A Cleaner Tomorrow with Biochar Today
CWSF · 2026 Environment & Climate Change
Overview
Can biochar be used to create an effective septic system filter? I live on Seymour Lake, where we experience harmful algae blooms, so this is an important question for my community. Most phosphates and nitrates enter Seymour Lake through home septic systems. I used septic effluent from my home lake water system and my cistern water system as my controls. I ran septic effluent from the 2 test groups through the following filters: homemade biochar, sand, gravel, Black Bear biochar <2mm, Black Bear biochar 2-6 mm, and Black Bear biochar >6mm. The filtered effluent was tested for changes in phosphate, nitrite, nitrate, hardness, calcium, carbonate, pH, conductivity and clarity levels. Fine Black Bear biochar (<2mm) and sand were the two filter types that were most effective at filtering out phosphate. Fine Black Bear biochar (<2mm) was the most effective at filtering out nitrate.
Awards (2)
- Special Award
- Selected for CWSF 2026
Competition history
- CWSF 2026
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