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Recycle and Reuse Treated Wastewater
IGM - Lift Station
IMET® Grease Module
Before IGM
After IGM
Installed directly into Lift Station water body
IMET® Grease Module (IGM), when installed in the existing lift station infrastructure, creates a nearly 100% aerobic environment. Anaerobes become dormant, and the lift station becomes aerobic. Aerobes produce odorless CO2, SO2, NO2, NO3, and H2O, eliminating bad odors previously produced by anaerobic microorganisms. Additionally, the large surface area in the IGMs grow significant populations of bio-diverse micro-organisms that partially consume the dissolved bio-waste in the wastewater. Floating bio-solids are significantly reduced, and the need for pumping is minimized or eliminated.
Key Benefits:
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Nearly 100% aerobic system
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Efficient energy usage
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Eliminates bad odors (H2S) to negligible levels
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Minimizes floating grease
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Continuous inoculation of adapted aerobic microorganisms into downstream sewer lines
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Maintains lines free of grease buildup
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Minimizes or eliminates jetting and pumping
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Seeds aerobic microorganisms to WWTP
The IMET® technology is a modular design that is able to fit any new or existing system. IMET Corporation offers customers a solution to meet individual client requirements. The IMET® “drop in” technology is designed to create a nearly 100% aerobic environment in a lift station that allows for fast, lasting results.
The IMET® technology provides superior surface area that allows large, diverse populations of micro-organisms to grow and remain in the IMET® module. Coupled with superior aeration, and a design that utilizes aeration efficiently, the IMET® technology requires less air to achieve maximum results.
Specifications:
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1036, 1440 standard size (custom sizing available for non-standard installations)
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200-450 watt air pump
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Stainless steel housing (if necessary)
Before IGM
After IGM
Municipal Lift Station Installation
Resort Lift Station Installation
This case study was featured in a Water Daily newsletter in March 2026.
Case Study: Using IMET® Technology to Minimize Odor and Bio-solids Buildup at an Ottawa County Pump Station
Highlights
After installing an IMET system at Pump Station 50 (PS 50) in a prominent neighborhood in Ottawa County, Ohio, a hydrogen sulfide (H2S) odor was reduced to negligible levels. This is a major win considering the proximity of the pump station to residential homes and Catawba Island’s high tourist population in the summer
The organic mat that formed on top of the wet well disappeared, helping regulate the water levels and reducing how often it needed to be pumped
Delivered an 80 to 95% reduction of carbonaceous biochemical oxygen demand (CBOD5) in the wet well, depending on the fluctuating residence time due to Catawba’s seasonal population changes
Ottawa County reduced the amount of calcium nitrate sent upstream by 2,470 gallons, resulting in $6,700 in chemical savings from February to September of 2025
Summary
In February 2025, Ottawa County installed a 2 Module IMET system at PS 50 in Catawba Island to address a potent H2S odor. One year later, the results speak for themselves: the unpleasant smell is gone, the organic mat completely disappeared significantly, minimizing the need for pumping. The need to use chemicals for odor H2S elimination has also been stopped.
Challenges
Located in a residential neighborhood in Catawba Island, Ottawa County received complaints about foul odors coming from PS 50. Residents wanted the county to provide a sustainable solution that would get rid of the smell for good.
Solution Implemented
Waterways like riverbeds are naturally cleaned by microorganisms that are attached to rocks and sands within their pore structures underwater. These microorganisms consume dissolved biowaste (BOD) in the waterbody to clean the water.
IMET technology mimics nature’s way of treating wastewater through its patented aerobic packed bed treatment module design. “We essentially took the riverbed and brought it to the pump station,” said Kaan Gencer, chief operating officer (COO) for IMET.
Before installing the IMET system at PS 50, the pump station wet well produced H2S, a gas known for its distinctive rotten egg smell. Installing two large IMET Modules into the wet well converted the pump station into a nearly 100% aerobic system, enabling aerobic microorganisms to thrive and causing anaerobic microorganisms to go dormant.
“We converted the PS 50 pump station into an aerobic system,” said Gencer. “We now have enough sustained dissolved oxygen in the water to maintain a high population of diverse aerobic microorganisms at all times.”
Each 14- by 40-inch IMET Module circulates wastewater through its high surface media (an area about half the size of a football field) via an air diffuser at the bottom. The diverse populations of aerobic microorganisms growing within the multi-media are constantly in contact with the dissolved nutrients in the pump station
One year after installing the IMET system, the results have been described as “a game-changer.” Installing the IMET system resulted in the elimination of the organic mat including considerable amounts of Fats, Oils and Grease (FOG) within the pump station. In this application, another noteworthy result has been the 80 to 95% reduction of CBOD5 in the wet well depending on the fluctuating residence time due to Catawba’s seasonal population changes.
There are no H2S odor complaints from the local residents and the organic mat has disappeared from the wet well without requiring pump outs.
The significant chemical savings along with other benefits of the IMET system, Ottawa County is setting its sights even higher.
“We feel the installation of the IMET system has been a positive outcome for us,” said Christopher Goetz, water reclamation superintendent for Ottawa County’s Sanitary Engineering Department. “We are hoping that we can reduce even more or eliminate the need for calcium nitrate altogether.”
Looking ahead, Ottawa County plans to implement more IMET systems in other pump stations across the county.
Outcome and Impact
The IMET system reduces H2S production to near elimination by sustaining an aerobic environment and significantly enhancing the oxidation of dissolved sulfurous compounds in the wet well as it maintains dissolved oxygen levels greater than or equal to 3 parts per million (ppm). In some challenging cases the periodic inoculation of sulfur oxidizing bacteria within the IMET module(s) is added as part of the IMET system.
IMET’s technology pre-treats wastewater by creating a significantly efficient aerobic environment with extremely high population of diverse microorganisms within the wet well. In doing so, the IMET system also continually seeds the wet well and downstream lines delivering further BOD reduction before the treatment plant.
The IMET System significantly reduces FOG buildup within the wet well and in the downstream lines through efficient bio degradation of FOG. The result is a reduction in the need for pumping the wet well and jetting downstream lines.
The IMET system requires minimal power to operate i.e. each module uses between 200 to 450 watts. A typical pump station requires 1 to 4 IMET modules depending on the size of the wet well.