The Eco Machine™
 When the planting was complete, the wetlands were flooded with water. The Eco Machine™ at the heart of the Omega Center for Sustainable Living (OCSL) is the latest in living machine technology designed by John Todd, a pioneer in the field of ecological design. A living machine is natural wastewater treatment system that cleans water by mimicking the systems of the natural world. Wastewater comes into the Eco Machine and is run through various treatment zones where all major forms of life are represented, including microscopic algae, fungi, bacteria, plants, snails, and fishes. This natural wastewater treatment is a robust ecosystem that cleans the water without the need for hazardous chemicals.
The size and components of a living machine depends on how much water the system will process. Omega's Eco Machine can process up to 52,000 gallons a day and includes anoxic tanks, constructed wetlands, the Eco Machine lagoons, sand filters, and large dispersal fields. Much of the Eco Machine's natural wastewater treatment process is gravity fed, decreasing the amount of energy needed to operate the system. Omega plans to eventually use the purified and sterilized water from the OCSL for irrigation and in toilets throughout its campus.
Step-by-Step Through the Eco Machine
Step 1: Anaerobic Tanks
In the first stage of the Eco Machine, all wastewater comes into two large septic tanks (10,000 gallons total) and naturally occurring microbial organisms living in the water begin to digest the sludge that settles to the bottom of the tanks. This process happens in the absence of oxygen (called either aerobic or anoxic) and produces a modest amount of methane gas, though not enough to harvest and use as an energy source.
Step 2: Constructed Wetlands
From the anaerobic tanks, water makes its way into a constructed wetland full of plants known for their ability to treat wastewater. These plants help clarify the water as particles in the water stick to the plants' roots. They also remove nitrates from the water, converting them into a harmless nitrogen gas that escapes into the atmosphere. There are four constructed wetlands in Omega's system, each the size of a basketball court.
Step 3: Aerated Lagoons
From the constructed wetlands, the water is collected in a 5,000 gallon tank where it is then pumped into the greenhouse and into the two lagoons of the Eco Machine. There are four cells in each lagoon, and as the water makes its way through each cell it is scrubbed and cleaned by plants, fungi, algae, bacteria, snails, and other organisms in the tanks. In turn, these organisms use the nutrients to grow and thrive and the tanks become full of lush plants and teeming with life.
Step 4: Sand Filter
Before being reintroduced back into the environment, water is sent through a recirculating sand filter. Tiny microorganisms living in the sand are capable of removing any nitrogen, organic matter, or particulates that may still be present. At this point the water meets advanced wastewater standards and is ready for non-potable use.
Stage 5: Dispersal
Finally, the processed water is reintroduced to the environment via a subsurface network of chambers in two large dispersal fields under the parking lot. Eventually, we hope to use the water to irrigate our gardens, flush toilets, and maintain an outdoor water garden.
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