SANITARY ENGINEERING

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

Wastewater Collection and Treatment

Systems
Wastewater systems collect and dispose
of household wastewater generated from toilet
use, bathing, laundry, and kitchen and cleaning
1. Separate sewerage system.
activities. Any structure with running water,
2. Combined sewerage system.
such as a house or office, must be connected to
one of the following wastewater disposal
Separate Sewerage System
systems:
In separate system of sewerage there are two
Centralized systems are public sewer
collection systems or pipe network one for
systems that serve established towns and cities
collecting domestic sewage as sanitary sewerage
and transport wastewater to a central location for
system and another for collecting storm water as
treatment.
storm water drainage system.
Decentralized systems do not connect to a
public sewer system. Wastewater may be treated
on site or may be discharged to a private
treatment plant.

SEWERAGE SYSTEM

The underground conduit for the

collection of sewage is called sewer. A network
of sewers and appurtenances for the collection
and conveyance of sewage generated from each
of the properties to sewage pumping station for
pumping to sewage treatment and disposal is
called Sewage System.

There are two types of sewerage system.
Advantages of separate sewerage system are:
 The capacity of the water treatment
plant will be smaller since only
domestic sewage alone is to be treated.
 Operational problems are less.

Disadvantage of separate sewerage system

are:
 Storm water may always find its way
into the domestic sewerage system
either through wrong house sewer
 connections or through manholes and
overload the sewage treatment plant.
Combined Sewerage System
In Combined system of sewerage both
sewage discharge and the storm runoff are
collected and conveyed through a common
collection system. The ratio of the maximum
storm runoff to sewage flow works out to be 20
to 30. Combined sewers are of special types
such as egg shaped etc
Advantages of Combined sewerage system
are:
 Only one system is provided and
therefore there will not be any confusion
in giving connection,
 Less expensive to install the system.
Disadvantage of Combined sewerage system
are:
 During non-rainy days the flow will be
very meager causing,
salivation requiring frequent cleaning.
Effluent Treatment Plant
1. What is Effluent Treatment?
Effluent treatment is the process of
removing harmful contaminants/pollutants
from the water that is used by hotels,
restaurants, resorts, hospitals, industries etc.
and thereby converting dirty, polluted and
unhealthy water into clean, safe and pure
water so that it can meet quality standards.
Major sources of effluent produced from
many hotels are: washing of utensils, sink
basins, restrooms and many such units.
About 70-75% of the hotel waste is
biodegradable (like food, vegetable and non-
veg waste) will get mixes with all other type
of non-biodegradable waste (such as
suspended solids, oils etc) when disposed at
a collection spot.
2. Why treat hotel and other effluent?
Today, there are many hotels and restaurants
which contribute substantial amount of
wastewater/effluent. Hence, treatment of
hotel sewage using ETP is essential in order
to reduce the spread of disease-causing
pathogenic organisms in the effluent and to
prevent the pollution of surface and
groundwater. Treatment of waste water is
carried out by a combination of physical,
chemical and biological methods to remove
suspended solids, organic matter and some
nutrients from effluent/wastewater. Effluent
treatment plant for hotels involves some
levels of treatment and it is shown in below
1. Preliminary Treatment
This removes all the coarse solids and other
materials from the raw wastewater thereby
preventing damage of subsequent treatment units
when the influent passes through bar screens,
large sized materials like plastic bags, sticks,
rags etc. It uses comminutors for breakdown of
coarse solids. It may include grit chamber at
which velocity of wastewater reduces so that
grit, sand and stones will be removed. This
treatment also removes desirable amount of oils
and greases. The partially treated wastewater is
now subjected to next level of treatment.
2. Primary Treatment
this is the second level in most of the ETP’s. It
involves physical separation of total suspended
solids. It involves a tank called sedimentation
tank or primary clarifier where heavier solids
settle to the bottom and floatable materials
(scum) like oil, grease will rises to top of the
tank and removed by skimming process. The
effluent from primary sedimentation tank is
referred to as primary effluent or primary
sludge. This sludge will be subjected to sludge
handling facilities for further processing. This
treatment removes about 50-70% of total
suspended solids and about 30% of the
biodegradable components.
3. Secondary Treatment • Washing water
The major purpose of secondary treatment is to
decompose suspended and dissolved
organic matter in wastewater using
microorganisms. To achieve this it uses
aerobic biological treatment process called
activated sludge process. Now the influent
is allowed into aeration tank where it is
mixed with microbes. Air is continuously
supplied to aeration tank to increase the
growth of microbes and hence breakdown
of organic matter takes place when aerated
water flows into secondary clarifiers where
heavier particles settle to the bottom which
is called as secondary effluent. It removes
about 70-80% of organic solids.
4. Tertiary Treatment:
This level of treatment is also called as
disinfection treatment. If the treated
wastewater from secondary tank contains
residual suspended solids or organic matter
then tertiary treatment uses physical or
chemical or biological processes to remove
them. It is the final cleaning process that
improves quality of waste water before it is
discharged into natural water courses or
reused or recycled. It uses some disinfectants • Surplus manufactured liquids from
like chlorination, UV light, ozone etc. where UV domestic sources
is the most using disinfectant which kills viruses
and bacteria without any residues. Disinfection Types of wastewater
is essential step which protects the health of • Blackwater
human and environment.
Originates from toilet fixtures,
dishwashers and food preparation sinks.
Conventional flowchart shows major
treatment levels involved in ETP for Hotels • Graywater
Originates from non-toilet and
food fixtures, dishwashers and food
preparation sinks such as bathroom
WASTEWATER sinks, laundry machines, spas and
bathtubs.
• Any water that has been affected by
human use • Yellow water
• Used water from any combination of Basically, urine collected with
domestic, industrial, commercial or specific channels and not contaminated
agricultural activities. with either black or gray water.
Sources of wastewater Pollutants
• Human excreta Chemical or physical pollutants
 • Heavy metals, including mercury, lead,
and chromium
• Organic particles such as feces, hairs,
food, vomit, paper fibers, plant material,
humus, etc.;
• Toxins such as pesticides, poisons,
herbicides, etc.
• Thermal pollution from power stations
and industrial manufacturers
Biological pollutants
• Bacteria
• Viruses
• Protozoa
• Parasites
Effects of wastewater
• Water pollution
• Water security
• Ecosystem services
• Agriculture/ fisheries/ tourism
• Health of urban and rural populations
Legislation
• Australia
As part of the environmental protection act
1994, the environmental protection (water)
policy 2009 is responsible for the water
management of Queensland, Australia.
• Nigeria
In nigeria, the water resources act of 1993 is
the law responsible for all kinds of water
management.
• USA
The clean water act is the primary federal
law in the united states governing water
pollution in surface waters. Groundwater
protection provisions are included in the safe
drinking water act, resource conservation
and recovery act, and the superfund act.
• Philippines
In the Philippines, republic act 9275,
otherwise known as the Philippine clean
water act of 2004, is the governing law on
wastewater management. It states that it is
the country's policy to protect, preserve and
revive the quality of its fresh, brackish and
marine waters, for which wastewater
management plays a particular role.
WASTEWATER ENGINEERING
Wastewater engineering is not usually
its own degree course but a specialization from
degrees such as civil engineering, environmental
engineering, Bio-chemical engineering
or chemical engineering. Wastewater
treatment and water reclamation are areas of
concern in this field.
Water and wastewater plant engineer
Water and wastewater plant engineers
plan, design, and oversee construction and
operation of all processes and structures
involved in the treatment, distribution, and
collection of water and wastewater. These
engineers work on a variety of scales, designing
small package plants as well as large municipal
and industrial treatment facilities, pumping
stations, reservoirs, distribution systems, and
sewers.
How to become a Water and wastewater
plant engineer
In most cases, the minimum education
requirement to work as a water and wastewater
plant engineer is a university undergraduate
degree.
If you are a post-secondary student
considering a career as a water and wastewater
plant engineer, the following programs are most
applicable:
 Mechanical Engineering
  Civil Engineering
 Environmental Engineering
 Chemical Engineering
Water and wastewater plant engineer
typically do the following:
In the Office:
 Doing paperwork, analyzing data, and
preparing reports
 Drafting plans and models
 Preparing proposals, tender
documentation, and evaluation and
project reports
In the Field:
 Touring and inspecting sites and
managing inspection staff
 Supervising installations and facility
start-ups
 Testing designs and recommended
changes
 Supervising operations staff and
coordinating maintenance schedules
Salary of Water and Wastewater plant
engineer
A water and wastewater plant engineer at an
entry level position makes an average salary of
$40,275 per year in Canada.
With several years of education and experience,
water and wastewater plant engineers can make
between $50,500 and $85,000 per year.
Water and wastewater treatment plant
system operator
Water and wastewater treatment plant and
system operators manage a system of machines,
often through the use of control boards, to
transfer or treat water or wastewater.
How to become a Water and wastewater
treatment plant system operator
Wastewater Treatment Operators must have a
degree in Science or Engineering. Certification
is also required typically through state agencies.
These agencies often offer training courses and
study materials that help students prepare for
their certification examinations.
Water and wastewater treatment plant and
system operators typically do the following:
 Add chemicals, such as ammonia or
chlorine, to disinfect water or other
liquids
 Inspect equipment on a regular basis
 Monitor operating conditions, meters,
and gauges
 Collect and test water and sewage
samples
 Record meter and gauge readings and
operational data
 Operate equipment to purify and clarify
water or to process or dispose of sewage
 Clean and maintain equipment, tanks,
filter beds, and other work areas
Salary of Water and Wastewater treatment
plant and system operators
The median annual wage for water and
wastewater treatment plant and system operators
was $42,760 in May 2012. The median wage is
the wage at which half the workers in an
occupation earned more than that amount and
half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned
less than $25,850, and the top 10 percent earned
more than $67,810.
WASTEWATER COLLECTION SYSTEM
The function of the collection system is to
collect the wastewater from residential,
commercial, and industrial areas within the
service area and transport it to the treatment
plant or disposal area.
Types of Collection Systems
Sanitary sewer collection systems are
responsible for collecting and conveying
wastewater that is generated at residential
dwellings and commercial and industrial
buildings to the wastewater treatment plant for
treatment.
Gravity
 The primary type of public sanitary
sewer collection system is a gravity
system. A gravity system is so named
because the wastewater flows down
gradient in the sewer, driven by forces
of gravity.
Low Pressure
 Low pressure sewer systems are used in
areas where the use of gravity sewers is
impractical due to topography or
economic reasons. Low pressure
systems are often found around lakes
and in rolling terrain.
Vacuum
 Vacuum collection systems are used for
the same reason as low-pressure
systems. However, it is rare to find a
vacuum collection system in use in
Pennsylvania as this is a fairly new
collection alternative in the United
States, and operation and maintenance is
more difficult than a low-pressure
system.
Sources of waste water
Domestic – It is wastewater from
houses offices, building, hotels and institutions.
Industrial- it is liquid waste from
industrial process.
Storm-water – It includes surface run-
off generated by rainfall and the street wash.
Advantages of wastewater collection:
 Prevention of the spread of disease
through communities.
 Prevention of pollution.
 Maintaining rivers and streams in a
healthy and ecologically sound
condition.
Problems in Wastewater Collection:
 Stagnant pools of wastewater.
 Wastewater in open drains very
unhygienic.
 Pipes ending in open.
Types of Sewers
Sanitary sewer - is a system of underground
pipes that carries sewage from bathrooms, sinks,
kitchens, and other plumbing components to a
wastewater treatment plant where it is filtered,
treated and discharged.
Storm-water – It includes surface run-off
generated by rainfall and the street wash.
Combined Sewers - is a sewage collection
system of pipes and tunnels designed to
simultaneously collect surface runoff water in a
shared system.
House Sewers – It is the sewer conveying
sewage from plumbing system of a building to
common municipality system
Lateral Sewers – This sewer carries discharge
from houses sewer
Sub-main sewers – this sewer receives
discharge from two or more laterals
 Main/Trunk sewer – Receives discharge
from two or more sub-mains
Outfall sewer – It receives discharged from
all collecting system and conveys it to the point
of final disposal.

HOW TO BUILD AND MAINTAIN A

SEWER SYSTEM:
Three construction techniques are typically
used to build sewers in Los Angeles:

 Trenching
 Micro tunneling
 Large bore tunneling

TRENCHING
Trenching is the oldest sewer construction
method. It was used to build most of Los
Angeles’ sewers before 1990 and is still used
today in new subdivisions and other areas when:

 Sewer pipes can be placed at a shallow

depth
 Pipe are small in diameter
 There is room above ground for
equipment and operations

Deeper sewers that are trenched require

complicated digging and forms to prevent
collapse of the trench, and larger pipes require
very large trenches which can be expensive and
get in the way of neighborhood activities.
Method: The contractor digs a trench, places the
pipe in the trench, backfills the trench, and then
repaves the street and repairs any other surfaces
that were disturbed when digging the trench.
Trenched sewer lines are typically placed no
deeper than about 20 feet below the ground
surface. Sewers are always placed deeper than
water lines as a safety factor in the event that the
sewer line breaks.
MICROTUNNELING
Microtunneling has become a popular
alternative to trenching, especially in high-
density neighborhoods with busy streets and
shallow utilities that often conflict with surface
digging.
Method: The contractor excavates two pits,
about 30 feet by 30 feet for the jacking pit. The
jacking pit is where the microtunnel boring
machine (MTBM) is lowered into the ground
and creates a tunnel opening while passing
excavated earth through the back of the
machine. The MTBM is remote controlled and
no workers enter the tunnel. The receiving pit is
smaller, only large enough to retrieve the
MTBM. Pits have to be shored up to prevent
cave-ins. The excavated soil is temporarily
stored until it can be hauled offsite. MTBMs are
laser guided for accuracy. Cutting teeth bore
through soil until the MTBM reaches the
receiving pit. The pipe is then pushed into the
tunnel. The tunnel and pits are then backfilled
and the surface is repaired.
LARGE BORE TUNNELING
This method of construction is for very
large-diameter pipelines placed under busy
urban areas and through challenging geological
conditions. In Los Angeles, the largest
interceptor sewer pipelines (eight to ten foot
diameter) are being constructed using major
tunneling technology. Tunneling gives the City
the ability to align sewers under hills and other
areas that would not normally be accessible
using trenching or microtunneling techniques.
Method: As in microtunneling, the contractor
excavates a shaft and shores up the walls. These
shafts are deeper and wider than microtunneled
shafts. Workers and the TBMs are lowered to
the bottom of the shafts. Excavation is similar to
microtunneling, but the machine is much larger
with digging heads capable of boring a 25-foot
diameter tunnel. A worker rides inside the TBM
from where it is controlled. Excavated dirt is
conveyed behind the TBM to small, open rail
cars that haul the dirt back to the shaft where it
is lifted out and hauled away. Concrete liner
pipes are used to support the tunnel and prevent
collapse. The sewer pipes are then brought into
the tunnel and joined together by work crews.
The machines are removed, shafts are filled and
ground surfaces are resurfaced.
REPAIRING SEWERS
The City’s sewer repair teams commonly
use three repair methods, depending on the
severity and type of damage to the old sewer.
 Replacement – damaged pipes are
uncovered and removed, sewage is
temporarily piped around the area to be
replaced and then new pipe is placed in
the ground and connected to the system.
This method is used when the sewer is
in very bad condition.
 Pipe Jacking – new sections of pipe are
pushed inside the older pipeline. Crews
clean debris from the old sewer, and
then insert the new pipe sections
between the two street openings. The
sections are then grouted (cemented)
together so the repaired section is
watertight as well as sturdy.
 Pipe Liners – the liner is made from a
plastic reinforced with glass fibers. It is
inserted into the existing pipe in sections
that are cured in place. These materials
are most often placed in sewers that are
in adequate condition to provide support
for the liner.