In Ohio, most systems will only apply wastewater from April through November. During the remaining four months of the year, treated wastewater can be either stored or discharged under NPDES permit.
Land area needs are determined by calculating a water and nutrient balance for a site. A water balance is a design tool that balances the water losses from the site through evapotranspiration, drainage, and rainfall runoff with the water inputs from rainfall and wastewater irrigation. Estimates of the total land area needed to assimilate hydraulic loads are presented in Figures 1 and 2 and can be consulted as a quick check to determine project feasibility.
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| Figure 1. Minimum acreage needed for very small irrigation systems. |
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| Figure 2. Minimun acreage needed for small- to mediumsized irrigation systems. |