ON-SITE AND LOW-COST WASTEWATER

TREATMENT: FUNDAMENTALS AND DESIGN OF

FACILTIES

Dr. S. Sarkar
 ON-SITE COST-EFFECTIVE SEWAGE TREATMENT FACILITIES
1. Septic Tanks :
These are on-site treatment units where within a single unit the
sedimentation and digestion of wastewater simultaneously take place. Usual
holding time (retention time) of wastewater in septic tank is between one
and two days. Recommended for small households, communities and
institutions with population less than 300.
2. Imhoff Tanks:
These are improved septic tanks named after the inventor Karl Imhoff. The
incoming sewage is not allowed to mix with the sludge produced, and treated
effluent is also not allowed to carry with it large organic loadings.
3. Pour-flash two-pit latrines
It is a combination of a superstructure with squatting pan, siphoned trap and
connected with two leach pits with one in operation (collecting the sewage)
and other under digestion. Digestion stabilizes the sludge converting it to
nutrient-rich manure which is used as fertilizer.
4. Ventilated Improved Latrines (VIP Latrine)
5. Package-type treatment plants
Pour-Flush Two Pit latrine
 Septic Tank
It is essentially a plug-flow type sedimentation tank with very long detention
time with extra provisions of digestion of settled sludge. The volume of sludge
after digestion will be minimal; however, has to be cleaned periodically and
properly disposed of. A gas outlet/ cowl is a must for ventilation of foul gases.
Septic Tanks
 DISPOSAL OF EFFLUENTS FROM A SEPTIC TANK
The effluent from a septic tank contains large quantity of biodegradable
dissolved organic matter with BOD content around 150-200 mg/L and also
contain pathogens from human excreta. The effluent needs careful disposal
so that it poses minimum risk to the health of the people. Generally we use
the retardation and natural capacity of the soil for remediation; therefore,
land-based disposal is a common practice.

Sub-surface Disposal in absorption trenches

Disposal in Soak-Pits

Design Code : IS 2470

DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS OF A SEPTIC TANKS
Capacity of a septic tank:
The capacity of a septic tank the volume of liquid it can accommodate. The rate
of accumulation sludge is recommended to be 30 L/ per capita/ per day. The
minimum design capacity for 8-10 persons is to be kept at 2250 L when all the
domestic sewage is discharged into the septic tank and 1400 L when only
wastewater from toilets and wash basin are discharged.
Freeboard:
Free-board of 300 mm is provided above the top sewage line of the tank
Inlet and Outlet Baffles:
The baffles and tees should extend to the top of the scum level, but must end
a little below the bottom of the covering slab (about 75 mm atleast) to allow a
free movement of gases generated. The inlet should penetrate at least 30 cm
below the top sewage line. The outlet should penetrate to about 40% of the
depth.
Detention period: Typically 24 hrs. Can vary between 12 hrs and 36 hrs

Length to Width ratio: L:W = 2 to 3; W not less than 90 cm; Depth of the tank
1.2 to 1.8 m
 DESIGN EXAMPLE
Design a Septic Tank for a small colony of 300 people. Assume water supply of
100 L/capita/day, wastewater generation is 80% of the water consumption.
Sludge production rate is 40L/capita/year. The retention time is 3 days at startup.
Desludging is to be done when the tank is one-third full of sludge. A percolation
test indicated an allowable hydraulic loading of 1250 L /sqm/day; design also a
soak pit. Length to width ratio is 2.5, and the freeboard to be provided is 300
mm
Sewage Produced per day = 300*100*0.8 =24000 L/day = 24 cum/day
Detention Time= 3 days
Volume to be provided for holding the liquid = 3d* 24 cum/d = 72 cum

Total volume of septic tank = Volume for the liquid + volume for the sludge
Sludge will keep on accumulating until it reaches 1/3rd of the total volume of the
tank. So, extra volume to be provided for accumulation of sludge. Remaining
2/3rd volume is for holding the liquid.
2
V  72 cum V  108 cum
3
 Assume a depth of D =2m. L: W = 2.5

V  L * B * D  108 cum 2.5 B * B * 2  108 cum

B  4.67 m L  2.5 * 4.67 m  11.6 m D  (2  0.3) m
Find out Desludging Interval
1 1
Volume of the sludge to be removed = V  *108 cum  36 cum
3 3
Sludge accumulation rate= 0.03 cum/person/year * 300 persons

 9 cum/ year
36
Interval of Cleaning =  4 years
9
Find out the size of Soak pit
Hydraulic loading rate = 1250 L/sqm/ day
Surface area of the soak pit = 24000/ 1250 = 19.2 sqm
19.2
Assume a depth of 3 m Diameter  2m
Add Sketches for full credit
 *3