Approved and proven system – sponsored by the Ministry of the Environment

Clearford has over 20 years of experience in small diameter sewers; this experience, along with a commitment to continuous improvements, has led Clearford to become a world leader in small diameter variable gradient sewer design and construction. The SBS™ has its origins in the Cost-Effective Technology Working Group commissioned by the Ontario Ministries of the Environment and Northern Affairs. The Working Group commissioned a 1985 study to report on the potential use of small bore sewers in small Ontario communities, in which an international review of the small diameter sewer technology was conducted. The findings were submitted by Cowater International and R.W. Connelly Associates (now Clearford) in 1985, in a report entitled "Small-Bore Sewerage Cost-Effective Technology Study". Based on the findings, there was sufficient evidence to warrant a pilot study in the Northern Ontario community of Field.

Results of the original pilot and the first five years of monitoring were summarized in an independent report prepared by the Ontario Clean Water Agency. This report stated that the small diameter gravity sewer was installed at a cost 50% lower than a historic sewer, and that it is a viable technology for wastewater collection. Subsequent to the installation, in July 1996, the system was approved for projects in Ontario by the Ministry of Energy and the Environment. This pilot has led to the preferred use of communal systems over individual septic systems because:

• They allow for better protection of the environment and public health
• Lots are likely to be smaller, resulting in more compact development, which is consistent with provincial objectives for more concentrated land use in order to preserve resources
• There are potential savings for developers, owners and municipalities on first cost and/or maintenance/replacement

The SBS™ has been proven in residential, commercial and industrial applications, and is patented in Canada and the U.S.