Waste Water Engineering

Course Code: CE 1001

Course Title: Waste Water Engineering
Credit Hours: 4
Lecture:3

Presented by
Engr.Rabindra Ranjan Saha,PEng
Prof.(Associate)
Dept. of Civil Engineering
World University of Bangladesh
 Waste Water Engineering

Outline of the lecture 3:

❑ Design consideration and design procedures of pit

latrines.
❑ Design examples of pit latrine.
 Waste Water Engineering
General design consideration of pit latrine:
1. The pit should be as large as possible, however, for
economic design it should not be more than 1.5 m
(commonly 1.0-1.5 m) wide.
2. Soils with permeability below 2.5 mm/hour are unsuitable
for pit latrines, as liquid fraction of excreta is unable to
infiltrate into soil.

3. Pits in unstable soils must be fully lined (otherwise,

collapse of superstructure). Materials used: concrete
blocks, bricks, cement-stabilized soil blocks, masonry,
perforated oil drums etc.
 Waste Water Engineering
General design consideration of pit latrine(contd.)

4. A distance of at least 10.0 m should be provided to avoid

possible contamination between pit and a source of drinking
water

5. At least 2 m distance between pit bottom and water table

6. Adequate ventilation by leaving openings above and below

door or by constructing a spiral wall without door

7. Depth of pit: depends on ground water table, soil condition.

5 ring pits (@ 1 ft per ring) are common
 Waste Water Engineering

Design of pit latrine:

Effective Pit Volume: V=C×P×N

◼ where, V = Effective volume of the pit, m3

◼ C = Solids accumulation rate, m3/person/year

◼ P = Number of persons, expected to use the latrine

◼ N = Design life in years

◼ Total size of pit latrine can be determined by

V = 1.33 × C × P × N (for latrines ≤4.0m in depth)

 Waste Water Engineering

Design of pit latrine (contd.):

The factor 1.33 is incorporated to ensure a clear space above
the remains of the excreta at the end of design period, allows
75% of the pit to be filled at the end of design period.

Typical values of C:
3
◼ Wet pit: 0.04 m /person/year (0.02 - 0.04)

◼ Dry pit: 0.06 m3/person/year (0.03 - 0.06)

Note: Accumulation rate is lower for wet pit (i.e., pit below
GWT) because biodegradation is faster under wet condition)
 Waste Water Engineering
Design of pit latrine (contd.):
◼ Effective circular Pit Volume: V = (πd2/4) h

where, d = diameter of pit

h = effective depth of pit

Assuming a suitable diameter (maximum permissible diameter is

1.5 m) of pit, the effective pit depth, h can be obtained. Then the
total depth will be effective depth plus the desired free space
above inlet of the pit. Usually a free space of 0.5 m is kept at top of
the pit. Therefore,

Total Depth of pit, H = Effective Depth of Pit, h + 0.5 m

 Waste Water Engineering
Example 1
Design a low cost simple latrine for a family of six persons.
The soil in the area is fairly permeable and stable. The
groundwater table is 5 m bellow ground level. Determine
the size of the pit required for a period of five years. The
family uses water for anal cleansing.
SOLUTION:
Assume that the pit would be above the groundwater table
and therefore can be considered as a dry pit. Hence the value
of C , with water being used for anal cleansing, can be taken
as 0.06 m3/person/year. As the soil is very permeable , the
liquid part will percolate into the soil fairly quickly.
So, C = 0.06 m3/person/year
 Waste Water Engineering

We know , Volume of the pit V = 1.33 × C × P × N

Here, C = Solids accumulation rate (0.06 m3/person/year)

P = No. of family persons = 6 (given)
N = Useable year
Putting the respective values in the above equation, the
required volume of the pit :
v = 1.33 × 0.06 × 6 × 5 = 2.4 m3.

To limit the size of the squatting plate for economic, the size
of a circular pit should be in the range of 1.0-1.5 m in
diameter. For the present case ,assume a 1.25 m diameter
circular pit.
 Waste Water Engineering
Cross- sectional area of the circular pit = π D2/4
= π × (1.25)2/4
= 1.23 m2

𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒊𝒕

Now, Depth of the pit =
𝑪𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒔−𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒂 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒊𝒕

𝟐.𝟒
=
𝟏.𝟐𝟑

= 1.95 m say 2 m.

So, Excavate a pit of depth = 2.0 m and diameter of 1.25 m.

(Ans).
 Waste Water Engineering
A rectangular pit can also be considered.

Assume a section of 1.25 m × 1.25 m for the present case.

Area of the cross- section = 1.25 × 1.25
= 1.56 m3

𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒎𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒅
Therefore , the required depth =
𝑪𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒔−𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒂

𝟐.𝟒
=
𝟏.𝟓𝟔
= 1.54 m say 1.6 m
Choose a depth of 1.6 m with dimension of 1.25 × 1.25 sq.m
(Ans).
 Waste Water Engineering
Example 2:
Design a VIP (Ventilated Improved Pit) latrine for a family of eight.
The family uses water for anal cleansing. The groundwater table
is only 2.0 m bellow the ground surface.

Solution:
Single pit option
Assume that the latrine pit will be above the groundwater table
and hence dry.
The solid accumulation rate , C = 0.05 m3 per person per year.
Assume that the pit will be emptied every three (3) years,
 Waste Water Engineering
Solution (contd.)
So, volume of the pit V = C×P×N
= 0.05 × 8 × 3 = 1.2 m3 .

Dimension =1mx1.2mx1m=1.2 m3
L = 1.2m, B= 1m and H=1 m
Total H= 1+0.5 m [0.5 m= free space]

Simple pit dimensions would be 1.0 m × 1.2 m , with a depth

of 1.5 m including 0.5 m free space. Thus the pit base is still
above the groundwater table (since WT is 2 m(given) below
the GL), so the pit will remain dry.
 Waste Water Engineering
Example 3:
Design a VIP latrine for a family of eight persons. The family uses
water for anal cleansing. The groundwater table is only 2.0 m
bellow the ground surface.

[This is the same problem you have seen in the previous slide.
Solve the problem by considering twin pit system . Solve it
yourself.]
 Waste Water Engineering
Example 4
Local authority in a village is offering pre-cast concrete
rings of 1.0 m diameter and 0.3 m depth of concrete
slab to cover it at a subsidized rate. Design a simple pit
latrine for a family of 7. The soil is unconsolidated/loose
and the GWT is 5.0 m below the ground surface. The
family wants the latrine to serve for 4 years. (Note:
Change design parameter as you find appropriate.)

Solution Where,
Effective Pit Volume , V = C × P × N P = 7 persons
N = 4 yrs
= 0.06 × 7 × 4
C = 0.06 m3/person/year
= 1.68 m3 (Considering dry pit)
 Waste Water Engineering
Solution (contd.)

Cross sectional area of pit = (πd2/4)

= 0.785 m2

Effective Pit depth = 1.68/0.785 = 2.14 m

Design Pit depth = 2.14 + 0.5 = 2.64 m (free board/space

=0.5m)

Now rings required = 2.64/ 0.3 = 8.8 ≈ 9 rings (Height of ring =

0.3m given)

(Ans).
 Waste Water Engineering
Example 5
Repeat the above Example 4, if the latrine has to serve
2 families, each with 7 members. GWT is high, located
4.0 m below the ground surface. Design life cannot be
less than 2 years and a 2.0 m gap must be provided
between the pit bottom and GWT.
Solution:
Depth of GWT = 4m (given), gap between pit = 2.0 m (given)
So, Pit bottom can not be more than (4- 2m)= 2.0 m below
ground surface. Design life of the pit.
.
There is a provision that: At
2m 4m
least 2m distance between
pit bottom and water table. GWT
 Waste Water Engineering
Solution(contd)
Now,
Volume of the two pits , Where,
V = C × P × N = 0.06 × 7 × 2 × 2 = 1.68 m3 P = 7 x2 persons
N = 3 yrs
C = 0.06 m3/person/year
Cross sectional area of pit = (πd2/4) (Considering dry pit)
= 0.785 m2
(Taken diameter of latrine = 1 m)

Effective Pit depth = 1.68/0.785 = 2.14 m

Design depth = 2.14 + 0.5 = 2.64 m
>2m; Can not be recommended.
 Waste Water Engineering
Solution(contd.)
Consider 2 pits:
If twin pit is considered, effective
Depth of each = 2.14/2 = 1.07 m
Design depth = 1.07+ 0.5 = 1.57 m
No. of rings = 1.57/ 0.3 = 5.23 ≈ 6 rings
Actual design depth = 6 × 0.3 = 1.8 m
Which is less than 2 m hence ok.
So we can use 6 rings with 1.8 m depth in each pit.
Now, Actual design life
V=C×P×N
𝑽 𝟎.𝟕𝟖𝟓 𝒙 (𝟏.𝟖 −𝟎.𝟓)𝒙𝟐
N= = = 2.43 years say 2.5 years (Ans)
𝑪𝒙𝑷 𝟎.𝟎𝟔 𝒙 𝟏𝟒