillsborough County Water Resources Department wastewater treatment facility.
The system demonstrated its ability to treat wastewater from homes and businesses. He said recognition from AAEES raises the profile of USF鈥檚 wastewater research, but there is still much to be done when it comes to making new wastewater treatment technology available in the marketplace.
鈥淲e need more of these demonstrations and also a commitment by state and local government officials and homeowners to deal with the problems of nutrient pollution,鈥� Mihelcic said. 鈥淪ome of these are associated with the effluent of millions of improperly installed and maintained septic tank systems that are found in 51在线 that continue to contaminate our springs, streams and groundwater.鈥�
The HABiTS pilot project is part of a $2.5 million EPA funded Center for Reinventing Aging Infrastructure for Nutrient Management. A 500-gallon septic tank was installed at the Northwest Regional Water Reclamation Facility in Hillsborough County.
Effluent 鈥� wastewater released from a treatment facility 鈥� was siphoned off from the facility pipeline to the septic tank for student researchers like Ph.D. candidate Michelle Henderson to work with. She says one of the advantages of the HABiTS system is its simplicity, which will hopefully lead to greater adoption as an onsite wastewater treatment system.
鈥淲e should be excited about this,鈥� Henderson said during a tour of the project in 2018. 鈥淲e鈥檙e treating this wastewater and it鈥檚 simple; there鈥檚 minimal inputs for the homeowner after they install the system.鈥�
Researching and solving water-related issues is the mission of the USF Water Institute, where Ergas and Mihelcic also have affiliated faculty standing. Similarly, Director of the Office of Sustainability at the Patel College of Global Sustainability Kebreab Ghebremichael 鈥� who also teaches at the College of Engineering 鈥� is involved in the HABiTS project.
鈥淚f this technology is well-developed and we show it works, it can help address significant issues of our time,鈥� Ghebremichael said.
Other than the USF team, the HABiTS pilot project was developed in cooperation with Hillsborough County Water Resources Department and engineering consulting firm Hazen and Sawyer.