IMET® Technology Restores a Failing Residential Leach Field Without Replacement
A Maine homeowner restored a failing, ponded leach field without excavation or replacement by installing an IMET® Remediation Module.
The system improved wastewater quality and rehabilitated the existing drainfield for less than half the estimated cost of conventional replacement alternatives.
Published in Onsite Installer
Problem:
A homeowner in Maine was experiencing a failing leachfield due to soil plugging that had reduced the soil’s ability to accept wastewater. As a result, wastewater surfaced across the drainfield, creating ponding that prevented use and maintenance of the property including routine lawn mowing. The homeowner was presented with two conventional repair options — excavate and replace the existing leachfield or construct a new leachfield with an associated pump station. Both alternatives were estimated to cost approximately $20,000. Seeking a more economical and less disruptive approach, the homeowner explored a technology capable of rehabilitating the existing leach field rather than replacing it.
Solution:
Dunbar & Brawn Construction installed the IMET® Aerobic Biological Remediation System to rehabilitate the onsite wastewater treatment system. Installation required no excavation of the drainfield. An IMET® Remediation Module (IRM) was installed directly into the septic tank and connected to an energy efficient, quiet air compressor. The IMET® system transformed the septic tank into a highly aerobic biological treatment process, substantially improving wastewater quality before it entered the leach field. The highly treated aerobic effluent also seeds the drainfield with aerobic microorganisms, helping maintain the soil’s ability to accept treated wastewater while supporting the long-term health of the leach field.
Result:
Following installation and operation of the IMET® system, the leach field resumed accepting treated wastewater, eliminating the surface ponding. For less than half the estimated cost of conventional replacement alternatives, the homeowner restored the performance of the onsite wastewater treatment system without replacing the drainfield.
Tags:
