- (800) 972-9940
- Batesville, Indiana 47006
- Monday - Friday 8 AM - 5 PM
- [email protected]
Our company began in 1989 when I left my position as a city engineer, and started a consulting engineering firm. Our practice included water treatment and distribution, wastewater treatment and collection, stormwater and drainage, roads and street design, subdivision development, and land surveying. Over time we began to specialize in wastewater treatment projects for municipalities, residential subdivisions, and commercial projects. These projects helped me to develop, and patent new treatment processes that performed better, and were more efficient.
I found that I enjoyed both designing projects, as well as building them, and eventually the consulting firm was renamed earthTek. We began solely designing and providing wastewater collection and treatment solutions in 2011, and continue to provide these superb services today, and for all future projects.
Kevin R. Chaffee
P.E. – Chief Engineer
Kevin Chaffee, P.E. is a licensed professional engineer, land surveyor, and water and wastewater treatment plant operator. He graduated in 1982 from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, IN with a BS degree in Civil/Environmental Engineering. He worked for an Indianapolis engineering consultant as a project engineer for a large private water utility in northwest Indiana, and as a municipal engineer for Batesville, Indiana before starting his own consulting engineering firm in 1989.
His firm specialized in community water and wastewater projects, and designed several wastewater treatment plants. In 1998, he became involved in the decentralized wastewater industry. He currently has four patents issued on wastewater treatment systems, and others pending.
In 2011, Kevin founded earthTek Environmental, LLC (earthTek) to focus on providing packaged wastewater treatment plants to municipal, commercial, and industrial clients. earthTek currently designs and manufactures recirculating media filter (RMF), sequencing batch reactor (SBR), and moving bed biological reactor (MBBR) plants from 1,000 gpd and up. EarthTek also provides package wastewater process equipment including pumps, controls, aeration equipment, tertiary filters, and UV disinfection.
Kevin married his wife in 1982, and they have four children. He enjoys family time, sports, and flying his plane in his spare time.
Bannon Young is a graduate of Miami University in Oxford, OH with a B.A. in chemistry, and a minor in neuroscience. He completed an NSF honors research while in a college project analyzing the properties of membrane-bound proteins.
His experience prior to earthTek includes working as a microbiologist, and laboratory technician. At earthTek, Bannon is the manager of operations which includes marketing, engineer contact and support, equipment pricing and delivery, and quality control.
Bannon K. Young
Operations Manager
Joseph A. Chaffee
Manager of Field Services
Joe was born and raised in Batesville, Indiana. He is a 2008 graduate of Batesville High School. Upon completion of high school, he attended Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis where he studied Construction Engineering Management Technology. Joe worked construction for two years until enlisting in the United States Marine Corps in 2012. He served four honorable years, and obtained the rank of Corporal before retiring from the Marine Corps in December 2016. After moving back to his hometown of Batesville, Joe began working for earthTek, where he took on the role of Manager of Field Services. Joe continues to learn and grow in the wastewater treatment field, and is looking forward to many more years of service to the industry.
Jim Tonges is a lifelong resident of Batesville, Indiana, where he and his wife Amy of 30+ years, still live, along with their six children. After graduating from Batesville High School in 1983, he served in the United States Army before furthering his education at Purdue University, where he earned a bachelors in Mechanical Engineering Technology.
After spending some time working in gray iron foundries, Ethicon Endo-Surgery, and various other engineering positions, he spent 17 years with Delta Faucet. From there, Jim gained further experience through various positions with Honda Motors, Batesville Casket Company, and Mesco Manufacturing.
Jim’s passion for the field of engineering led earthTek to reach out to him, and the rest is history. He is the company’s lead engineer in the 3D modeling of our package plants, where he utilizes his knowledge in Creo, Catia, SolidWorks, and Alibre 3D modeling software. Jim also works as part of the company’s field crew for the installation of our plants. He finds complete satisfaction in being involved with the projects from concept, through design, to installation, and ultimately seeing them get commissioned.
Jim L. Tonges
Engineer
earthTek is dedicated to empowering communities and businesses across a broad spectrum with superior wastewater treatment solutions. Our commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainable practices drives us to extend our services to a diverse range of locations. We are ready to meet the demands of any project, regardless of its scale or complexity, in any location. We have completed successful wastewater treatment plants all throughout the United States, Canada, and Central America. Our team of experts is equipped to bring our wastewater treatment plant designs to your doorstep, ensuring that every client receives the precise solution needed to tackle their specific wastewater challenges. Through seamless integration of innovation and expertise, we aim to facilitate projects that not only comply with, but set new standards in wastewater management within these areas. Our presence is continuously expanding, aiming to include more regions and communities seeking to enhance their wastewater treatment capabilities. For detailed information about whether your project falls within our service coverage, and to discover how earthTek can contribute to your wastewater treatment project, reaching out to our customer service team is your next step toward achieving a custom-designed, efficient, and compliant wastewater treatment solution.
Harvest Caye Wastewater Treatment Plant Supervisor
“I love the plant! It is easy to operate once you have been properly trained, which they come to your plant to do. The latest results average 5 mg/l BOD, 8 mg/l TSS, 0.3 mg/l ammonia, 9.1 mg/l DO, and pH 7.5. Plus, Kevin and his staff are always readily available to ask any questions. Being able to operate the plant from your home or anywhere, for that matter, is a plus too.”
Licensed Plant Operator
“I feel very confident in our SBR system. Our effluent is very clear and our laboratory tested TSS at 5 ppm. We are using our effluent water to irrigate our plants with no odor or solids.”
Facilities Manager
“I operate three different Class 1 plants, and this plant works great. I tell everyone that all Class 1 plants in the state should be this type of plant.”
Licensed Plant Operator
Our MBBR plant works great and is very simple to operate. The design modeling the earthTek team did was SPOT ON when we got the operation up and running. The MBBR has been very robust to load fluctuations, and we are now able to run Non-Detect Ammonia, even in the winter.
Kopp Turkey, Inc.
The plants have been operating very well – within permit requirements. The adjustments that you have recommended have cleared up many of the issues we were having. Thank you again for your continued willingness to provide us with counsel and assistance.
Ocean Canyon Properties, LLC
Working with Joe and his staff makes my job much easier. It’s like having extra guys on call 24/7, that you can depend on. Our plant operates great!
Noble County Water/Wastewater Superintendent
EarthTek has been very helpful with all of my plants needs. Always available when I call with questions and concerns about my plant. Very good service and reliability. Highly recommend!
Head of Maintenance
Ready to explore a custom-designed wastewater treatment solution that’s perfectly aligned with your specific needs? The earthTek team is here to guide you through every step of the process, from initial consultation, to design, installation, and beyond. Whether you’re tackling the challenges of managing an industrial application for a business, or seeking an innovative solution for your municipality, we’re prepared to deliver a system that meets your requirements with precision and expertise. Don’t let wastewater treatment complexities hold your business or community back. Reach out to us today to start the conversation about how we can support your project. Contact our expert team by calling our dedicated customer service line, or filling out the contact form on our website. At earthTek, we are excited to be your partner in achieving efficient, compliant, and sustainable wastewater treatment solutions.
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Our SBR wastewater treatment plant has consistently delivered excellent results. The system operates efficiently, producing high-quality effluent that meets all required parameters. We’re particularly pleased with the consistent performance, and the fact that the treated effluent is suitable for irrigation on our island. Overall, our SBR has proven to be a reliable and effective solution for wastewater treatment.”