Technical 
Brief

Executive Summary
The Kaimana™ System is a modular, decentralized, closed-loop wastewater treatment
platform engineered to transform wastewater challenges into operational assets.
Utilizing a unique biological biofilm-in-pipe mechanism, the system treats both sanitary
sewage and high-strength industrial effluent directly on-site without the need for
traditional sludge-intensive processes. Its primary objective is circular resource
recovery: capturing, treating, and returning clean, non-potable water for irrigation, fire
safety, and industrial process reuse. By actively managing organic and nutrient loads,
the system drastically reduces both freshwater demand and environmental discharge
liabilities.

Core Technology & System Architecture
The Kaimana system utilizes a robust, highly adaptable closed-loop architecture
designed to withstand fluctuating organic loads by leveraging a specialized biological
process housed within its internal network.

 

• Biofilm-in-Pipe Treatment:  Unlike traditional tanks, the system utilizes a proprietary pipe-based biological reactor. Wastewater circulates through a network where naturally occurring bacteria form a biofilm on the pipe walls,  efficiently breaking down organic matter as the water flows.

• ​​Advanced Biological Nutrient Removal (BNR): The layered nature of the internal biofilm naturally establishes both aerobic and anoxic zones. This facilitates simultaneous nitrification and denitrification, allowing the system to effectively process and remove excess nitrogen and phosphorus without requiring separate, footprint-heavy treatment tanks.

• Modular Footprint: The platform is engineered to scale. It can be deployed with a minimal initial footprint and expanded as a facility's site demands grow, avoiding the heavy upfront capital expenditure associated with traditional centralized infrastructure.

• Dynamic Load Handling: Kaimana is specifically engineered to deliver reliable performance even with rapidly changing inflows and high-strength industrial effluent through its distributed biological contact surface.

• Closed-Loop Resource Recovery: The architecture minimizes or eliminates wastewater discharge. By treating the water to high standards on-site, the system closes the loop, turning a traditional waste stream into a secondary water source.​

 

Loading Capabilities & Specifications
The Kaimana system is specifically engineered for "high-strength" environments,
meaning it handles waste that would typically overwhelm standard septic or aerobic
units. Because the biological surface area is distributed across a pipe network rather
than a single tank, it maintains a higher stability during "shock loading"—sudden spikes
in volume, concentration, or nutrient density.

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Technical Specifications Summary

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Operational Advantages

•  Regulatory Compliance & Regional Approvals: Designed as a complianceready solution, the effluent generated meets strict local and environmental regulations for non-potable reuse. Notably, the Kaimana system has been approved for use under the General Waste Discharge Requirements for Small Domestic Wastewater Treatment Systems (Order WQ 2014-0153-DWQ) by the San Francisco Regional Water Board, significantly streamlining the permitting and deployment process for regional projects.

•  Sludge-Free & Chemical-Free: The specialized biological process significantly reduces the production of waste sludge and operates without the continuous addition of harsh chemicals.

• Cost-Effective On-site Treatment: Eliminates the need to pump waste to municipal plants or pay for specialized hauling, reducing municipal surcharges.

• Eutrophication Prevention & Nutrient Polish: By effectively removing excess nitrogen and phosphorus, the system prevents harmful algae blooms in receiving waters and ensures strict compliance in ecologically sensitive, nutrient-restricted regions.

• Energy Efficiency: Less energy-intensive than conventional heavy aeration setups or traditional Membrane Bioreactors (MBRs).

• Odorless Operation: The closed-loop, pipe-based design ensures that the treatment process remains odor-free, allowing for installation in close proximity to residential or commercial spaces.

 

Target Applications

• Agriculture & Agritech: Recovering water for crop irrigation and reducing reliance on local aquifers. The system can be calibrated to leave beneficial nutrients in the effluent, turning it into a rich fertilizer stream.

• Industrial & Manufacturing: Treating high-strength effluent (high BOD/COD/Nutrients) that conventional systems struggle to process efficiently.

• Decentralized Municipal/Commercial: Providing autonomous water cycles for remote developments or areas facing strict municipal discharge limits.

 

 

Conclusion

The Kaimana™ system represents a practical shift toward circular water infrastructure. It treats wastewater not as a liability to be discharged, but as a strategic resource to be recovered through its innovative biofilm-in-pipe technology, dynamic nutrient management, and robust loading resilience. Backed by critical regulatory approvals like Order WQ 2014-0153-DWQ, the Kaimana system provides a scalable, energy-efficient solution that enables facilities to achieve water independence and maintain strict compliance directly on-site.