living machines...

i learned about this during our PDC. it was to be incorporated into our final project. most of what follows was picked up from their website. http://www.livingmachines.com

Worrell Water Technologies' Living Machine® system uses living plants and beneficial microorganisms to turn wastewater into clean water. They say their patented technologies produce water that is cleaner and greener than conventional water treatment methods — and with huge savings in energy and infrastructure costs.

[waste water goes directly from the system into this machine - with no interaction with the municipal water or sewage systems!! and it comes out clean!!]

Indoor Living Machine, Norder Zoo, Emmen, The Netherlands

Living Machines® require only a small amount of space. They work indoors or outdoors, and each is tailored to the needs of the client. We build them to conform to the demands of the location and of the local climate. As a result, each Living Machine® installation is different. But most share a number of common features.

■Settling Tank: Before the water can enter the system, it must be gathered in a tank where the flow is equalized and solids are allowed to settle. Larger installations will use a filter for the same purpose.

■Control System: The flow of water through the system is managed by a central control system, which also monitors system performance. Our control system is the best in the industry, and it uses a web-based interface to track water levels and control flow rates through the system. At the same time it monitors water quality and can send alerts to remote locations if it senses a problem with the system.

■Wetlands Installations: At the heart of the Living Machine® are the wetland beds which contain gravel aggregate, specially engineered films of beneficial microorganisms, and plants working together in a living, highly complex, ecosystem. The newest generation of Living Machine® uses three patented wetland designs. Depending on the needs of the project, one or all of these wetlands types can be used in a Living Machine.
--Tidal Flow Wetland: This proprietary design developed by Worrell Water Technologies has a smaller footprint than other conventional constructed wetlands. It also provides superior removal of nitrogen, a key step in treating wastewater. The system consists of a series of tidal cells which drain and flood many times per day. The tidal cycles bring oxygen to the beneficial microorganisms that do most of the work.
--Horizontal Subsurface Flow Wetland: This simple, extremely low energy, wetland provides good initial treatment and equalizes the flow of water entering a Tidal Flow Wetland. The presence of this initial treatment stage allows for greater flow rates, energy efficiency, and capacity for the entire system.
--Vertical Flow Wetland: This wetland design provides the ideal final, or "polishing," stage of water treatment. Water enters near the surface of the wetland, and passes through two zones containing beneficial microorganisms as it trickles down through the system. If the wastewater has been previously treated by another wetland type, the Vertical Flow Wetland is extremely efficient at final removal of nitrogen and solids.

■Disinfection System: This optional step can use ozone, ultraviolet, or chlorine (alone or in combination) to kill any pathogens that are left in the water. Depending on the types of wastewater being treated, disinfection systems may be required before water can be reused or discharged into the environment.

■Reuse System: Clean, treated water is gathered in a storage tank, and distributed for reuse. Uses for water recycled by the Living Machine® can include: toilet flushing, animal and pen cleaning, irrigation, decorative surface features such as ponds or waterfalls, or return directly to the environment.