Wastewater Standoff in California’s High Desert

There was a wastewater standoff fomenting in California’s high desert.

In Victorville, local building developer Salvador Parra was wrapping up construction on a new rental property with three units to add to his portfolio. Power was on, water was running, and the vibes were high. Well, he might say high-ish. He knew in the back of his brain that he had to confront a lingering issue: how to tackle the advanced treatment problem.

You see Parra knew at the onset of his build that connecting to the sewer system was not in the cards. His property was outside city limits and the simple solution is to install a septic tank. But there was a hiccup.

“This is a one acre lot,” says Parra. “Per county standards, you can’t put three units on a one acre lot. You would need an acre and a half. Half an acre per unit. And since we have three units, that’s why we had to install an advanced treatment system, because we are short a half acre.”

With that information in hand, Parra instructed his engineer to find a solution that would bring the project into compliance. But then another issue arrived.

The price he got quoted was exorbitant. So exorbitant in fact, he refused to install the system because he believed there had to be a more cost effective solution somewhere out there.

Thus, the wastewater standoff commenced.

For six months, Parra put the project on hold, refusing to move forward until he could find a more cost effective alternative. That’s six months of lost profit. Six months of frustration. Six months of feeling there had to be a better way.

Fortunately, one existed.

“Originally, we were going to go with another vendor,” Parra says, “but we went with the Jensen Advanced Treatment System with EZ Treat because it was the most cost effective system we could find.”

To comply with San Bernardino County, Parra needed a treatment system that would reduce nitrogen levels in the effluent discharge by at least 50%. Jensen’s Advanced Treatment System, which is NSF 245 certified, exceeds those standards.

“The Jensen Advanced Treatment System with EZ Treat is certified at the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) as having nitrogen reductions of up to 67%,” says Charlie Ray, an advanced onsite treatment expert with nearly 30 years in the industry. “So obviously it does a great job of reducing nitrogen.”

Today, a complete Jensen Advanced Treatment System sits between Parra’s two residential buildings in Victorville, including a duplex. It acts as a silent sentry, recirculating and treating wastewater until nitrogen levels are significantly reduced. All while helping Parra protect his investment and meet county regulations.

Putting an end to the wastewater standoff.

For more information, go to Jensen Advanced Treatment System. Schedule a lunch and learn or check out our latest webinar on advanced treatment for municipal compliance.