What can Trench be used for? ​

Trench originated as a tool to primarily assess site suitability for in-ground disposal of effluent in absorption trenches.

However, it now has wider uses for on-site wastewater management in general. For example, after becoming familiar with the way the application works, you can, by changing various inputs, estimate the following:

1. The optimum length, width and depth of absorption trenches (use the water balance model to obtain no wastewater overflow)
2. The area required for in-ground disposal
3. The area required for effluent re-use, or surface irrigation of treated sullage (assume the disposal area is a thin but wide absorption trench)
4. The daily or monthly overflow volumes from absorption trenches or irrigation areas (assume fixed dimensions under conditions of changing wastewater volumes or rain loadings), and the short term storage requirements for such systems
5. The distribution of nutrients in the subsurface, and nutrient concentrations in groundwater
6. The time elapsed before phosphorus migrates to a water table (using phosphorus adsorption capacities and depth to water)
7. Separation distances to sensitive features, for wastewater from trenches, package treatment plants, etc. (using groundwater temperature and rate of flow, and the viral die-off method)
8. The radius of influence of a water bore, the separation distance between a bore and a disposal site, or the distance a new bore should be from an existing disposal system
9. The optimum size of, or the discharge rate from, a treatment lagoon or pond (using 100% porosity and water balance models)
10. The rise or fall of groundwater levels beneath trenches, etc. (assume the water table starts at the base of the trench)