The BIOREN/LIVING FILTER™® system has been in use in the State of Connecticut since 1991, replacing failed onsite Septic Systems and for new construction. These installations have included large commercial sites and residential construction. The most prominent, are installations for a very large Restaurant and Inn, with heavy grease and solids loadings, and a commercial system for CUNO, the filter company. The photo on left depicts a bioren system under construction. After completion the system is totally covered and can be constructed to withstand H-20 loadings.

Five BIOREN systems were installed near Crystal Lake, Stafford Springs, Connecticut, in the summer of 1996. All five residences had failed septic systems and had been under order from the Stafford Health District, Bruce Lundgren, MPH RS (860) 684-5609 to abate ongoing pollution problems (directly affecting Crystal Lake). The sites had a perc rate of >40 min/inch, watertable within 12 inches of the ground surface and 6 to 8 feet of peat below grade. The footprint of the systems ranged between 300 and 400 sf.

The LIVING FILTER, as stand alone, can be used as a pretreatment and infiltration device replacing conventional stone trenches, leaching beds and galleries. The patented design is based on a biodegradable form (which expands from a collapsed state) housing a fiber membrane which enhances and promotes the growth of microorganisms at the membrane interface. The interface surface area is much greater than found in present apparatus. The filters are surrounded by a coarse sand or other aggregate (native or imported) which serves to transport the treated effluent to native soils. The filters are totally surrounded by a special membrane fabric which assures uniform treatment and eliminates breakthroughs to coarse soil lenses. The Living Filter attains its longterm acceptance rate within approximately two weeks. Conventional methods and apparatus may not gain its LTAR for three to six months which places greater pollution loads on underlying groundwater. The importance of early LTAR development takes on great significance where there is seasonal use (Cape Cod, Rhode Island, Florida...) and in pervious soils.

The Living Filter has been in use at a large Connecticut restaurant for six years without failure. The replaced system consisting of 731 lf of conventional stone trenches failed after five days of operation, polluting a class "A" stream serving the Connecticut Water Company (Aquarion). The Living Filter design comprised 230 lf or 460 ea. Living Filter cells LF2410. Previous to the Living Filter installation there had been four other attempts to abate an ongoing pollution problem but to no avail. The last engineered design, prior to the Living Filter installation, had cost $60,000.00, according to the owner, with the total cost, including engineering, exceeding $74,000.00 (1984 dollars). The total cost to install 460 ea. LF2410 cells was approximately $23,000.00 in 1991 dollars. Additional cells were added in 1992 since flows exceeded design by several times (500%) on many days. There has been no failures, since the installation (October, 1991) as of September 1997.