Frequently Asked Questions
What is SYSTEM O))?
DBO International offers wastewater treatment and reuse solutions. For unserviced residential or commercial, community and institutional projects.
Regardless of your enviroment, we have the most ecologically, cost-effective, and long-lasting solution for any geography and climate situation. Each solution is optimized by a passive secondary treatment technology.
What are the advantages of our technologies?
- 100% organic and autonomous
- No electricity required
- No mechanics
- No continuous maintenance
- No odor
- No noise
- No chemical additives
- No waste discharge (sludge)
- No filter media replacement
Several other proven reuse options :
- Irrigation
- Toilet flushing
- Roadways
- Car wash
- Extinguishing device
- Sports (snow gun, golf)
- Industrial use
- Groundwater recharge
What are the various solutions for tertiary treatment?
- Passive disinfection
- Disinfection by UV ou chlorinator
- Dephosphatation by ionization, polymerization, coagulation or passive
- Denitrification
Where can we install our systems?
- Residential developments
- Base camps
- Accommodations (hotel, motel)
- Roadside stops
- Mines
- Villages
- Seasonal applications
- Schools
- hospitals
- Agrifoods industries
DBO International offers environmentally safe products suitable for all situations. They an be installed near a school, under a parking lot, in a playground, or in a garden without any health risks, while preserving the landscape aesthetics.
No remplacement of filtering media, why ?
Most environmentally friendly wastewater treatment technologies use a biological treatment process, which is a place where bacteria can establish themselves, feed on pollutants in the water and reproduce. The bacteria metabolize the pollutants to create sludge in an anaerobic mode. For some technologies, these bacterial growth areas, called filtering media, require additional maintenanceand costs to replace.
DBO International solutions, when designed, installed, and used in accordance with the guides, are sustainable. The systems require no component or filter media replacement, and no cleaning is needed. These technologies, in place since 1987, have proven their reliability. We see installations over 35 years old that are still in perfect condition, treating wastewater with the same efficiency as when they were first installed.
TTwo phenomena are at the origin of this long life expectancy : the controlled growth of a bacterial mat ("biomat") due to aeration andtreatment of water before its infiltration and a natural management of sludge inside the pipes.
The curious scientists among you can find a document "infoDBO" explaining these biological mechanisms on our website via this link: dbointernational.com/en/sludge
In summary
Within the technology, both aerobic and anaerobic environments are present - that is, with or without oxygen. Wastewater enters the pipes or basins in waves, depending on household water usage. The water gradually exits through controlled infiltration, managed by the pipes and the surrounding filter sand. These fluctuations force the bacteria in the pipes to alternate between different living environments. These continuous changes ensure that no sludge accumulates in the pipes.
Another advantage of our solutions is that they form a fully open ecosystem integrated with nature. A variety of native organisms, such as insects, as well as certain plant roots, can access the pipes or basins. These contribute significantly to the reduction of biomass and the elimination of sludge and minerals inside them.
Average life span
In Quebec (Canada), after more than 339,254 piezometer inspections conducted during the year 2000 to 2021, the technology behind the System O)) is the best approach in terms of sustainability and purification performance on the market.
What is a piezometer? A piezometer is a tool within the septic system that allows you to evaluate the water level in each row of pipes.
You will be able to see in this graph that 99.07% of the water levels in the piezometers of all our facilities inspected in 2021 were in normal conditions. A normal situation is indicated when the water level in the pipes, measured through the piezometer at the end of each row of pipes, is between 0 and 230 mm.
You read that right, more than 99.07% of the piezometers inspected in 2021 illustrate a perfectly normal water level.
These results significantly indicate that the owners of these facilities had no out-of-pocket costs for part repairs or filtering media replacements.
System O)) Solutions that are designed, installed and used in accordance with the guidelines are sustainable!
For abnormal cases, DBO accompanied the customer in solving the problem without additional fees.
Warranty or transparency?
What is important to understand about warranties of components, filtering sand and performance.
Technology warranty
The pipes and basins come with a 20-year manufacturer's warranty. As the simplest technologies on the market, no additional components are required for the proper functioning of the biological process, aside from the filter sand.
Filtering sand warranty
The filtering sand surrounds the pipes or basins and ensures proper water treatment so that it can safely infiltrate into the environment. Only a grain size validated by a laboratory guarantees the quality of the filtering sand. We already require this specific grain size from the installer for all installations of our systems.
Performance warranty
The technologies have undergone extensive bench testing processes to certify their treatment quality. The treatment results exceed established norms and standards. By following the recommendations in the user guide, the system will consistently deliver high performance.
Clogging/sealing warranty
While all wastewater treatment systems produce minerals and sludge, only our solutions are capable of seamlessly reintroducing them into nature's cycles.
In summary
Thanks to its simplicity and the absence of mechanical parts or filtering media replacement, maintenance is nonexistent for a secondary treatment system.
Is it possible to reuse wasterwater?
Yes, imagine an autonomous and passive sanitation system offering purification performances that exceed established standards, allowing the recovery of treated water for appropriate reuse.
Maximize the reuse of treated water to supply a garden or a green space.
Does the system generate noise?
No, there is no mechanical system, the ventilation is done naturally and does not generate any noise.
Is the system expandable?
Yes, simply install the additional number of pipes or basins corresponding to the desired number of population equivalents, in compliance with the implementation rules.
Are there any odours?
A chimney effect, between the roof vent and the system's ventilation, draws out odours, mainly from the septic tank. If there are odours, they could be coming from a clogged roof vent (e.g. from snow and ice), or from winds that could push the roof vent downward. These situations would occur regardless of the type of septic system used. Solutions are already in place to face such situation.
Is primary or pre-treatment necessary before using our solutions?
Yes, pre-treatment, such as a septic tank, is essential in any biological treatment system. It separates solids and fats while initiating the biological degradation of organic matter. This clarifies the effluent before secondary or tertiary treatment, optimizing the overall efficiency of our septic solutions.
Can bacteria be affected by certain products?
Yes, certain products, such as enzymatic additives, can disrupt the bacteria in our septic solutions. By increasing the solubilization of organic matter, these products can overload the treatment units and cause issues like clogging. The great advantage of our technologies is that there’s nothing to add - nature takes care of it on its own.
Under normal usage conditions, common household products, such as detergents, do not affect the proper functioning of our systems, which are designed to be robust and resilient. Refer to the user guide and best practices to learn which products to avoid and ensure the longevity of your installation.
Download the full version of the « Septic Guide for the Skeptics ».
