Wastewater
NSF has over 40 years of experience in onsite wastewater treatment systems. Our standards group facilitates the development of standards and protocols, and our global water program tests and certifies products. Our services deliver confidence to consumers, assurance of performance to public health officials and market access for product manufacturers in the onsite wastewater treatment industry.
NSF/ANSI 350 & 350-1: Onsite Water Reuse
More than 97% of water on earth is salty and nearly 2% is locked up in snow and ice. That leaves less than 1% of water to grow crops, cool power plants and supply drinking and household water. Governments, NGOs, residential and commercial builders and architects are turning to onsite wastewater reuse systems as a solution to increasing water scarcity and energy costs associated with the treatment and distribution of municipal water and wastewater.
NSF/ANSI 350 and 350-1 establish material, design, construction and performance requirements for onsite residential and commercial water reuse treatment systems. They also set water quality requirements for the reduction of chemical and microbiological contaminants for non-potable water use. Treated wastewater (i.e. treated effluent) can be used for restricted indoor water use, such as toilet and urinal flushing, and outdoor unrestricted water use, such as lawn irrigation.
NSF/ANSI 40 Residential: Onsite Systems
NSF/ANSI 40 is a standard for residential wastewater treatment systems with rated capacities between 400 and 1,500 gallons (1,514 and 5,678 liters) per day. We can evaluate any kind of system, regardless of treatment technology, in test facilities in the U.S., Canada and Europe.
To achieve certification, treatment systems must produce an acceptable quality of effluent during a six-month (26-week) test. Class I systems must achieve a 30-day average effluent quality of 25 mg/L CBOD5 and 30 mg/L TSS or less, and pH 6.0-9.0 spanning six months of testing. System service and maintenance are prohibited during the test period.
NSF/ANSI 41: Non-Liquid Systems
NSF/ANSI 41 certifies composting toilets and similar treatment systems that do not use a liquid saturated media as a primary means of storing or treating human excreta or human excreta mixed with other organic household materials.
The standard requires a minimum of six months of performance testing, which includes design loading and stress testing appropriate to the product class: residential, cottage or day-use park. We evaluate a minimum of one system in a controlled laboratory setting, and a minimum of three systems in a mature field setting.
NSF/ANSI 46: Components and Devices
NSF/ANSI 46 evaluates the performance of wastewater treatment system components and devices such as grinder pumps, septic tank effluent filters, chlorination devices and UV disinfection devices.
NSF/ANSI 46 establishes minimum material, design, construction, product literature and performance requirements for components and devices used in handling, treating, recycling, reusing or disposing wastewater. Components and devices covered by this standard are intended for use with greywater, blackwater or both. The standard includes general requirements appropriate to all technologies and specific requirements for individual product categories.
NSF/ANSI 245: Nitrogen Reduction
NSF/ANSI 245 defines total nitrogen reduction requirements to meet the growing demand for nutrient reduction in coastal areas and sensitive environments. NSF/ANSI 245 covers residential wastewater treatment systems with rated capacities between 400 and 1,500 gallons (1,514 and 5,678 liters) per day.
We can evaluate any kind of system, regardless of treatment technology, in test facilities in the U.S., Canada and Europe.
To achieve certification, treatment systems must produce an acceptable quality of effluent during a six-month (26-week) test. System service and maintenance are prohibited during the test period.
NSF/ANSI 240: Drainfield Trench Product Sizing
NSF/ANSI 240 establishes minimum material, design, construction and performance requirements to evaluate dispersal drainfield products used as alternatives to traditional stone or gravel trenches. The test procedures emphasize hydraulics and measure performance over time in parallel comparisons between a conventional gravel drain field and a gravelless trench. The standard applies to both newer technologies, which are tested in a laboratory, and technologies in use for 10 or more years, which are evaluated in the field.
NSF/ANSI 360: Field Performance
NSF/ANSI 360 establishes consistent site selection, sampling, laboratory analysis and data evaluation methods for obtaining field performance results for onsite wastewater treatment systems. The standard evaluates system selection, screening, minimum number of locations, sample frequency and duration, and defines quality requirements.
NSF/ANSI 360 applies only to wastewater treatment systems with rated capacities between 400 and 1,500 gallons per day, which have already been certified to NSF/ANSI 40 (CBOD5 and TSS reduction) or NSF/ANSI 245 (nitrogen reduction).
Wastewater Protocols
In addition to certifying to NSF/ANSI wastewater standards, we also certify to the following wastewater protocols:
- NSF P150: Tissues in Septic Systems
- NSF P157: Incinerating Toilets
- NSF P353: Sewage Sludge Sterilization
NSF protocols are similar in many ways to NSF/ANSI standards, but do not undergo review and approval by an NSF joint committee. Instead, they undergo review and approval by a smaller technical panel that includes experts in onsite wastewater and stakeholder representation from industry, public health and user communities. Protocols are generally developed for smaller industry sectors.
Product innovations sometimes outpace the standards or regulations required for product acceptance, leaving manufacturers with an excellent product, but an unreceptive marketplace.
NSF has over 40 years of experience creating standards and protocols, as well as testing and certifying products, for the wastewater treatment industry. We can help you gain market access through our protocol development services. By creating customized testing criteria and validating performance and product claims, we give your product credibility in your desired markets.
Amalgam Separators
Dental amalgam is a durable metal mixture that may contain mercury and is used to restore teeth. An amalgam separator removes amalgam particles from the wastewater of a dental treatment center to reduce the number of amalgam particles and, therefore, the amount of amalgam, and potentially mercury, entering the sewage system.
ISO 11143 includes specific requirements for amalgam separators (such as efficiency, safe functioning, marking and instructions for use, operation and maintenance) and defines test methods to determine compliance.
We evaluate amalgam separators against the requirements of ISO 11143 and certify that the separator meets the ISO standard requirements and the customer adheres to all NSF policies. The NSF mark demonstrates compliance with all ISO 11143 requirements.