This existing Hampton Inn hotel in Islandia, NY was experiencing frequent sewage overflows and pumping and hauling of sewage from what they believed to be their septic system. Hayduk Engineering was contacted by Chatham Lodging Trust, the owner and operator of this hotel and over seventy (70) other hotels nationwide, to investigate the problem and provide a resolution. After further investigation, it was discovered that the site was serviced by a passive denitrification system (a/k/a “Denite System”) that was damaged and no longer functioning, which was causing the sewage overflows and frequent (and costly) pumping and hauling services.

Passive Denitrification systems were designed and permitted in Suffolk County in the 1980’s as a bridge between conventional septic systems and wastewater treatment plants. Passive Denitrification systems allowed for a property to be developed over the allowable sanitary density for the site, up to a hydraulic design flow of 15,000 gallons per day (gpd). Many of these systems were installed in Suffolk County. The systems were comprised of conventional septic tanks; a nitrification field comprised of galleries of upper and lower perforated pipes in a lined sand media bed; a denitrification chamber filled with sulfur and limestone; and a disposal (leaching) field. After several years of widespread applications throughout the County, it became apparent that these systems were not functioning as intended nor designed. Modifications were made to many of these systems in the following years to include wastewater dosing pumps and aeration equipment, but ultimately this technology was banned in Suffolk County due to numerous failures.

Although there were less costly alternatives available to them, the Owner elected to voluntarily and proactively provide the most   environmentally conscious  approach… to demolish the existing Denite System and construct an advanced wastewater treatment plant.

Hayduk Engineering prepared an engineering design report as well as final plans and specifications for a 15,000 gpd packaged Biologically Engineered Single Sludge Treatment (BESST) wastewater treatment plant.  Shortly after obtaining conceptual approval of the engineering design report from SCDHS, the client expressed their interest in having Hayduk Engineering be responsible not only for the design of the system, but also the construction of the project. As a result, Hayduk Engineering partnered with Bensin Contracting, Inc. to complete the project as a Design – Build team.