Reciprocating Wetlands Make Beach Living PossibleA ReCip system saves homeowners money and heartache in coastal North Carolina

While Atlantic Beach, North Carolina’s remote

island location is perfect for vacationing, more practical matters, such as wastewater disposal, make it a difficult spot to develop. When residents of A Place at the Beach (APATB), a high-end condo development built right on the shore, discovered that their aging activated sludge plant was failing, they were forced to take drastic measures.

Faced with the very real threat of loss

of property for health and safety reasons, the Homeowners’ Association turned to other on-site wastewater reclamation options. After vetting every available system on the market, they came away with one clear winner: ReCip Reciprocating Wetlands.

Of utmost importance to the seasonal condo

residents was ease of operation and maintenance. With its low energy usage and straight-forward technology, the ReCip facility requires

very little oversight, giving homeowners the independence of an on-site solution, while removing the burden of costly, t i m e - c o n s u m i n g maintenance. Its hardy materials withstand the test of time, making it the best long-term solution.

The efficient ReCip fill-and-

drain system was designed to provide clean water well beneath regulatory nitrate limits and slotted neatly into the development’s ecologically-sensitive coastal surroundings. Other stringent requirements were easily met,

ReCip technology, developed

and patented by Tennessee

Valley Authority

ensuring that all water used for irrigation was perfectly clean and environmentally responsible. Above all, unlike their neighbors, who endure the whine of mechanical blowers and odors associated with typical wastewater treatment systems, APATB homeowners enjoy beachfront living in perfect harmony with their surroundings.

A Place at the Beach, Atlantic Beach, NC

LocationAtlantic Beach, NC

ProjectWastewater Treatment

Project Timeline2005

Footprint2860 sq ft

Hydraulic Capacity60,000 gallons per day

Community Service300 condos

Technology AppliedReCip Reciprocating Wetlands

“It’s an incredibly cost-effective system. In fact, it’s been the best system I’ve had in any of the resorts I work with.”Tom YoungbloodManager

A Place at the Beach, Atlantic Beach, NC

Technological DescriptionReciprocating Wetlands are made up of pairs of adjacent cells, which contain plants and rocks. Treatment is brought about by coupling anaerobic, anoxic and aerobic environments within and between the cells via reciprocation—adjacent cells are alternately drained and filled on a defined and recurrent basis. The sequential fill-and-drain technique provides control of microbially mediated processes, such as nitrification and denitrification. Water drained from one cell is stored in the contiguous cell, and vice-versa. During the drain cycle, thin water films surrounding the dewatered substrate and attached biofilms are rapidly oxygenated to saturation values, creating aerobic conditions. When the partner cell is filled and the rocks are submerged, the aerobic biofilm turns rapidly anoxic. Depending on the specific wastewater needs, the treatment cells may undergo between six and 24 cycles per day.

www.sustainablewater.com4860 Cox Rd

Suite 120Glen Allen, VA 23060

Phone: +1 (804) 965-5590info@sustainablewater.com

ReCip Treatment Cells

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Parameter Influent (mg/L)

Effluent (mg/L)

BOD 186 <2

TSS 36 <2

NH3/N 46.4 <0.2

Design Parameters - Local Standards

Process Schematic

Site Plan

A Place at the Beach ReCip System