—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, November 19,1977
102
Improved home
alternative to
UNIVERSITY PARK -
Improved decomposition of
sewage is possible in a home
sewage system developed by
agricultural engineers at
Penn State University. The
new system could become an
improved alternative for
home septic tank and
backyard disposal field now
used commonly in many
areas.
The system features a
large fiberglass bag
positioned inside a metal
tank holding as much as 1000
gallons of organic solids and
effluent. Raw sewage enters
the top of the fiberglass bag
as the continuous process of
decomposition takes place.
Air is the key to the
system, according to Dr.
York 4-H
Council meets
YORK - Tom Perry of the
LoganviUe 4-H Club, was
presented with the Sr.
Vegetables Trophy for being
the county winner at the 4-H
County Council meeting on
November 2 at the 4-H
Center, near Bair. David
Norman, Ass’t. County
Agricultural Agent, made
the presentation.
Tim Markovits, Ass’t.
County Agricultural Agent,
announced that York
County’s Ellanna Kern
received second place in the
state competition of the
Poster Art Contest. Her
poster title was “4-H-The
Sound of Youth”. Posters
made by Bonnie Wire and
Julie Kline received
Honorable Mention.
Members decided to place
a sign titled “HALL OF
FAME” in the hall of the 4-H
Center where the pictures of
York County State and
National winners are placed.
Brooke Palmer, social
Kermit Q. Stephenson,
professor of agricultural
engmeermg at Penn State.
Air seeping into the bottom
of the bag builds up
microorganisms which feed
on the sewage solids and
decompose or digest them.
The air flowing through the
bottom of the bag also keeps
the bottom from clogging so
that effluent free of solids
can flow out into the tank.
The tank gradually fills
with effluent which is
removed through a pipe at
the top. The effluent can then
be cWorinated to destroy
harmful bacteria.
“Our experiments look
very promising thus far,”
professor Stephenson said.
chairman, reported that a
semi-formal Christmas
Dance will be held on
December 17 from 7:30 to
11:00 p.m. at the 4-H Center
for all Capital Region 4-H
members.
The winners of the
Halloween Costume Contest
were Tom, Greg, and Jeff
Perry, and Linda Ebaugh.
Mr. and John T. Smith
served as judges.
Coming events include:
Franklin County Hayride on
November 26; Roller
Skating Party on November
21; and National 4-H
Congress from November 27
to December 1.
Dieter’s Special
Top 1 slice whole wheat
toast with cup creamed
cottage cheese, garnish with
1 level tablespoon raspberry
jam
sewage system
septic tank
“Now we must test the
system on a full-scale 1000
gallon tank, the septic tank
size required by state law, in
an actual home situation.”
The need for an alter
native home sewage system
is indicated by the many
areas unsmted for septic
tanks and disposal fields, he
pointed out. Presently, many
rural home owners are
bothered by odorous, bac
teria-laden effluent from
their disposal fields. This
occurs, he claimed, when
organic solids accumulate in
the absorption bed to the
extent that the soil pores
clog and the disposal field no
longer functions.
The big question, he in
dicated, is to determine the
proper size for such a system
serving an average family of
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SWINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION OF LANCASTER
OFFICES IN:
Lancaster, Lititz, New Holland,
Park City, Millersville, & Mount Joy
four to six people. In earner
experiments, 600 gallon
tanks were used. The latest
experiments, testing air
seepage into a fiberglass
bag, used a 100 gallon tank in
the developmental stage.
Air treatment of sewage,
known as aerobic digestion,
offers much faster
decomposition of solids-than
the anaerobic or no-air
treatment used in present
septic tanks. The air serves
to agitate and keep solids
circulating within the
fiberglass bag while sup
plying oxygen needed for
aerobic bacteria to
decompose organic solids
into water and carbon
dioxide, chiefly. When
decomposition is completed,
the effluent is relatively
stable and less contaminated
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than effluent from a septic land. The effluent could be
tank, Stephenson noted. discharged underground
He said the chlorinated during the Winter, he
effluent from this system is * suggested. He added that
pure enough to use as more studies are needed
irrigation water-much like regarding the storage and
the effluent from Penn use of effluent from air-
State’s long-term ex- treated home sewage
perunents on crop and forest systems.
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