UNIVERSITY OF RWANDA

COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND

TECHNOLOGY

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING

DEPARTEMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

LEVEL IV

Course: Water Supply And Sanitation

Topic: Field Trip Report

Presented by:

BIZIYAREMYE Jean Noel

Student number: 12113294

Lecturer: UWIMANA Abias

Done at Huye, on 20th May 2014

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Table of Contents

1. Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 3
2. On site sanitation at G.S KOTANA by use of ECOSAN latrines ........................................................... 4
2.1. General description .................................................................................................................. 4
2.2. Principal of ECOSAN toilet ........................................................................................................ 4
2.3. Description of ECOSAN toilets .................................................................................................. 5
2.4. How to use ECOSAN toilets ...................................................................................................... 6
2.5. Importance of and urine compost from ECOSAN latrine ........................................................... 6
2.6. Conclusion and recommendation ............................................................................................. 7
3. KADAHOKWA water treatment plant ............................................................................................... 8
3.1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 8
3.2. Intake....................................................................................................................................... 8
3.3. Cascade aeration...................................................................................................................... 9
3.4. Lab test and chemicals preparation ........................................................................................ 10
3.5. Coagulation and flocculation .................................................................................................. 11
3.6. Sedimentation tank ................................................................................................................ 11
3.7. Filtration and disinfection ...................................................................................................... 12
3.7.1. Disinfection .................................................................................................................... 12
3.7.2. Filtration process ............................................................................................................ 13
3.7.3. Backwashing................................................................................................................... 14
3.8. Pumping system ..................................................................................................................... 14
3.9. Conclusion and recommendation for KADAHOKWA water treatment trip .............................. 15

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 1. Introduction

The Government of Rwanda is making steady progress in improving access to safe water and
sanitation services. Initiatives to improve health, through the promotion of hand washing with
soap, use of ECOSAN at schools as onsite sanitation and extending water supply in order to
decrease prevalence and incidence of water-borne diseases, are also in place. However, 25% of
the population is still unable to access a safe drinking water source, while 26% of the populations
have no access to improved sanitation facilities. Rural areas are more affected. This problem
refer to us as future civil engineer and in order to understand how solve it, in our modules
content we have a special module concern this; called Water supply and sanitation. When we
have completed this module we conduct a field trip and we make its report.

This document concern a report of our field trip done on 4 th April 2014 at G.S Kotana near
Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB) Rubona branch where we saw the use of ECOSAN latrine on
this school , its description and use of fasces and urine from ECOSAN as fertilizer. This report
cover also what we have seen at KADAHOKWA water treatment plant, it is from this plant
where water used in HUYE town comes from, where we saw how water from KADAHOKWA
River is treated by following steps: cascade aeration, coagulation addition, flocculation,
sedimentation, filtration, storage and pumping system.

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2. On site sanitation at G.S KOTANA by use of ECOSAN latrines

2.1. General description

G.S KOTANA is located at about 50m near Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB) Rubona branch it
consists of primary school, O’Level and VTC. In 2008-2012 PAPAS (Programme d’Eau Potable
et d’Assainissement en milieu rural de la Province du Sud ) implemented a project of construction
of ECOSAN (ecological sanitation) latrine in 81schools in three southern province’s districts
(HUYE, NYARURURU and GISAGARA) G.S KOTANA include in, which is built on the idea
that human excrement is not a waste, but can be a valuable fertilizer if it is properly treated and
composted. People get the nutrients they need by eating plants. Many of these nutrients remain in
human waste. By decomposing this waste in a controlled way, the nutrients can be plowed back
into the soil and used to grow additional plants, continuing the cycle.

When we were arriving at this school headmaster of this school show us where are those latrines,
its description, how to use of compost.

2.2. Principal of ECOSAN toilet

Head teachers told us that those ECOSAN toilets were built on basic on that urine and faeces are
guided separately in two different compartments. To prevent decomposition, odor and flies are
regularly sprinkled ashes over the faeces, so they are faster hard. “Previously, the school plagued
by stench and flies, especially when the latrines were full. Time of decomposition of faeces is six
months where urine is used when compartment tank of it is full.

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2.3. Description of ECOSAN toilets

One block of this ECOSAN toilet consists of two separate chambers each one has one pit which
composed by two separate compartments one to conduct urine another to conduct faeces
separately. A urine pit has a filter in order that when they are a misuse of it faeces don’t enter on
it. One chamber for faeces is used for a period of six months when another is closed by a small
concrete slab. Storage for faeces has a black metal door in order to facilitate faeces to dry as
black color accumulates all solar light those doors are used also for removing the compost.

Those latrines have also two screened vent pipe on each block, one for each faeces chamber in
order to ventilate it. We saw that those toilets have urinals on side for boys who want to urine
those urinals have a conduct pipe for urine to an urine storage tank, this storage tank accumulate
also urine from urine pit by a conduct pipe. The following photos show all description of
ECOSAN toilets

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2.4. How to use ECOSAN toilets

At in side of one block used chamber is covered by wood cover and head of teacher told us that
when a student want to use the toilet; he or she remove cover, sit over the pit by respecting urine
and faeces pit by noticing that he has to biodegradable material for cleaning, when he finish,
have to sprinkle ash contained in bucket by small wood over faeces in order to decrease the
moist content of it and avoid also bad odor and flies so they are faster hard, close the pit and after
student have to wash his hands.

2.5. Importance of and urine compost from ECOSAN latrine

The concept of ECOSAN is built on the idea that human excrement is not a waste, but can be a
valuable fertilizer if it is properly treated and composted. People get the nutrients they need by
eating plants. Many of these nutrients remain in human waste. By decomposing this waste in a
controlled way, the nutrients can be plowed back into the soil and used to grow additional plants,
continuing the cycle.

This improves hygiene and sanitation significantly as it avoids that student to not defecate in the
vegetation and also offers a new opportunity to increase revenue for the school. Each latrine has
two separate compartments: one for feces and one for urine. Where containers with feces become
full, they shall be dried in special-purpose spaces its contents. In the compartments for urine is a
container placed. Both urine and feces are used as fertilizer in the school as the compost from
toilet are use to cultivate vegetable garden because it increases three time productive.

Use of urine as fertilizer for potatoes help to gain as much as on the field with the usual
fertilizer” confirms head teacher. The program made the teachers and other employees to point
out how they can use by adding water on it.

Some people from the area of the school come to us asking how to use it. Fertilizers Waste is no
longer regarded merely as dirt but as agricultural inputs to increase yields. Our behavior is
changing, “the head teacher concludes confident.

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2.6. Conclusion and recommendation

Our visit at GS KOTANA aims us to know all about an ecological sanitation. This convince us
that as onsite sanitation is the most important method of sanitation in our country because it not
expensive method compared to offsite method. ECOSAN latrine is also onsite sanitation, this
sanitation and this sanitation method must be used as it doesn’t require water for flushing this
allows using economically water produced by water treatment plant. As the ECOSAN built
based on the idea that human excrement is not a waste, but can be a valuable fertilizer if it is
properly treated and composted this will help country to solve a food security problem.

I recommend that all school of Rwanda must use those latrines as we visited at this school we
saw that sanitation is better than the old pit toilet use by other school. These avoid diseases
related to bad sanitation and no student can’t defecate in vegetables when they are those latrines
because of good sanitation. Other thing that I can recommend to Rwandan populations is change
the mind about human excrement and uses it as fertilizer.

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3. KADAHOKWA water treatment plant

3.1. Introduction

KADAHOKWA water treatment plant started working in 1983. Constructed in order to supply
treated water to MPARE, TONGA and HUYE. Now it has capacity to treat 5000m3 per day with
storage tank of 600m3. Its intake is near water treatment plant from KADAHOKWA River where
its name comes. Before 2012 intake water from KADAHOKWA river by pumping but now
intake is located at elevation greater than its; in order that water reach the water treatment plant
by gravity. KADAHOKWA treatment plant as other water treatment plant treat water by the
following steps:

 Intake
 Cascade aeration
 Lab test and chemicals preparation
 Coagulation and flocculation
 Sedimentation
 Filtration and disinfection
 Pumping system

3.2. Intake

KADAHOKWA water treatment plant takes water from KADAHOKWA River and
NYAMASHARAZA River. KADAHOKWA intake now is located elevation high than where
water treatment plant located at 2km of water treatment plant. They choose this system because it
allows water to move by gravity to water treatment with no pumps this mean that there is no
electricity required. At intake they are a reservoir dam with pre-decantation in order to remove
material which is no dissolved in water before it arrives at water treatment plant.

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3.3. Cascade aeration

When arriving at KADAHOKWA water treatment plant we saw near the gate water in two pipes
flow in constructed steps this is cascade aeration. Before we saw the cascade aeration principal
TWAGIRIMANA Alexis who is charge of technical and maintenance took us to look valves
control chamber in order that we have an idea of how intakes are because we had enough to go
see it. This valves control chamber consists of two pipes one for KADAHOKWA intake another
for NYAMASHARAZA each one has valve to control the water flow and water meter to
measure the volume of the flow of water. It has also other no connected pipe reserved for another
intake.

He told us that cascade aeration system have an objective to treat water by removing in water
dissolved gas content in it by increasing oxygen content. In summary the cascade aeration
system has the following important:

 Increase content of oxygen (O2)

 Decrease carbon dioxide content (CO2)
 Decrease hydrogen sulfite content (HS)
 Volatile organic compounds

This helps to remove bad odor contained in raw water

Cascade aeration Control valves

chamber

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3.4. Lab test and chemicals preparation

Before the treatment of raw water, it must be tested turbidity in order to check amount of
suspended particles in water. After turbidity test jar test in order to determine optimum required
of coagulate and PH required for treating water because we have enough time we didn’t have
chance to conduct those laboratory tests.

We visit where all chemicals are prepared called shican. After jar test optimum required
coagulate as its amount is calibrated for required amount to form floc for water to be treated
coagulate use is aluminum sulfate (Al2 (SO4)3) called alum for flocculation and polymer are
used also in to increase speed of flocculation. As flocculation depends on PH its regulation
require the addition of lime; preparation of lime is done on saturation tank of conical shape
located outside this decrease amount of lime as water pass on lime and form lime water which is
used for PH regulation. Another chemical prepared is chlorine for water pathogen disinfection.

When we have visited it we see new installation of controlled dosage pump and mixers for the
chamber of mixing one for 1m3 of volume; the first for alum, second for polymer and the third
for chlorine.

Shican room Shican valves and mix pumps

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3.5. Coagulation and flocculation

Flocculation tank is way water passed from shican mixed with coagulant and lime goes in order
to mixed in order to favorite the formation of flocs. The mixing is done by electrical mechanical
mixer. At the inlet of flocculation tank they are small flocculation tank equipped with pipe for
addition of coagulate when water if the one added in shican is not required for flocculation.

Inlet flocculation flocculation tank

3.6. Sedimentation tank

As I talk above KADAHOKWA water treatment plant treat surface water from KADAHOKWA
river which have large amount of suspended particles, those particles after flocculation in
flocculation tank water is conveyed to sedimentation tank where small flocs become bigger and
as its density are greater than the density of water settle at the bottom of sedimentation tank and
flocs of less density float and it received by a rectangular weir above it.

In sedimentation tank sedimentation depend on flow velocity, cross section of the tank and
surface loading. This mean that in order to treat a large amount of water big tank is required as
explained in the following sedimentation theory:

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 Where: Q is discharge

B is tank width

L is tank length

H is tank height

Now at KADAHOKWA they start to use new system for sedimentation without big tank by
using tilted plates settling where multiple tubes is at bottom of the tank in tilted way which
increase surface loading without increase the size for tank. The cross section and top of tilted
plates are shown the following:

3.7. Filtration and disinfection

3.7.1. Disinfection
After sedimentation at it outlet they are a small chamber with a small pipe came from shican
room in order to conduct a solution of chlorine to water come from sedimentation tank. This
chlorine is used to disinfect water. Mr. Alexis told us that they prefer to add chlorine after
sedimentation because they want to avoid using large amount of it than can be settle in a
sedimentation tank.

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3.7.2. Filtration process

When disinfection is completed water is conveyed in rapid sand filter in order that small flocs
which don’t settle in sedimentation tank to be removed. Now KADAHOKWA water treatment
plant use new filter with a quick system of washing; washing take between 15 to 30 minutes
where the old filter time necessary to clean it was 21days.

KADAHOKWA filters are rapid sand filter with a sand of 80 cm of height for removing small
flocs at top, gravel of 10cm of height at bottom of sand for preventing sand to enter in small
cylindrical in charge for filtration and backwashing called buzerene or filter bottom. Water
flows over a rectangular channel and flow over the filter. And after filtration water pass through
filter bottom to small blue tank in order that the flow water passing in filter to regulated for
avoiding the flow with sand. After water is conducted by sky blue pipe into a storage tank
before pumping.

Top view of filter

Sand layer

Gravel layer

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3.7.3. Backwashing

This new filters have rapid backwashing system; in bottom filters are connected with two pipes
one for backwash water pumped from storage with dark blue another is for conducting air from
air pumping required for backwashing with red color. When those pipes are opened air and
water pass from bottom to top of filter and waste water from backwashing are taken by
backwashing gutter to chocolate pipes to backwashing water storage. Those backwashing have
another important to conduct overflow water from filter green pipe to backwashing water
storage.

3.8. Pumping system

As KADAHOKWA water treatment plant is located in valley and treated water is supplied at
higher elevation than water treatment plant this mean that there is required energy for
transportation. Water to transport is transported by using a pump which pumps water from
storage in pumping room. In pumping room water are pumped for two destinations: MPALE and
TONGA. Pumps are grouped according to pumping destinations for MPARE they are three
pumps connected in parallel one pump has 4stages for increasing pressure four times equipped
with electrical motor and one pump has a capacity of 55m3 per hour head pressure of 149m.
And the one of TONGA they are three connected also in parallel the same as for MPARE and
one pump has a capacity of 97m3 per hour head pressure of 187m.

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One pump has a two control valves for controlling inlet and outlet flow, air valve to decrease air
when it amount become bigger, it have also tape for air evacuation also. Pumps and its part are
shown in the following photo:

3.9. Conclusion and recommendation for KADAHOKWA water treatment trip

As water is second requirement for human life after this mean that all human life need water
which treated near and do not forget that untreated water is the most source of communicable
diseases civil engineer must know how to treat water through our course of water supply and
sanitation. This field visit at KADAHOKWA water treatment plant aims us to understand theory
of what we have studied in class. But we have not enough time to visits all treatment process and
to visit other water treatment plant of different treatment process to KADAHOKWA. It will be
better for next student of this course to visit all possible water treatment plant.

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