This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of private septic systems retrofitted into aerobic bioreactors with ‘SludgeHammer’ technology. In addition, the study attempted to characterize the strength of domestic wastewater released from ‘green’ households practicing water conservation strategies. Ten retrofitted onsite septic systems were studied in the Edmonton area, Alberta (AB) Canada during winter. These systems could remove BOD₅ and TSS by 92 ± 5 and 92 ± 6% respectively which, according to Albertan regulatory standards, were characteristic removal efficiencies of the secondary treatment in the subsequent drain field. These removal efficiencies were remarkable given the strength of the influent wastewater. The raw wastewater carried significantly high pollutant concentrations (1160 ± 350 mg BOD₅/L, 1653 ± 1174 mg TSS/L, 99 ± 19 mg NH₄⁺-N/L, 100 ± 56 mg TN/L, and 39 ± 28 mg PO₄³⁻-P/L), characterizing it as high-strength domestic wastewater. Mixing provided by the aerator could only suspend 1/34^th (3% m/m) of the solids in the bioreactor and consequently released significantly low solid concentrations (195 ± 206 mg TSS/L) into the final treatment component. As such, this technology did not impair the natural function of septic tanks or did not create any unintended excessive solid loading on drain field as a consequence of the added mixing energies provided by the active aeration. Nitrogen balance suggested the possibility of simultaneous nitrification and denitrification (SND) in the aerobic bioreactors. In some cases, PO₄³⁻-P removal efficiency was as high as that in enhanced biological phosphate removal (EBPR) process (81–97%). Phosphorus balance estimated that non-assimilative pathways (i.e., EBPR + biologically induced phosphate precipitation (BIPP)) contributed 50–99% to overall phosphorus removal in the system. Long HRTs, high influent BOD₅ and anaerobic/aerobic zoning in the bioreactor most likely provided favorable conditions for SND and high phosphorus removal efficiencies in the retrofitted onsite wastewater treatment systems (OWTS).

这项研究旨在研究使用“ SludgeHammer”技术改造成好氧生物反应器的私人化粪池系统的功效。此外，该研究试图表征从实行节水策略的“绿色”家庭释放的生活污水的强度。冬季，在加拿大艾伯塔省（AB）的埃德蒙顿地区研究了十个改装的现场化粪池系统。这些系统可以分别以92±5和92±6％的速率去除BOD ₅和TSS，这是根据Albertan监管标准，是后续排水场中二级处理的特征去除效率。考虑到进水的强度，这些去除效率非常出色。原废水的污染物浓度非常高（1160±350 mg BOD₅ / L，1653±1174 mg TSS / L，99±19 mg NH ₄ ⁺ -N / L，100±56 mg TN / L和39±28 mg PO ₄ ^3- -P / L），其特征为高强度生活污水。混合由曝气器提供的只能暂停1/34^个（3％m / m）的生物反应器中的固体，因此将极低的固体浓度（195±206 mg TSS / L）释放到最终处理组分中。这样，该技术不会损害化粪池的自然功能，也不会由于主动曝气提供的混合能量增加而在排水场上产生任何意想不到的过多固体负载。氮平衡表明有氧生物反应器中同时进行硝化和反硝化（SND）的可能性。在某些情况下，PO ₄ ³⁻-P去除效率与增强生物磷酸盐去除（EBPR）过程中的去除率一样高（81–97％）。磷平衡估计非同化途径（即EBPR +生物诱导的磷酸盐沉淀（BIPP））占系统总磷去除量的50-99％。较长的HRT，高进水BOD ₅以及生物反应器中的厌氧/好氧区带很可能为改造后的现场废水处理系统（OWTS）的SND和高除磷效率提供了有利条件。