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Design and permitting costs vary with the site conditions. <br />Electric usage <br />Average electric usage by the three units was 2.43 kW per day per unit or about $.27 per <br />day at $.10 per kW; monthly this comes to $7.20 per month, and $86.20 per year. By <br />comparison with other technologies at MASSTC, this electric cost is the lowest cost of <br />the technologies tested at MASSTC (generally $8-$30 /month). <br />Maintenance <br />Massachusetts requires that all alternative technologies have a service contract in force <br />for the life of the installation. Costs for this service vary but are approximately $400 per <br />year. The service includes inspection of pumps, alarms, controls, fan, effluent filter, and <br />septic tank sludge depth. Septic tanks are pumped at a frequency based on usage, but an <br />approximate cost is $60 per annum. <br />Replacement parts <br />Pumps have a one year warranty; replacement cost is about $300. The medium is claimed <br />to last 30 years, but may require cleaning at 10-15 year intervals ($300-$800 cost to add <br />or replace media). <br />Other costs <br />Quarterly effluent quality monitoring is required for some permits at a cost of $300 or <br />more annually, however this cost ends after 18 months of operation for residential <br />installations. <br />3. ETI Testing Protocols Synopsis <br />The testing duration was for two years. The technology was installed in triplicate, with <br />identical components. The Waterloo Biofilter® received wastewater at the rate of 330 <br />gallons per day, throughout the two-year testing period. The 330 gallon per day volume is <br />the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MA DEP) minimum design <br />flow for a new residential house of three bedrooms or less. <br />Delivery of the wastewater was apportioned into fifteen equal doses of 22 gallons each, <br />on a schedule which was designed to mimic the pattern of wastewater use in a typical <br />residence (see ETI QAPP and NSFI/AINSI Standard 40). Periodic calibration of dose <br />volumes delivered to each technology ensured equal dosing to each replicate and to <br />different technologies. <br />Effluent from the technology flowed to a distribution box with four outlets. Three of the <br />four outlets directed effluent to a facility sewer, and the fourth conveyed treated effluent <br />to a one-quarter sized soil absorption system (SAS), designed to MA DEP rules. <br />Lysimeters were installed at depths of one, two and five feet beneath the SAS to collect <br />leachate for analysis. A polyethylene liner with sump collected all leachate from the three <br />technology replicates. <br />Performance Results — WaterlooBiofilter® Page 4 of 28 <br />