Wastewater Research & Innovation Facility

The New York State Center for Clean Water Technology operates a state-of-the-art Wastewater Research & Innovation Facility (WRIF) for the purpose of developing an affordable onsite wastewater treatment system (OWTS) that reduces total nitrogen to less than 10 mg/L prior to groundwater discharge.  These systems will one day replace archaic cesspools that provide virtually no treatment for nitrogen.  The facility is a working laboratory that utilizes domestic sewage collected at the Suffolk County Sewer District No. 10 pumping station for actual use within the facility.

There are several experiments now being run by the Center’s researchers within the WRIF.  These experiments are designed to test different design parameters such as surface loading rate, detention time, wood species, blends of nitrification media, and dosing rate and frequency to determine optimal conditions for nitrification and denitrification to occur within the sand and lignocellulose test columns.  Empirical relationships are being developed that will provide engineers and system designers with relevant information necessary to deploy these systems on a large scale. 

Much of the Center’s focus is on developing a plug-and-play, pre-engineered, and factory fabricated system that can be readily installed on small lots.  The WRIF is now testing the next generation of Nitrogen Removing Biofilters which is specifically designed to reduce footprint dimensions and therefore cost.

July 9, 2019 - Center Hosts Ribbon Cutting for New Wastewater Research & Innovation Facility