Mobile Wastewater Treatment Benefits
Tanks range from 14 to 42 feet (4.3 to 12.8 m) long and can be installed singly, serving up to 250 people, or in multi-tank arrays serving 3,000 people or more. The system is installed above ground, so it can be used temporarily and then relocated, as needed. After AdvanTex treatment, the resulting effluent can be reused for dust control, irrigation, or discharge via surface or subsurface dispersal (subject to local restrictions).
The AdvanTex AX-Mobile is a portable, fully plumbed wastewater treatment system that's ideal for remote sanitation or sewer needs of all kinds.
AX-Mobile Benefits
- Portable: Ship by truck, rail, container, or aircraft.
- Internally preplumbed at the factory: Simply set, connect pipes, wire, and go.
- Modular: 14-42 ft tanks (4.3-12.8 m) are installed singly or in multi-tank arrays.
- Versatile: Install above ground and relocate later, or choose in-ground installation for permanent applications.
- Easy to set and operate: No advanced operator license required.
- Sustainable and energy-efficient: 1-2 kWh per 1000 treated gallons (3785 L).
Mobile Wastewater Treatment Project Summaries
Wastewater treatment systems for temporary camps pose unique challenges. Orenco’s AdvanTex AX-Mobile Treatment Systems are ideal for these challenging applications because they use a multi-pass, packed-bed filter treatment technology that's more stable and produces more consistent effluent quality than other technologies, even with wide variations in flow and waste strength.
Orenco’s wastewater systems have been successfully installed in temporary camps and other remote locations all over the world.
Jalousie Plantation, St. Lucia
AX-Mobile Quickly Replaces Damaged Wastewater Treatment System
The wastewater system for the Jalousie Plantation (now known as “Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Resort”) on the island of St. Lucia was destroyed by Hurricane Tomas in October, 2010. This Caribbean hotel destination desperately needed an emergency solution — a new system that could be designed, built, shipped, installed, and functioning before the busy Christmas tourist season. After initial contact with the resort’s engineer on November 18, an Orenco AdvanTex AX-Mobile Treatment System was custom built for the resort and shipped to the site. Orenco employees flew to St. Lucia for the installation, and the system was up and running within four weeks from initial contact, just in time for Christmas holiday guests. The Orenco tank and treatment unit for this temporary emergency solution will be relocated to become part of the resort’s permanent wastewater solution in the future.
Stewart, British Columbia, Canada
Excellent Treatment Under Harsh Conditions
Owners of a remote work camp near the Granduc copper mine in northern British Columbia were looking for a unique wastewater treatment solution. They needed a portable system that would not only provide good treatment for this rocky, environmentally sensitive area, but could also withstand the harsh conditions at the remote site. Effluent had to meet permit limits of 30/30 mg/L BOD and TSS. Castle Resources, the mining company developing the site, contacted a local engineer with its requirements. The engineer suggested an AX-Mobile system because these robust units work well in extreme conditions and are easy to ship and set. Since the systems also require little energy and have minimal O&M needs, they were an excellent fit for this remote location at the base of a glacier. The 21-ft (6.4-m) AX-Mobile unit was transported to the work camp site via a barge and truck with flatbed trailer. Setup was minimal because the AX-Mobile’s components are pre-installed at the factory, so the system is virtually “plug and play.” The unit is monitored by an Orenco TCOM™ remote telemetry control panel and, after UV disinfection, the resulting effluent is dispersed via subsurface discharge.
Pearsall, Texas
Portable Treatment for Oil & Gas Service Center
Seventy Seven Energy, an oilfield services firm based in Oklahoma City, needed a portable wastewater treatment solution for a new facility in Texas. The Pearsall Development is located in a desert area with cement-like soils and features six buildings, including offices and living quarters for about 300 workers. With the addition of the living quarters, flows would exceed the 5,000 gpd (18.9 m3 /day) threshold and therefore require a state permit. The choice was made to treat all the site’s wastewater together, and staff began researching effective options. The project’s construction company had installed an AX-Mobile system at a similar site and recommended it to Seventy Seven’s project manager. The resulting system, permitted for 24,000 gpd (90.8 m3 /day), includes an Orenco liquid-only sewer collection system followed by four 42-ft (12.8-m) AX-Mobile units. After UV disinfection, treated effluent is discharged to a nearby creek. Flows average 12,000 gpd (45.4 m3 /day) with BOD5 /TSS requirements of less than 10 mg/L each.* The system’s operator tests both the site’s well water and its wastewater effluent. When you look at both samples, he says, “You can’t tell the difference.”
* Samples collected and analyzed by a third party between 08-28-12 and 09-23-14.
NDCEE, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri
Energy-Efficient Treatment for Military Camps
The National Defense Center for Energy and Environment (NDCEE) wanted to evaluate a mobile and energy-efficient wastewater treatment system that would meet the health and sanitation needs of soldiers in the field. The system also had to meet the environmental requirements of any area where it might be placed. The NDCEE set up a demonstration project using an Orenco AX-Mobile. The AX-Mobile uses just 1-2 kWh of power per 1000 treated U.S. gallons (3785 L), is easy to start up, and has low O&M requirements. The NDCEE ordered a multistage system that includes a T-Max™ tank for primary treatment and an AX-Mobile packed-bed filter unit for secondary treatment. After secondary treatment, effluent was passed through a UV disinfection unit. Permit limits were 30/30 mg/L for BOD5 /TSS, and the system’s effluent averaged 21.9/21.8 mg/L for BOD5 and TSS, respectively.* After decommissioning, the NDCEE intends to transport the unit for further field evaluation.
* Source: NDCEE, Mobile Wastewater Treatment Technology Demonstration Project, Fort Leonard Wood, MO.
Erbil, Iraq
Low-Maintenance System for Remote Site
BGP International, a seismic surveying firm, needed portable, turn-key wastewater systems for a series of 500+ person remote camps in Kurdistan, Iraq. After viewing a similar system in operation at a mining site in Texas, U.S.A., BGP chose two AX-Mobile portable wastewater treatment systems. The system includes gravity collection to an Orenco lift station with a 36-inch (900-mm) filament-wound basin. Effluent is pumped from the lift station to a dewatering unit, then to two Orenco T-Max collection tanks followed by three AX-Mobile treatment units. Finally, treated effluent runs through a UV disinfection unit and is pumped out for subsurface dispersal. The resulting effluent is clear, with minimal odor.