Residential Z-Cell

Owners of a rental property nestled South Central Indiana found themselves grappling with the dire consequences of lateral field failure. They desperately needed an alternative system.

Zoeller Pump offered a tailored remedy: secondary treatment and a drip system to resurrect the property from the ashes of its failed conventional setup.

The homeowners turned to Zoeller Pump’s Z-Cell. Designed for use in decentralized wastewater treatment applications where the effluent quality must meet or exceed secondary treatment standards, the Z-Cell^® technology can be used in residential, commercial, or small community applications for treating residential strength septic tank effluent. The Z-Cell^® is a timed dose system, and the wastewater has a 36” vertical path to an outlet pipe below the wetland’s surface. By moving water vertically, the fluid must pass through the horizontally oriented plant root zone. This eliminates short circuiting, an issue common in conventional constructed wetlands. During the growing season, evapotranspiration through plant leaves reduces the hydraulic load to downstream components.

Secondary treatment and drip were solutions provided by Zoeller Pump for the failed conventional system. A 200 sq ft constructed wetland (Z Cell) was installed in August 2005. Zoeller personnel planted bulrush, cattails, and blue flag irises in May 2006. Over the course of 13 meticulously documented sampling events, this thriving ecosystem showcased its prowess. With unwavering consistency, it unveiled an average effluent quality—a testament to its resilience and effectiveness—boasting 22 mg/L BOD5 and 10 mg/L TSS, thereby solidifying its reputation as a stalwart defender of wastewater quality.