Sanitary engineering or sanitation engineering, also known as public health

engineering or wastewater engineering, is the application of engineering methods to

improve sanitation of human communities, primarily by providing the removal and
disposal of human waste, and in addition to the supply of safe potable water.
Traditionally a branch of civil engineering and now a subset of building services
engineering and environmental engineering, in the mid-19th century, the discipline
concentrated on the reduction of disease, then thought to be caused by miasma. This
was accomplished mainly by the collection and segregation of sewerage flow
in London specifically, and Great Britain generally.[1] These and later regulatory
improvements were reported in the United States as early as 1865. [2]

It is also concerned with environmental factors that do not have an immediate and
clearly understood e ect on public health. Areas outside the purview of sanitary
engineering include aesthetic concerns such as landscaping, and environmental
conservation as it pertains to plants and animals.

Skills within this field are usually employed for the primary goal of disease prevention
within human beings by assuring a supply of healthy drinking water, treatment of
waste water, and removal of garbage from inhabited areas.

Compared to (for example) electrical engineering or mechanical engineering which

are concerned primarily with closed systems, sanitary engineering is a
very interdisciplinary field which may involve such elements as plumbing, fire
protection, hydraulics, life safety, constructive modelling, information technology,
project design, microbiology, pathology and the many divisions within environmental
science and environmental technology. In some cases, considerations that fall within
the field of social sciences and urban planning must be factored in as well.

Although sanitary engineering may be most associated with the design

of sewers, sewage treatment and wastewater
treatment facilities, recycling centers, public landfills and other things which are
constructed, the term applies equally to a plan of action to reverse the e ects
of water pollution or soil contamination in a specific area.

History

[edit]

Further information: History of water supply and sanitation

Irrigation systems were invented five to seven thousand years ago as a means of
supplying water to agriculture-based societies. Aqueducts and irrigation systems
were among the first forms of wastewater engineering. As population centers became
more dense, they were used to remove sewage from settlements. The Romans were
among the first to demonstrate the e ectiveness of the aqueduct. The Dark Ages
marked a period where progress in water management came to a halt. [3]

As populations grew, the management of human waste became a growing concern

and a public health threat. By the 1850s in London, more than 400,000 tons of sewage
were flushed into the River Thames each day - around 150 million tons per
year.[4] Diseases such as smallpox, diphtheria, measles, scarlet fever, typhus, cholera,
and typhoid were spread via the contaminated water supply.[5] During the 19th century,
major cities started building sewage systems to remove human waste out of cities and
into rivers.

Sanitation in the 1900's

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During the 1900s, the activated sludge process was invented.[6] The activated sludge
process is a form of water purification that uses bacteria to consume human feces.
Chlorine is used later in the process to kill o the bacteria. In the 1950s, the public
health reports provided plans for supplying clean water for the public by first looking
at potential hazards. The organization looked carefully at water contamination as well
as how drinking water was being treated. They also prioritized finding methods that
were e ective, yet not too costly.[7] Sanitation cost is the main issue for many foreign
(not the United States) countries. The average cost of home water and sanitation
systems start at $50 a month, when many citizens don't make enough money to use on
non-necessities.[8]

Over the centuries, much has changed in the field of wastewater engineering.
Advancements in microbiology, chemistry, and engineering have drastically changed
the field. Today, wastewater engineers also work on the collection of clean water for
drinking, chemically treating it, and using UV light to kill o micro-organisms. They
also treat water pollution in wastewater (blackwater and greywater) so that this water
may be made safe for use without endangering the population and environment
around it. Wastewater treatment and water reclamation are areas of concern in this
field.

Harm Huizenga

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Prior to modern forms of sanitation in neighborhoods and cities, people would simply
leave their trash on the street. In 1892, it was such an issue, that a man named Harm
Huizenga volunteered to clean up the mess by himself. The Dutch man went around
the streets in his wagon, picking up the garbage of the city of Chicago. Little e orts like
that were present throughout the early 1900s, until around 1968. Huizenga's grandson,
Wayne Huizenga, made his grandfather's idea into a business, Waste Management. By
the seventies, waste management as a whole was seen as a necessary practice by the
public.[9]

Sanitation in the United States

[edit]

California/Counties

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In the early 1940s, many counties in the state had problems with their disposal of
waste, especially in the Lake Tahoe area. Citizens of these towns feared that their
city's poor sewage systems would cause outbreaks in illnesses,
like poliomyelitis, cholera, and hepatitis, to name a few. Cholera in particular is the
biggest health risk attached to waste management. The illness is caused by bacteria,
especially when a person ingests food or water that contain the bacteria. In poorer
areas, this is extremely likely due to the cross contamination of waste and drinking
water.

Counties

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 El Dorado county has numerous garbage collection facilities, some private

companies. In residential areas, the main source of waste is oil. Since then,
many waste management facilities have been built in El Dorado county,
reducing the risk of these illnesses. Since the fifties, the county has been
utilizing the contacts from the companies to provide a low-cost and successful
method of keeping the towns clean. Today, there are 7 franchises assigned to
the county with di erent areas of pickup, such as El Dorado Disposal and
American River Disposal.[10]

 San Joaquin valley is very recycling focused. The website for the San Joaquin
county's waste management shows many tips for how to recycle all recyclable
items, in hopes that their county will comply. One of the tips is to verify that all
items in the recycling bins are recyclable, because the load might not get
 recycled at all. The website is very helpful for the public for to help with waste
management in residential areas.[11]

Education

[edit]

Engineering

[edit]

Wastewater engineering is not usually its own degree course, but a specialization from
degrees such as environmental and sanitary engineering, sanitary engineering, civil
engineering, environmental engineering, bio-chemical engineering, or chemical
engineering. Formal education for wastewater engineers begins in high school with
students taking classes such as chemistry, biology, physics, and higher mathematics
including calculus. After high school most jobs require certification from a state
agency. Those wanting to advance in the industry should pursue a sanitary
engineering, environmental and sanitary engineering, civil engineering, mechanical
engineering, environmental engineering, or a facilities engineering degree. Gaining
experience through internships and working while in college is a common pathway
toward advancement.

Education about waste treatment requires course work in systems design, machinery
design principles, water chemistry, and similar coursework. Other classes may
include Chemistry of Plant Processes, and various plant operations courses.

Wastewater engineers may advance in their careers through additional education and
experience. With additional knowledge and experience one can become the manager
of an entire plant. The accreditation body certifying the education for the degree and
license is the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). Over time,
some companies may require the wastewater engineer to continue their education to
keep up with any changes in technology.

Obtaining one's master's degree is encouraged since many companies list it as a

preference in selection.[12][13]

In this field 76 percent of those employed have a bachelor's degree, 17 percent have a
master's degree and three percent have a post-doctoral degree as of 2013. [14] The
average annual salary is approximately $83,360.[15]

Plant Operations

[edit]
Initial employment in wastewater engineering can be obtained by those with and
without advanced formal education. The California State Water Resources Control
Board (SWRCB), for example, shows how individuals can advance through a
progression of certifications as Waste Water Treatment Operators. [16] The Board uses a
five level classification system to classify water treatment facilities into categories I-V
according to the population served and the complexity of the treatment system. [citation
needed]

The Operator Certification requirements for water treatment operators and waste
water treatment operators are described in detail by State law. To meet certification
requirements, operators must submit an application to SWRCB, have the necessary
work experience, meet the educational requirements, and pass an examination based
on the knowledge, skill, and abilities described in the regulations. Operators are
required to renew their certificates every three years. To be eligible for renewal,
certified operators must complete a specified number of continuing education hours
after the previous issuance of a certificate.[17]

Job description and typical tasks

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Important job types working in sanitary engineering include sanitation workers, waste
collectors and wastewater engineers.[citation needed]

Wastewater engineers use a variety of skills and must have knowledge of mechanical
and environmental engineering. They are required to perform tasks and demonstrate
knowledge in design, mathematics, English, construction, physics, chemistry, biology,
management, and personnel. Wastewater engineers must have skills in complex
problem solving, critical thinking, mathematics, active listening, judgement, reading
comprehension, speaking, writing, science, and system analysis. [14] Typical work
activities include problem solving, communication with management and sta ,
gathering information, analyzing data, evaluating standards and complying with them,
and communicating with others in the field.[citation needed]

Wastewater engineers perform these activities by combining their knowledge and

skills to perform tasks. These tasks are to understand computer-aided design
programs, and to conduct studies for the construction of facilities, water supply
systems and collection systems. They may design systems for wastewater collection
machinery, as well as system components. They may perform water flow analysis,
then select designs and equipment based on government and industry
standards.[18] Some are involved with a specific area of concern such as waste
collection or the maintenance of waste water facilities
and stormwater drainage systems within an area. Others cover a broader scope of
activities that might include maintenance of the public water supply, collection of
residential yard waste program, disposal of hazardous waste, recycling strategies and
even community programs where individuals or businesses "adopt" an area and either
maintain it themselves or donate funds for doing so.[citation needed]

Wastewater engineers may also map out topographical and geographical features of
Earth to determine the best means of collection, design pipe and pumped collection
systems, and design treatment processes for collected wastewater.[citation needed]

Typical employers

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Wastewater engineers work for private companies, state and local governments, and
special districts.

Modern challenges

[edit]

Water scarcity

[edit]

Water managers confront new challenges and the need for new technology as water
levels decrease due to increasingly frequent and extended droughts. Technologies
such as sonar mapping are being used in wells to determine the volume of water that
they can hold. For example, the United States Geological Survey and the State of New
York worked together to map underground aquifers since the 1980s. [19] Today they have
thorough maps of these aquifers to assist in water management.

Desalination plants may be required in the future for those regions hardest hit
by water scarcity. Desalination is a process of cleaning water by means of
evaporation. Water is evaporated and it passes through membranes. The water is then
cooled and condenses allowing it to flow either back into the main water line or out to
sea.[20]

Smart Sanitation

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Smart Sanitation: Advances in sensor technology, data analytics, and automation are
enabling the development of smart sanitation systems that can monitor water quality,
detect leaks, optimize treatment processes, and improve overall e iciency. Sanitary
engineers need to leverage these technologies to enhance the performance and
reliability of sanitation infrastructure.[21]

Climate change

[edit]

Wastewater treatment contributes to global warming in many ways. One of the factors
that contributes to global warming is wastewater treatment facilities and
their emissions of greenhouse gases. Some of those gases are carbon dioxide,
methane, and nitrous oxide. These gases occur because of the decomposition of
organic material from the anaerobic bacteria. These bacteria clean the leftover waste.
Even if the anaerobic bacteria decomposition produces these gases, the percentage
of greenhouse gases that other equipment produce is still greater than the
contribution of the anaerobic bacteria. Also, the power usage from those machinery is
very high. That is why many facilities are undergoing renovation to use higher levels of
anaerobic bacteria compared to other types of equipment. [22]

Impacts of climate change on sanitary engineering vary based on region and the
sanitation solutions employed there. In the Arctic, permafrost melting has caused
damage to pipes and other infrastructure.[23] In the Northeastern United States,
increased precipitation has overwhelmed aging infrastructure not equipped to handle
the massive volume of water from heavy precipitation.[24] In the Western United States,
prolonged drought has decreased water availability. This has led some wastewater
facilities to expand recycled and reclaimed water programs.[25] Climate change has
also a ected water distribution pipes. Physical stress from climate change-related
conditions such as extreme rainfall or drought increases the rate of pipe corrosion,
adding to facility cost.[26]