Orenco Systems, Inc., is celebrating four decades of protecting the world’s water. As part of reaching this milestone, the company is making some significant changes that better reflect its plans for the future.

Decentralized wastewater management, when coupled with reuse or recycling of treated sanitary sewage, increases treatment options and creates even greater value than when employed alone.

The need for of nitrogen-reducing wastewater treatment systems has become more common in the past few decades due to various environmental concerns, including eutrophication, oxygen depletion, and toxicity to aquatic organisms in lakes and streams. The addition of nitrogen removal to any wastewater treatment plant, new or existing, typically increases the costs of the project significantly. When evaluating suitable technologies, it becomes critical to properly identify processes that can not only proved the best upfront capital value but also provide the most sustainable long-term functionality.

Pressure sewers (effluent or grinder) and gravity sewers require different methods of construction, different installation techniques, and different degrees of accessibility to install the various products and system components. The construction impact of installing any sewer system technology falls under two main categories: on-lot and right-of-way (ROW). 

As the cost of and demand for potable water increases, engineers, planners, and utilities need reliable, innovative methods for protecting this valuable resource. Cost-effective and environmentally sustainable wastewater collection and treatment systems are vital components in the water cycle and therefore require careful analysis. While there is no single solution for every site or community, traditional ‘big-pipe’ systems are rarely appropriate in sensitive environments; fortunately, today there are more options than ever to consider.

Vero Beach (population 15,220 in 2010) is a small but densely populated city adjacent to the Indian River Lagoon on Florida’s east coast. Many of the city’s approximately 1,500 on-site septic tanks and drainfields were failing, and the excess nitrogen, phosphorus, and bacteria were considered primary contributors of pollution to the watershed.

Alternative wastewater collection systems, such as pressure sewers, provide affordable service to municipalities, new subdivisions, and areas where gravity sewers are difficult and expensive to install.

More long-term data is available than ever before to help wastewater designers and engineers make accurate estimates of up-front costs and life-cycle costs associated with pressure sewer systems. In addition, incorporating extended equipment warranties into project evaluations, specifications, and contract documents is a pivotal tool to help decision makers reveal the true, long-term equipment costs of various sewer system technologies.

Just thirty minutes northwest of downtown Calgary, Silverhorn is an exclusive community that provides a country setting with a luxury lifestyle. It boasts large lots and offers clients a choice of five master homebuilders to design their custom home. Amenities include over four miles of walking trails and high-speed fiber optic internet availability.

In June, 2016, a new Love’s Travel Stop opened in Boardman, Oregon, offering professional truck drivers and other travelers 24-hour access to clean, safe places to buy gas, diesel fuel, travel items, meals, and snacks. An essential part of this particular Travel Stop is the private well that provides water for all of the 11,000-square-ft facility’s needs, including food preparation, showers, bathrooms, outside irrigation, and fire hydrants.

Straight pipes, failed drainfields, polluted lakes, out-of-compliance discharge permits, and several other indicators of wastewater management issues are widespread throughout Iowa’s rural communities. By Tyler Molatore, Orenco Systems®, Inc.

The city of Vero Beach is located adjacent to the Indian River Lagoon (or the “IRL”) along the Atlantic Coast of Florida. By Lindsay Tucker, P.E., Orenco Systems and Rob Bolton, P.E., City of Vero Beach

Alternative wastewater collection systems, such as pressure sewers, can save small communities millions of dollars in capital costs when compared with conventional gravity sewers. By Tyler J. Molatore, P.E., Orenco Systems®, Inc.

As supplies of fresh water become increasingly scarce, methods of recycling and reusing this vital resource are getting more attention than ever before. Orenco’s AdvanTex Treatment Systems consistently produce clear effluent that meets the most stringent permit limits.

The Boy Scouts of America wanted an environmentally friendly method for disposing of the greywater generated by their shower buildings. Here’s how Orenco’s AdvanTex Treatment Systems helped.

Liquid-only sewers have proven to be a cost-effective solution for municipalities, new subdivisions, and a variety of other areas in need of sewer -- as opposed to the big pipes and deep excavations.

When it was determined that the septic tanks and drainfields at Stinson Beach were coming to the end of their useful lives, the Golden Gate National Recreation Area looked for a cost-effective replacement that would not be overly noticeable to park visitors.

The community of Kinglake West was on a waiting list to receive government financing for a new sewer system when, in 2009, a disastrous fire swept through the area. The damage was so extensive that funding for a wastewater collection system was expedited. The new system needed to be up and running as soon as possible, without being an undue financial burden to homeowners.

Along the Indian River Lagoon adjacent to Vero Beach, Florida, both residents and government officials were becoming increasingly concerned about excessive nutrient loads and pollution.

Nick Herrera installs Orenco's AdvanTex Wastewater Treatment Systems in Northern California. Watch Nick's interview to learn more.

Orenco Effluent Sewers are an affordable, environmentally sound, and easy-to-maintain alternative to conventional gravity sewers. Ideal for municipal sewer expansions, new development, septic tank abatement projects, and commercial or residential clusters. Watch the full video to learn more.

This video explains the differences between standard residential septic systems and advanced treatment systems. It describes how Orenco's AdvanTex textile treatment systems work and how well they treat household wastewater. It also recommends questions that property owners should ask when researching their wastewater treatment options, including performance, noise, smell, and maintenance costs.

This video highlights awards and recognitions for system installations by Orenco Systems.

Fiberglass-reinforced polymer (FRP) is a superior material for many industrial products. Orenco Composites™ manufactures customizable fiberglass products that are lightweight, durable, and corrosion-resistant with a high strength-to-weight ratio. These products don’t rot, rust, dent, or conduct electricity, making them ideal for a wide range of environmental conditions. 
 

Control panels are useful for a wide range of water and wastewater applications. This one-hour webinar will cover the various control panels options available, their features, and suggested applications. 

This two-hour webinar presents long-term data that shows how Orenco Sewer™ collection systems can effectively and affordably serve municipalities of all sizes. We'll compare capital cost information compiled from over 50 publicly funded bids for Orenco Sewer, grinder sewer, and gravity sewer, as well as look at operational costs for these technologies. We'll also provide a demonstration of the WERF (Water Environment & Reuse Foundation) wastewater-planning tool. 

AdvanTex® Treatment Systems are the ideal onsite solution for residential wastewater treatment needs because they work well in a variety of locations and situations. In this webinar, we'll review the application, design, and benefits of AdvanTex for residential properties.  

Across the United States, nutrient discharges from wastewater systems are being restricted at an increasing rate. Decentralized wastewater treatment systems can provide better, more reliable solutions for reducing nutrients through biological processes. In this one-hour webinar, we'll discuss the use of Orenco treatment technologies for reducing nitrogen and other nutrients of concern. 

This two-hour webinar takes you through our Commercial AdvanTex® Design Criteria, an expansive document that provides detailed information on a wide range of commercial, industrial, and municipal wastewater applications for the entire AdvanTex product line.  

Conventional treatment systems are less of an option these days as more and more small communities need cost-effective, compact wastewater treatment solutions. This one-hour presentation begins with a brief history of packed-bed filters for commercial and community applications. It then focuses on the design and specification of AX-Max and AX-Mobile systems, followed by an overview of their installation and maintenance procedures. 

This two-hour webinar explains the ins and outs of designing an effluent sewer system. Topics include how to design hydraulic grade lines, designing and selecting pump systems, transport-line sizing, and other key details for successful effluent sewer design.

Greywater represents a large percentage of combined wastewater flows. As the demands on our supply of freshwater increase, greywater reuse becomes an attractive option for conserving potable water, especially in areas like California that are prone to drought. In this one-hour webinar, we’ll explain how greywater can be treated to levels that allow it to be used for toilet flushing, cooling towers, water features, and landscape irrigation (subject to local restrictions).