2.

0 SEWERAGE SYSTEM AND TREATMENT PROCESS

2.1 Introduction

What is sewage? – domestic wastewater or municipal wastewateris a type of wastewater that is

produced from a community of people. It is characterized by volume or rate of flow, physical
condition, chemical and toxic constituents, and its bacteriologic status (which organisms it contains
and in what quantities). It consists mostly of greywater (from sinks, tubs, showers, dishwashers, and
clothes washers), blackwater (the water used to flush toilets, combined with the human waste that it
flushes away)

Sewerage system is a system and infrastructure of conveys, collecting, treating and disposal of sewage.
It encompasses receiving drains, manholes, pumping stations, storm overflows, screening chambers,
etc. of the sanitary sewer. Sewerage ends at the entry to a sewage treatment plant or at the point of
discharge into the environment.

a. Sanitary sewer – A system of sewers designed to collect and convey household and
industrial wastewater from urban areas to a wastewater treatment plant. Carry only
the water from residential, commercial and industrial with the stormwater excluded

b. Stormwater sewer-A system of sewers designed to collect, store and convey runoff
from urban areas to a receiving waterbody. Carries the water coming from roofs,
paved areas, pavements and roads.

c. Combined sewer- sanitary sewer+ stormwater sewer.

2.1 Identify importance of sewerage system

2.1.1 Define terms ‘aeration’, ‘gradient’, ‘speed of the self-cleaning’, ‘inlet and outlet’,
‘rod eyes’, ‘branches’, ‘supporter’ and ‘cover’ in sewerage system

i. Aeration-contaminants dissolved in sewage are consume by microorganisms in large

tanks are supplied the oxygen(air) necessary for the survival of the microorganisms.
In an aerated basin system, the aerators provide two functions
 transfer air
 Dispersing the air

ii. Inlet and outlet – Effluent get in and out to the system

iii. Roding eyes-A sealed surface extension to a drain, frequently located at the head of
the drains an alternative to an inspection chamber

iv. Laterals- pipes conveying sewage from an individual building to a common gravity sewer
line.

v. Branches –A part of a sewer system that is larger in diameter than the lateral sewer
system; receives sewage from both house connections and lateral sewers. Typically run
under streets receiving laterals from buildings along that street and discharge by gravity into
trunk sewers at manholes.

vi. Supporter – Drainage pipes installation is supported by soil. The soil that supports the
pipe should be reinforced or replaced with suitable material. The types of support depend
on condition of soil and strength of drainage pipe.

vii. Cover - must prevent distortion of cast iron frames during fixing and replace any
distorted cover or frame. Cast iron covers must be filled with N25 Grade concrete. The
identification, cover locating marks and numbering pad must be left exposed. The covers
and frames must be cleaned and greased after completion of the section of the Works
2.2 Explain construction of sewerage system

2.2.1 Determine design principles of sewerage system

Sewage sludge is the solid wastes that are separated from the liquid wastes through
wastewater treatment. It includes solid wastes that is flushed into the sewer system.

For it to be efficient, must have the ability to transport the sewage effectively

Design must be in accordance with MS 1228:1991: Code of Practice for Design and Installation
of Sewerage system.

It’s designed to discharge the wastewater flows as required.

Sewage treatment plant(STP) - Converts the sewage into a form which can be safely
discharges to the environment, or reused for various compatible purposes. Effluent discharge
must meet the standard A&B

The diameter of pipes is

 Chosen based on the availability of the size provided

 Consideration of the economy
 Sufficient size to handle the total discharge

Lateral sewer - Minimum of 150mm diameter, receives the channel sewage from individual
buildings to another branch sewer, or directly to an on-site treatment plant

Reticulation sewer - 225mm to 300mm, receives the channel sewage collected from groups
of individual properties to branch sewer

Main sewer/trunk/outfall sewer - 450mm to above 900mm diameter, receives sewers from
branch sewers and transfer flows to large sewage treatment plant

Branch sewer - 300mm to 450mm diameter, receive the sewage from reticulation sewers
and thereafter transfers the flow to small sewage treatment plants, or to main sewers.

The depth of sewer is - 1.2 m below the ground surface

Invert depth – minimum of 1.2m

Velocities - Minimum of 0.8m/s

Self-cleansing - Prevents the sludge to settle in the pipelines, maximum is at 4.0 m/s,
prevent scouring of sewer by erosive action of suspended matter

The slope/ gradient - 1:200 to 1:25 in order to maintain the velocity

2.2.2 Types of sewerage system; separated or two pipes drainage system, combined or
single pipe drainage system and partially combined system

There are three sewerage systems types.

1. Separate System
2. Partially Separated System / partially combined system
3. Combined System

Separate System

In this system the sanitary sewage and storm water are carried separately in two sets of
sewers. The sewage is conveyed to waste water treatment plant (WWTP) and the storm
water is discharges into rivers without treatment. The separated system is suitable when
separate outlet for storm water is available and the topography is such that storm water can
be disposed of in natural drains.

Advantages of Separate System

o The load on treatment plant is less as only sewage is carried to the plant.
o The size of sewer is small, thus economical
o When pumping is required, the system proves to be economical.
o Natural/storm water is not unnecessarily polluted by sewage.

Disadvantages of Separate System

o Cleaning of sewer is difficult due to their small size.
o The self cleansing velocity is not easily obtained.
o The storm sewers come in operation in rainy season only. They may be chocked in
dry season by garbage.
o Maintenance cost is high
o Sewage sewers are provided below storm sewer which causes greater depth and
pumping at waste water treatment plant (WWTP).
Partially Separated System / partially combined system

In this system, the whole of the sewage and a part of the wastewater are carried off by the
same system. The rest of the wastewater is carried off separately. In this system the sewage
and storm water of buildings are carried by one set of sewers while the storm water from
roads, streets, pavements etc are carried by other system of sewers usually open drains.

Advantages of Partially Separate Sewerage System

o It combines the good features of both systems.
o The silting is avoided due to entry of storm water.
o The storm water from houses is easily disposed off.
o The sewers are of reasonable size.

Disadvantages of Partially Separate Sewerage System

o A very small fraction of bad features of combined system are there in partially
separated system.

Combined System

In this system the sewage and storm water are carried combine in only one set of sewers to
the waste water treatment plant (WWTP) before disposal.

Advantages of Combined Sewerage System

o Easy cleaning because of larger diameter
o Reasonable maintenance cost
o Strength of sewage is reduced due to dilution of sewage by storm water
o This system requires only one set of sewer making it economical

Disadvantages of Combined Sewerage System

o In storm season sewer may overflow and the sewer may damage causing serious
health risks
o The combine sewer gets silted and becomes foul in dry days
o Load on treatment plant is more because storm water is also carried there
o The storm water gets polluted unnecessarily
 o The system becomes uneconomical when pumping is needed

2.3 Explain soil and waste disposal system

Sewage treatment methods

i. Physical unit operations apply physical forces include screening, mixing, flocculation,
sedimentation, filteration and floatation.
ii. Chemical unit proseses-remove or conversion of pollutants by the addition of chemical
reaction include precipitation, adsorption and disinfection.
iii. Biological unit processes - diodegradable organic substance are converted into gases that
escape to the atmosphere and cell tissue is removed by settling.
2.3.1 Explain soil and waste disposal using biological disposal system as dilute/liquidize,
preservation and treatment
2.3.2 Interpret sewerage treatment process by authority using facultative pond and chemical
treatment at public treatment plant
2.4 Illustrate construction of brick manhole

Design should be

 Allow easy access for inspection and cleaning for the pipe
 Made from durable structure
 Cause minimum interference to the sewage flow
 Minimum of 1.2 m in depth from the ground level
 At least at 100m apart of each other for eases of maintenance
 Gradients from 1:40 to 1:110 will should be use to give normally give adequate flow
velocity

Locations are situated

 End of line
 Intersection of sewer
 Changes in grade and alignment except in curved sewers
The minimum diameter of manholes constructed from precast concrete

Drop manhole

 Installed to reduce the turbulence in the manhole cause by the elevation differences
 If the difference between the incoming sewer and manhole invert is more than
500mm
 If the difference between the incoming sewers is less than 600mm
 Invert shall be filleted at the corners to prevent solid deposition

Step

 Excavation to receive pipe using backhoe

 Placing hardcore in concrete base
 Installation of pipe sewerage
 Concreting
 Installation of stairs
 Installation of cover