A Green Living Systems Bio-filtration system in a Sustainable modular Unit, functioning as a Hexagonal Circulation Plant for the Remediation and Restoration of the water to a Sparklingly Clean living state by enabling the different Kingdoms of life to flourish for the rejuvenation of waste water, through their living actions Creating a Raw-Sewage Processing Plant.

This Living System is good for smaller volumes as well as for neighbourhoods and villages, when enlarged it is intended to be used for new developments and housing estates. In an adapted design this System can be installed at the larger existing Waste Water Treatment Works like Sunderland Ridge and Northern Works, and used for new larger Plants in the pipeline

Functioning as an ecological alternative proposal for the new ones that are imminently to be built, like the one planed on the Jukskei at Lanseria which has already been scoped and is now seeking environmental approval from GDARD.

The system of waterborne sewerage is a very bad idea especially in a water-scarce country like ours, aside from the huge costs of the treatment as well as the drinking-water wasted it goes further on to pollute our rivers destroying whole fresh-water eco-systems down into the sea, a world-wide problem affecting this scarce resource. The worst place to put human waste is in our freshwater reserves, a selfish and unnatural thing to do to use clean water for waste disposal where it never really comes out of. The best way is to put it safely into the earth as compost where it can enrich the soil and seeds can sprout, some need to pass through digestive systems first. We need to move away from this wasteful system ruining our small supply of freshwater on the planet degrading our health while causing much suffering, degradation and extinction of our fellow species for this luxury.

To save our Freshwater sources the best way is through chemical-free dry composting directly into the earth, adapting the old bucket system or with movable toilets over holes for tree planting. The next best way is through creating Living-systems Bio-filtration Plants to treat sewage water naturally in an ecologically sound way that protects the river life. Smaller plants can be installed directly at developments and integrated within the planning while costs carried by the developers- Treatment Works are already at capacity. Designed as attractive open spaces and parks where they can water gardens and enrich the soil, when no chemicals are added a separate grey-water system can be first filtered and used in flushing and irrigation. In this way people can take control to treat their own waste and not flush the problem downstream, eliminating the need for other costly Plant planned.

Larger treatment units can become problematic because of the volumes that need to be treated within the limited space allowed. This proposed system however uses the methane gas by-product of the bacterial decomposition as energy source along with alien wood from the river, an inexhaustible supply to drive Pulsometer steam pumps from gas and wood fired boilers to constantly circulate and aerate as well as heating the water to thereby keep microbial action at a very high level so that effective decomposition and treatment can be achieved in a relatively small space. It is a self-

contained system with low operating costs and economical to build using pre-cast panels of Hemp- crete while providing an effective security barrier that works as a wetland living filtration system.

Conventional activated sludge systems are very expensive costing around a billion rand to build, like the existing Waste Water Treatment Works (Wwtw) at Sunderland Ridge that has very high operating costs of around three million rand a month of which the electrical bill alone is a million rand a month. Consisting of massive electrical cables pumps and infrastructure that are very vulnerable to theft and easily disabled, large volumes of chemicals are needed and the footprint ecologically is very large. Most of these works have ruined large stretches of river as well as the surrounding areas paving the way as the edge of the wedge for industrial developments that follow in their destructive wake. Huge amounts of taxpayers money is spent only to have raw- or partially treated sewage dumped into our rivers to spread diseases and ruin priceless ecosystems while gigantic sludge dumps accumulates as its unprocessed by-product leeching into the ground water.

New treatment Work like these should no longer be built- currently a new one is in the scoping stages for Lanseria to be located on the Jukskei river where it is likely to further damage an already highly stressed riverine ecosystem denuded by sewage which can rather be rehabilitated as a vitally important Natural River Sanctuary. The proposed location is inside the sensitive area of the Crocodile River Nature Reserve and would negatively affect the environment as well as the river, hampering its potential as a crucial part of the proposed Birthplace of Humankind Wild-life Reserve.

A better solution would be construct smaller Living systems directly at the new developments near Lanseria while expanding the capacity of Northern Farms with a Bioremediation plant such as the one proposed here. Many green initiatives were already incorporated into the construction of Northern Farms such as irrigation fields and fish dams which could be expanded and made to function properly thereby improving its capacity and eliminating the need to construct a costly new system which will destroy a valuable piece of natural environment. An eco-friendly Living System will be much more reliable and cost effective with low maintenance and few parts that can be stolen and then the whole Works break down completely for six months and more such as is happening at the Sunderland Ridge Works that have destroyed the last life in an already highly polluted Hennops river. The ecosystems in green Plants will increase in efficiency as the natural systems inside them grow and expand forming vital living eco-systems, utilising the indigenous species.

A pilot large Living Systems Plant can be installed inside the grounds of the Wwtw at Sunderland Ridge in an unused front strip of land that has already been highly disturbed thereby rehabilitating this area with an attractive sculptural natural processing system.

The sludge dump landfill is also an area that needs serious rehabilitation, it is a severally polluted toxic tar lake that has been leaking into the river over a long period, and it is also most probably busy seeping into and contaminating the groundwater as it lies on porous limestone and in the vicinity of a large cave discovered during extensions in this lower part of the site that probably links directly with underground rivers carrying it to far away fountains. A huge bio-hazard has been made here caused by the unprocessed by-product of the inefficient activated sludge process being used here and in most other Works piling up in gigantic volumes over the years. Not so much processing it as it should have been, but it has rather been working over the years as a process of compressing it to a concentrated toxic sludge and then not knowing what next to do with it next, just dumping it next door, process whereby lots has been ending up in the river. Most of these outmoded, expensive giants of lumbering Activated-Sludge so-called Treatment Works installed everywhere function in this same way, the toxic sludge being disposed of somewhere in the environment unprocessed. These Works are costing the city billions to pollute and destroy its precious waterways with raw- sewage running straight through most of them. 

A natural solution to this problem

A series of lush green Hexagonal Bio-filter Treatment Plant built around the Six Kingdoms of life where wastewater passes through a bee-hive of descending pools with different bio-digesting creatures represented on each level with helpful species of each kingdom. Starting in the centre with a hexagonal pool for the newly recognised Archaic-bacteria of the Kingdom Archaea then passing to six chambers through overflowing and bottom outlets to Monera or the many forms of bacteria, then through to the Protists or Algae, down to Fungi pools next and then over-flowing down to the Plants with many floating water-plant species filtering with their roots, lastly into and through the Animal Kingdom ponds with the Invertebrates and with more Fish in the encircling settling lagoon, the Moats and wetlands functioning with a symbiotic mixture of all the divisions of life.

These basic water units can be multiplied in larger Hexagons of life with six of these forming a larger unit and water pumped to the centre of each to run down giving a high retention time, next the water collects in triangular pools with pumps and is raised up to six terrestrial filters of hanging plants. Distributed through gutters to all the vertical screens and dripping through the roots and soil, from here it flows into wetland channels collecting at the sides. For larger volumes more of these bigger units can be installed and connected in series with channels and wetlands.

Wetlands and two encircling Security Moats sculpted with clay and plants in the shape of two giant snakes with scales planted as Chains of Vortices to clean and filter the waste-water through creating bio-screens where filtering organisms can live and thrive. These moats will also be protecting the existing Works from cable theft to thereby ensure proper functioning while cleaning a part of the raw-sewage to relieve the pressure of the Works currently running at capacity.

The solution to this problem and the creation of these purifying plant systems can be achieved hopefully at a relatively low cost, being a low tech and permanent solution that will keep growing and working better while the plants roots and digestive creatures will keep it functioning properly. A pilot bio-remediation project can be started immediately at Sunderland Ridge to stop the major pollution that has been emanating from there for years, made worse recently by its complete malfunctioning for more than 6 months with raw or badly treated sewage water running straight into the river, bringing a once pristine ecosystem to its knees and on the brink of destruction.

Introduction to the functioning of this design plan for a Living Technology Biomimetic Treatment System

The current sewage inlet pipe can be used and tapped off or another one made higher up taking a part of the raw-sewage water for ecological treatment. Solids like paper are initially separated and taken to a composting area where it is broken down and sterilised with internal heat from bacterial decomposition. The waste-water is processed next in anaerobic bacterial bio-digestion tanks producing methane gas as a by-product which is then harvested and this energy used to circulate and aerate the water supplemented with Alien fire-wood.

Pulsometer steam pumps are a reliable means of heavy-duty pumping working with the direct action of steam on water in two chambers consisting of few moving parts and are low maintenance while being able to handle thick liquids so will not block. Aerating the water with an air chamber which during each cycle of their two phased pump action sucks air into the water chamber while pumping it, a partial vacuum is induced into one of the chambers by condensed steam which sucks water through while pressurised steam in the other acts as a force pump pushing it up. A ball valve releases and the two chambers shift functions in the next cycle. Boilers for the steam pumps can be run with the methane gas as well as the large supply of alien wood, making the process economical and self- sufficient in terms of energy requirements.

Flow-form pipes based on the theories of water technologist Victor Schauenberger will give an
initial cleaning to the water as well as adding energy while being pumped up through these pipes fitted with internal guides in double helix shapes like DNA chains. This spiralling motion induces an internal vortex motion in the water flowing through and causes an implosion reaction on a molecular level and starts the process of healing and restoring the water back to life.

Piped up to the top middle of a the hexagonal shaped modular structure made of panels and joints that have been pre-cast using lightweight waterproof and durable hemp-crete to also provide suitable living surfaces for biological processes. A central pool with a Stromatolite dome surrounded by cascading rings around it harbouring other Arcaeo bacteria that lived in the ancient inland waters that existed here 3,5 billion years ago. This pool of ancient first creatures that can stand the toxicity and break it down is connected on all sides by six sided interlocking modular pools arranged in a bee-hive shape, the water slowly descending in levels from this central pool. Flowing from the high point on the Dome and cascading down to different levels of pools each containing representative species of the the six kingdoms of Life, each with their own different types of beneficial digesting, filtering and feeding way.

The system starts with Bacterial enzymatic conversion processes to break down organic and chemical compounds used first in anaerobic tanks and then pumped up to the aerobic bacteria of different kinds. Bacterial action is separated by dividing the tanks into six and having the water flowing through each one of these. The Algae are given suitable habitation on shapes derived from enlarged planktonic algae shapes. Next the Fungi will live on a proper substrate like wood-chips in shallow radiating fungal shapes made in the larger pools. Water Plants can fill the next level with different kinds of indigenous lilies covering the pools utilising the roots and microbial life around them as bio-processors. The Animal kingdom can have radiating spirals and other shapes where invertebrates and smaller fish can shelter as well as where filter feeders like Mussels and crabs can live.

Larger fish and other small water animals can live in the surrounding double snake shaped wetland moat encircling it on the outside where the water collects. Shaped as a snake biting its tail with a series of vortex chains as filters in shapes like the scales on the head and spiralling the water down the body and around, were the water can flow through these snake shaped bodies while filtering as wetland moats.

Further filtering can be done when pumped up to an octagonal pole structure suspending numerous vertical filters in Octagonal Hanging Gardens. The water is distributed through a series of gutters to drip down plant filters supporting lush indigenous growth and creating a living filtration medium

through their roots and photosynthesising action to convert organic and toxic compounds. The plants growing from pockets in two sheets of shade-cloth sown together with the growing medium sandwiched in-between.

Some of the water from here is heated with pipes running through the steam-pumps, spiralling around the boiler-fires of the pumps to thereby heat and sterilise the water before being pumped into a possible hot-tub, the size depending on the unit. Water in the whole system will be heated in this way to the optimal heat that is required for different species to reach optimal functioning and maximise biological processes.

From here in the smaller units water can go to irrigation as well as to grey-water systems and flow into wetland systems going through a series of ponds, any excess water after remediation by living systems can be safely used for vegetable gardens. For larger complexes a series of wetlands can take it to attractive dams and water features incorporated into the gardens as part of the landscaped design of the complex. Adding tranquillity through these filtration pools that can become attractive features adding a peaceful atmosphere with low maintenance costs and with construction costs of these smaller sewage treatment plants carried by the complex developers.

For the optimal life in the biological processes fine bubbles from an aeration pump will be pumped into the different chambers to add oxygen. The Archaeo bacteria however on top of the Stromatolite mound from where the Waste Water flows down, come from an ancient world before oxygen they prefer an anoxic atmosphere which can be recreated by piping fermentation gasses in and if necessary enclosing with a geodesic dome the central pond. These bacteria were the ones who created our atmosphere in the first place by releasing free oxygen as a by-product of their metabolic processes

Adapted design for larger Waste Water Works using more of the larger units consisting of six each of the Hexagonal pools and Octagonal hanging Gardens working in series, with wetland security moats as well.

By increasing the scale and number of these units to cope with the high flow volumes, depending on the volume more units and on a larger scale can be built, any number of these units can be constructed and connected in series along a furrow that leads to the moats. Together with the Octagonal hanging gardens utilising filter substrates sandwiched between two shade-cloth screens and having different plants growing out of pockets of this medium will be forming effective self- renewing filters. The water is pumped to the top and is distributed with gravity through a series of gutters to channel the water which flows through to water the many filter screens suspended from these attractive geometric shape to make a lush green photosynthesising filter with indigenous terrestrial plants.

The larger plant is a bee-hive cluster consisting of seven of these Hexagonal kingdoms of life water units connecting with the Hanging Garden systems arranged this larger hexagon. Water is pumped in to the centres of the Hexagons is to flow into collection areas and is then pumped up to the Octagonal Hanging Gardens using terrestrial plants as filters.

The water collects in furrows from here to flow to the Snake-headed filters through chains of vortex spirals to restore flow shapes and protect the aquatic life further by filtering with natural materials like Hemp before entering the wetlands and moats made in the shape of the snake bodies.

Two snake headed moats can flow around the perimeter of the Wwtw on the inside of the fence and be lined with a thick layer of clay to prevent seepage into the groundwater. The mud will create a strong barrier that can be made wider and deeper in areas of high risk. All of the Treatment Works function through gravity on sloping sites and the water will flow around naturally through this wetland moat that can be dug to meander around and encircle the plant to collect in a settling lagoon at the lowest point. From here water can be pumped up for use in irrigation and industry while a further wetland could take thoroughly cleaned living water into the existing canal for re-use in farming, or as last resort into the riverine ecosystem.

These clay lined wetland-moats will make highly effective natural filters flowing wide for sun sterilisation and through the thick mud, plants and living systems thriving inside of them to thoroughly clean the water. Natural filtration at the start of the moats with chambers shaped as two golden spirals can give an initial filtering when passed through natural materials like stones sand and hemp to thereby protect the microbial feeding life in the wetlands. An initial Double Helix shaped inlet will induce a spinning motion to the water and through this action encourage sedimentation of impurities. Spiral motion is used as a way to return the primal motion to the water and restore it to life by allowing the molecules to shed the toxins into the filter substrate over and through which it flows, to return life to the dead water so that it can sustain life again.

High Oxygenation of the water and some Ozone will keep the Microbial systems at a highly active level to cope with the high flow volume in a relatively small space forming efficient systems of interacting living systems that will form highly effective water filters. The thick layer of mud will be an effective filter in itself when water moves through and over it as well as giving habitat to the bacteria and living systems that will feed on and digest the organic particles.

The thick layer of clay will be an effective deterrent to crime when made wide and deep, thieves will get stuck in the mud and be vulnerable to apprehension. The plant and mud filled streams will be a formidable barrier populated with a variety of scary creatures, even rumours of large snakes that will be acting as a further deterrent, difficult to move stolen metals through while carrying heavy cable criminals will sink immediately and get stuck. The perimeter will be easier to secure and patrol, movement beams can give additional warning. These security moats will form an unpredictable barrier with little areas of escape that few will attempt to enter. The Wwtw higher up the Hennops and other rivers can be similarly fitted with this Bio-filter Wetland Moat and Living Systems plant to ensure that a good water quality is coming from upstream.

The benefits of this Bio-remediation system

Creating a self-sufficient Living Systems Processing Plant by utilising an eclectic mixture of existing and new yet thoroughly proven Green Technologies to help break down toxins and effectively filter the human waste water in the high volumes necessary for this nodal growing area. An economical to run Plant that can be installed at a relatively low cost requiring low maintenance fees while creating fulfilling jobs in its construction and maintenance. A sustainable and growing living filter that will ensure only properly cleaned effluent flows into the Freshwater system.

To give a healthy environment to all by removing water borne toxins and diseases from our drinking water which will boost and maintain the health of our people. Oxygen and ozone created by all the plants in the living filters will invigorate our atmosphere and the air that we breathe, a created natural ecosystem that can revitalise the dead and destroyed River-life with clean living water to maintain this vital and highly threatened river ecology.

This self- sustainable system can be installed on a smaller scale right next to new developments, complexes and even larger Security Estate developments for treatment at source. To reduce the sewage load on the larger plants the introduction of bacteria in the pipes at source for early digestion as well as creation of Wetlands and Reed- beds at the outflow of other failing and vulnerable Wwtw, even just constructing wetlands before inflow into the river will help. Restoring the whole interconnected freshwater system of central Gauteng, as well as protecting our vital groundwater reserves here that could hold a large part of our country`s Freshwater.

The plants are attractive systems that can be used for educating and awareness of the sewage processing system to help reduce through more responsible use the toxic load flushed into it.

The wetland life around the plant will help to restore river-life and form a part of the proposed Hennops River Sanctuary by using indigenous creatures there can be a healthy exchange of life helping to repopulate the denuded eco-systems. These living Sanctuaries which will in turn form a large and dynamic part of the larger Birthplace and Birth-source Parks of Humankind`s Freshwater Reserve to preserve the heritage sites of our shared Human Origin.

Design plan for a Living Filter for Sunderland Ridge WWTW

1. Sewerage inlet initially starting with smaller mega-litres that will increase as the systems and plants grow, the volume can be increased with more units. Solids are first separated to a composting area to be broken down and sterilised through the internal heat build-up of digestive bacteria inside the compost heaps.

2. Anaerobic Bacteria tanks breaking down waste initially inside bio-digester tanks while producing Methane gas. This gas to be captured and used to drive various Steam pumps through Gas fired Boilers. Alien wood, as well as invasive species removed from the River Sanctuary project can also be used to fire some of the boilers.

3. Heat from the Methane-gas and wood fired boilers drives low maintenance steam- pumps called Pulsometers that also aerate the water while pumping during its two stage pumping process that can handle thick liquids so won`t block.

4. Flow-form pipes are used to re-energise the dead water with a Dna shaped spiralling motion created while being pumped up through this type of pipe and the internal motion creates an implosion reaction to help restore the life of the water on a molecular and atomic level.(following Victor Schauenberger`s teachings)

5. (See detail Design 1)Pumped up to the centre of each of the seven hexagonal units arranged in series and connected with moats. Pipes split to take to each unit in the central Stromatolite pools and running down from there. Continual aeration with several steam- driven air pumps that are also powered with the heat from wood and Methane gas from the Bio-digesters that is piped up.

6. Cascading down the seven Hexagonal shaped mounds with radiating ponds filled with Aerobic Bacteria and Photosynthesising Algae as well as the other divisions of life through which the water moves, going through water-plants with root systems filtering and creating living systems to purify the waste-water in a functionally attractive way with large areas of Water-lilies and Waterblommetjies.

7. Each flowing down into twelve shallow ponds with spiral jetties built from loose rocks which will provide habitat for microbial and higher life systems. Spiral shapes will encourage sedimentation and help to restore this primary flow–form inside the water. Outlets lead to collecting ponds for pumping and outlets into the encircling channel.

8. (See Design 2)Pumped up to four Octagonal Hanging Gardens with vertical plants and growing medium filters to remove further toxins with roots and growth process, water drips into spiralling cannels radiating from the centre to join into the moats

9. (Design 3)Pump-house and boiler for compressed air and water pumps to continually aerate and circulate the water to ensure maximum functioning of living ecosystems that are feeding on sewage while digesting and breaking down toxins.

10. Bio–filter Security Moats dug as a shallow meandering trench with soil built up on the sides and layered with clay to seal the moats and to raise the water level. Sealed with Bentonite and covered with a thick layer of clay to prevent seepage and form a difficult to cross barrier. Dug out in the shape of chains of vortices to guide the water through spiral shapes planted with aquatics to give habitat to filtering organisms living inside these sediment inducing spiral shapes.

11. Wetlands on the banks will be giving habitat to the larger five kingdoms of life while boosting denuded Riverine Grassland life and forming effective ecosystem filters with the mud giving a good habitat as well as filtering medium.

12. Security perimeter formed around the existing Works that is easy to patrol and difficult to cross through the sticky mud and swampy plants.

13. Water collects in a lagoon at the lowest point for re-use in agriculture or by industry.

14. Outlet through a constructed wetland into the river.

15. Flowing out through the old irrigation canal and can be re-used to irrigate farm lands.

16. The Toxic sludge dump is a huge Bio-hazard that needs to be rehabilitated, leaking into the river and groundwater.

17. A cave has been identified in this vicinity which probably connects with underground rivers to pollute widespread groundwater water with toxicity and disease. Crops like Hemp and other harvestable plants can be used to stabilise the site and detoxify the land as they can be harvested and recycled for instance in the building industry.

18. The Sludge dams are a toxic by–product dumped over decades on this site to form a huge tar lake metres deep and partially crusted over where the ground moves. This dump now full and no longer used and has been leaking into the River for years.

19. This slime from decades of the Wwtw process can be broken down by using various micro- organisms to digest toxins and to form compostable nutrients for non-edible plant-life.