SEWAGE AND SEWARAGE

INTRODUCTION
Definition of terms
Sewage; It is the human waste that leaves your home and flows into the sewers. Sewage is one of
three different types of wastewater, as well as greywater and blackwater, which are required to be
treated by particular treatment processes to ensure environmentally safe outcomes,
Sewerage; Also sewers are the structure in which waste flows through. This generally includes the
pipes and drains in which sewage flows through and into a treatment plant or disposal facility. There
are systems of sewers found underneath towns and cities which connect to the main sewer, which then
drains the waste.
Dry weather flow; (DWF) is the average daily flow to a waste water treatment works (WWTW)
during a period without rain.The flow in a combined sewerage system will increase when it rains.
This flow may vary seasonally due to changing levels of sewer infiltration and population numbers.
Storm flow estimate; To determine the volume of stormwater runoff from precipitation, hydrologic
calculations are used to quantify precipitation losses which occur as part of the hydrologic cycle.
Typically, stormwater management calculations only consider infiltration, interception and surface
storage losses, since short time scales will render losses from evaporation and transpiration
insignificant.
Combined systems; are sewers that are designed to collect rainwater runoff, domestic sewage, and
industrial wastewater in the same pipe. Most of the time, combined sewer systems transport all of
their wastewater to a sewage treatment plant, where it is treated and then discharged to a water body.
Separate systems; consists in the separate collection of municipal wastewaters (blackwater from
toilets, greywater and industrial wastewater) and surface run-off (rainwater and stormwater). The
separate collection prevent the overflow of sewer systems and treatment stations during rainy periods
and the mixing of the relatively little polluted surface run-off with chemical and microbial pollutants
from the municipal wastewater.

SEWAGE TREATMENT WORKS

Layout
Sewage treatment process
Years ago, when sewage was dumped into waterways, a natural process of purification began. First,
the sheer volume of clean water in the stream diluted wastes. Bacteria and other small organisms in
the water consumed the sewage and other organic matter, turning it into new bacterial cells; carbon
dioxide and other products.
Today’s higher populations and greater volume of domestic and industrial wastewater require that
communities give nature a helping hand. The basic function of wastewater treatment is to speed up the
natural processes by which water is purified.
There are two basic stages in the treatment of wastes, primary and secondary, which are outlined
below.
In the primary stage, solids are allowed to settle and removed from wastewater.
The secondary stage uses biological processes to further purify wastewater. Sometimes, these stages
are combined into one operation.

Primary Treatment
As sewage enters a plant for treatment, it flows through a screen, which removes large floating
objects such as rags and sticks that might clog pipes or damage equipment. After sewage has been
screened, it passes into a grit chamber, where cinders, sand, and small stones settle to the bottom. A
grit chamber is particularly important in communities with combined sewer systems where sand or
gravel may wash into sewers along with storm water. After screening is completed and grit has been
removed, sewage still contains organic and inorganic matter along with other suspended solids.
These solids are minute particles that can be removed from sewage in a sedimentation tank. When
the speed of the flow through one of these tanks is reduced, the suspended solids will gradually sink
to the bottom, where they form a mass of solids called raw primary biosolids formerly sludge).
Biosolids are usually removed from tanks by pumping, after which it may be further treated for use as
a fertilizer, or disposed of in a land fill or incinerated.
Over the years, primary treatment alone has been unable to meet many communities’ demands for
higher water quality. To meet them, cities and industries normally treat to a secondary treatment level,
and in some cases, also use advanced treatment to remove nutrients and other contaminants.

Secondary Treatment
The secondary stage of treatment removes about 85 percent of the organic matter in sewage by
making use of the bacteria in it. The principal secondary treatment techniques used in secondary
treatment are the trickling filter and the activated sludge process. After effluent leaves the
sedimentation tank in the primary stage it flows or is pumped to a facility using one or the other of
these processes. A trickling filter is simply a bed of stones from three to six feet deep through which
sewage passes.
More recently, interlocking pieces of corrugated plastic or other synthetic media have also been used
in trickling beds. Bacteria gather and multiply on these stones until they can consume most of the
organic matter. The cleaner water trickles out through pipes for further treatment.
From a trickling filter, the partially treated sewage flows to another sedimentation tank to remove
excess bacteria. The trend today is towards the use of the activated sludge process instead of trickling
filters. The activated sludge process speeds up the work of the bacteria by bringing air and sludge
heavily laden with bacteria into close contact with sewage.
After the sewage leaves the settling tank in the primary stage, it is pumped into an aeration tank,
where it is mixed with air and sludge loaded with bacteria and allowed to remain for several hours.
During this time, the bacteria break down the organic matter into harmless by-products. The sludge,
now activated with additional billions of bacteria and other tiny organisms, can be used again by
returning it to the aeration tank for mixing with air and new sewage. From the aeration tank, the
partially treated sewage flows to another sedimentation tank for removal of excess bacteria. To
complete secondary treatment, effluent from the sedimentation tank is usually disinfected with
chlorine before being discharged into receiving waters. Chlorine is fed into the water to kill
pathogenic bacteria, and to reduce odor. Done properly, chlorination will kill more than 99 percent of
the harmful bacteria in an effluent. Some municipalities now manufacture chlorine solution on site to
avoid transporting and storing large amounts of chlorine, sometimes in a gaseous form.
Many states now require the removal of excess chlorine before discharge to surface waters by a
process called dechlorination. Alternatives to chlorine disinfection, such as ultraviolet light or ozone,
are also being used in situations where chlorine in treated sewage effluents may be harmful to fish and
other aquatic life

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Purpose of sewage treatment
The overall aim of treating sewage is to produce an effluent that can be discharged to the environment
while causing as little water pollution as possible, or to produce an effluent that can be reused in a
useful manner.[8] This is achieved by removing contaminants from the sewage. It is a form of waste
management.
With regards to biological treatment of sewage, the treatment objectives can include various degrees
of the following: transform dissolved and particulate biodegradable components (especially organic
matter) into acceptable end products, transform and remove nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus),
remove or inactivate pathogenic organisms, and remove specific trace organic constituents
(micropollutants).
Some types of sewage treatment produce sewage sludge which can be treated before safe disposal or
reuse. Under certain circumstances, the treated sewage sludge might be termed "biosolids" and can be
used as a fertilizer.
Levels of treatment
A large number of sewage treatment technologies have been developed, mostly using biological
treatment processes. Very broadly, they can be grouped into high tech (high cost) versus low tech
(low cost) options, although some technologies might fall into either category.
Other grouping classifications are "intensive" or "mechanized" systems (more compact, and
frequently employing high tech options) versus "extensive" or "natural" or "nature-based" systems
(usually using natural treatment processes and occupying larger areas) systems.
This classification may be sometimes oversimplified, because a treatment plant may involve a
combination of processes, and the interpretation of the concepts of high tech and low tech, intensive
and extensive, mechanized and natural processes may vary from place to place
Low tech, extensive or nature-based processes
Examples for more low-tech, "natural", often less expensive sewage treatment systems are shown
below. They often use little or no energy. Some of these systems do not provide a high level of
treatment, or only treat part of the sewage (for example only the toilet wastewater), or they only
provide pre-treatment, like septic tanks. On the other hand, some systems are capable of providing a
good performance, satisfactory for several applications. Many of these systems are based on natural
treatment processes, requiring large areas, while others are more compact. In most cases, they are
used in rural areas or in small to medium-sized communities. For example, waste stabilization
ponds are a low cost treatment option with practically no energy requirements but they require a lot of
land. Due to their technical simplicity, most of the savings (compared with high tech systems) are in
terms of operation and maintenance costs

 Anaerobic digester types and anaerobic digestion, for example:

 Upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor
 Septic tank
 Imhoff tank
 Constructed wetland (see also biofilters)
 Decentralized wastewater system
 Nature-based solutions
 On-site sewage facility
 Sand filter
 Waste stabilization pond with sub-types:[3]: 189
 Facultative ponds
 Anaerobic pond – facultative ponds systems
 Facultative aerated lagoons
 Complete-mix aerated lagoon sedimentation pond systems
 High rate ponds
 Maturation ponds
High tech, intensive or mechanized processes
Examples for more high-tech, intensive or "mechanized", often relatively expensive sewage treatment
systems are listed below. Some of them are energy intensive as well. Many of them provide a very
high level of treatment. For example, broadly speaking, the activated sludge process achieves a high
effluent quality but is relatively expensive and energy intensive.

 Activated sludge systems

 Aerobic granulation
 Aerobic treatment system
 Enhanced biological phosphorus removal
 Expanded granular sludge bed digestion
 Extended aeration
 Filtration
 Membrane bioreactor
 Moving bed biofilm reactor
 Reverse osmosis
 Rotating biological contactor
 Sequencing batch reactor
 Trickling filter
 Ultrafiltration
 Ultraviolet disinfection
Disposal or treatment options
There are other process options which may be classified as disposal options, although they can also be
understood as basic treatment options. These include: Application of sludge, irrigation, soak pit, leach
field, fish pond, floating plant pond, water disposal/groundwater recharge, surface disposal and
storage.
Application of sewage to land can be considered as a form of final disposal or of treatment, or both. It
leads to groundwater recharge and/or to evapotranspiration. Land application include slow-rate
systems, rapid infiltration, subsurface infiltration, overland flow. It is done by flooding, furrows,
sprinkler and dripping. It is a treatment/disposal system that requires a large amount of land per
person.

Small sewage treatment units

Septic Tanks\
A septic tank is an underground chamber made of concrete, fiberglass, or plastic through which
domestic wastewater (sewage) flows for basic sewage treatment. Settling and anaerobic
digestion processes reduce solids and organics, but the treatment efficiency is only moderate (referred
to as "primary treatment"). Septic tank systems are a type of simple onsite sewage facility. They can
be used in areas that are not connected to a sewerage system, such as rural areas. The treated liquid
effluent is commonly disposed in a septic drain field, which provides further treatment.
Nonetheless, groundwater pollution may occur and can be a problem.
The term "septic" refers to the anaerobic bacterial environment that develops in the tank that
decomposes or mineralizes the waste discharged into the tank. Septic tanks can be coupled with
other onsite wastewater treatment units such as biofilters or aerobic systems involving artificially
forced aeration.[3]
The rate of accumulation of sludge—also called septage or fecal sludge—is faster than the rate of
decomposition.[2] Therefore, the accumulated fecal sludge must be periodically removed, which is
commonly done with a vacuum truck.
A septic tank consists of one or more concrete or plastic tanks of between 4000 and 7500 litres (1,000
and 2,000 gallons); one end is connected to an inlet wastewater pipe and the other to a septic drain
field. Generally these pipe connections are made with a T pipe, allowing liquid to enter and exit
without disturbing any crust on the surface. Today, the design of the tank usually incorporates two
chambers, each equipped with an access opening and cover, and separated by a dividing wall with
openings located about midway between the floor and roof of the tank.
Wastewater enters the first chamber of the tank, allowing solids to settle and scum to float. The settled
solids are anaerobically digested, reducing the volume of solids. The liquid component flows through
the dividing wall into the second chamber, where further settlement takes place. The excess liquid,
now in a generally clear condition, then drains from the outlet into the septic drain field, also referred
to as a leach field, drain field or seepage field, depending upon locality. A percolation test is required
prior to installation to ensure the porosity of the soil is adequate to serve as a drain field.
The remaining impurities are trapped and eliminated in the soil, with the excess water eliminated
through percolation into the soil, through evaporation, and by uptake through the root system
of plants and eventual transpiration or entering groundwater or surface water. A piping network, often
laid in a stone-filled trench (see weeping tile), distributes the wastewater throughout the field with
multiple drainage holes in the network. The size of the drain field is proportional to the volume of
wastewater and inversely proportional to the porosity of the drainage field. The entire septic system
can operate by gravity alone or, where topographic considerations require, with inclusion of a
lift pump. Certain septic tank designs include siphons or other devices to increase the volume and
velocity of outflow to the drainage field. These help to fill the drainage pipe more evenly and extend
the drainage field life by preventing premature clogging or bioclogging.
An Imhoff tank is a two-stage septic system where the sludge is digested in a separate tank. This
avoids mixing digested sludge with incoming sewage. Also, some septic tank designs have a second
stage where the effluent from the anaerobic first stage is aerated before it drains into the seepage field.
A properly designed and normally operating septic system is odour-free. Besides periodic inspection
and emptying, a septic tank should last for decades with minimal maintenance, with concrete,
fibreglass, or plastic tanks lasting about 50 years.
Waste that is not decomposed by the anaerobic digestion must eventually be removed from the septic
tank. Otherwise the septic tank fills up and wastewater containing undecomposed material discharges
directly to the drainage field. Not only is this detrimental for the environment but, if the sludge
overflows the septic tank into the leach field, it may clog the leach field piping or decrease the soil
porosity itself, requiring expensive repairs.
When a septic tank is emptied, the accumulated sludge (septage, also known as fecal sludge) is
pumped out of the tank by a vacuum truck. How often the septic tank must be emptied depends on the
volume of the tank relative to the input of solids, the amount of indigestible solids, and the ambient
temperature (because anaerobic digestion occurs more efficiently at higher temperatures), as well as
usage, system characteristics and the requirements of the relevant authority. Some health authorities
require tanks to be emptied at prescribed intervals, while others leave it up to the decision of an
inspector. Some systems require pumping every few years or sooner, while others may be able to go
10–20 years between pumpings. An older system with an undersize tank that is being used by a large
family will require much more frequent pumping than a new system used by only a few people.
Anaerobic decomposition is rapidly restarted when the tank is refilled.
Services for desludging should not empty a septic tank completely but leave some settled solids in the
septic tank to leave some of the microbial populations in place to continue the anaerobic degradation
processes. An empty tank may be damaged by hydrostatic pressure causing the tank to partially "float"
out of the ground, especially in flood situations or very wet ground conditions.
Another option is "scheduled desludging" of septic tanks which has been initiated in several Asian
countries including the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, and India. In this process, every
property is covered along a defined route and the property occupiers are informed in advance about
desludging that will take place.

Soakaways
A soakaway is a hole dug into the ground that is filled with coarse stone and rubble or plastic crates. It
allows water to filter through it, and literally soak into the ground (away).
Soakaways are used to manage surface water at its source, and serve as an alternative option to
draining off surface water via a stream or sewer system. A highly effective way of dealing with
surface water; soakaways collect all surface water run-off into one point before allowing it to
percolate in a controlled manner into the surrounding ground/earth in the area where it falls.
Purpose of Soakaway
Keeping the ground moist and creating a stable water source for gardens are two key examples of why
a soakaway might be used. Crucially, though, they allow levels of surface water to be controlled. This
prevents flooding during heavy rainfall; dealing with excess water in situations where the volume of
water is too high for surface water drainage systems to cope with. Consequently, soakaways have both
commercial and domestic applications.
Domestic soakaways are often located in the rear garden around the perimeter of a property.. Some
modern soakaways are created using ‘soakaway crates’ that allow the water to filter through in exactly
the same manner.

Maintenance
It is important that the vegetation around a soakaway is maintained so that roots do not penetrate the
soakaway when looking for water sources. This diminishes the effectiveness of the soakaway.
Consequently, visual inspections of the area should take place annually. If you spot signs of water
logging or ponding, they could be indicators that the soakaway is not working properly and may need
desilting and cleaning.
Installation
Before attempting to install a soakaway it is advisable to ensure that a percolation test is carried out to
ensure that the water can soakaway quickly and effectively. High clay-content soil does not make for
a suitable location for a soakaway. Installing a soakaway on unsuitable ground can result in water
logging, which can contribute to localised flooding – so it’s important to do your homework before
attempting to install a soakaway.
As a general rule of thumb, ensure that a soakaway is only ever constructed at least 5m away from
any buildings or roads.

Cesspools
A cesspool is a shallow, underground system for disposing of sanitary waste. Although structures
vary, most cesspools consist of a concrete cylinder with an open bottom and/or perforated sides.
Sanitary waste from toilets, sinks, and washing machines enters the cesspool and percolates out.
While cesspools are designed to capture sanitary waste, they do not treat waste. Some cesspools are
unlined, lacking that small separation between wastewater input and the environment.
Wastewater enters the cesspool through an inlet pipe. Once inside the system, gravity and density
differences cause solids in the wastewater to separate; less dense matter like grease and oils float at
the top while denser solids sink to the bottom. Naturally-occurring bacteria within the cesspool break
down the settled solids through a process of anaerobic (without oxygen) decomposition. When
cesspools are situated properly and functioning as best they can, the liquid wastewater, called effluent,
leaches out of the lined pit into surrounding soil without any pretreatment. As the untreated effluent
percolates through the soil, most of the pathogens (bacteria, viruses, etc) are filtered out or bind to dry
soil particles. Eventually, the minimally-filtered effluent reaches the water table (the upper boundary
of soil permanently saturated by groundwater) and flows into the groundwater.

Pit latrines
A pit latrine, also known as pit toilet, is a type of toilet that collects human feces in a hole in the
ground. Urine and feces enter the pit through a drop hole in the floor, which might be connected to a
toilet seat or squatting pan for user comfort. Pit latrines can be built to function without water (dry
toilet) or they can have a water seal (pour-flush pit latrine).[7] When properly built and maintained, pit
latrines can decrease the spread of disease by reducing the amount of human feces in the environment
from open defecation. This decreases the transfer of pathogens between feces and food by flies. These
pathogens are major causes of infectious diarrhea and intestinal worm infections
A pit latrine generally consists of three major parts: a hole in the ground, a concrete slab or floor with
a small hole, and a shelter. The shelter is also called an outhouse. The pit is typically at least three
meters (10 ft) deep and one meter (3 ft) across.[7] The hole in the slab should not be larger than 25 cm
(10 in) to prevent children falling in. Light should be prevented from entering the pit to reduce access
by flies. may require the use of a lid to cover the hole in the floor when not in use. [4] The World
Health Organization recommends the pits are built a reasonable distance from the house, balancing
issues of easy access versus that of smell. The distance from water wells and surface water should be
at least 10 m (30 ft) to decrease the risk of groundwater pollution. When the pit fills to within 0.5 m
(1+1⁄2 ft) of the top, it should be either emptied or a new pit constructed and the shelter moved or re-
built at the new location. Fecal sludge management involves emptying pits as well as transporting,
treating and using the collected fecal sludge. If this is not carried out properly, water
pollution and public health risks can occur.[3]
A basic pit latrine can be improved in a number of ways.
One includes adding a ventilation pipe from the pit to above the structure, This improves airflow and
decreases the smell of the toilet. It also can reduce flies when the top of the pipe is covered with mesh
(usually made out of fiberglass). In these types of toilets a lid need not be used to cover the hole in the
floor.
Other possible improvements include a floor constructed so fluid drains into the hole and a
reinforcement of the upper part of the pit with bricks, blocks, or cement rings to improve stability.