Wastewater Management

Let us learn about

. Wastewater and sewage - sources
. Wastewater treatment
. Sanitation and diseases
Sanitation at public places

is used Domestic waste : Wastewater discharged

resource and
preciOus
various domestic, industrial from our homes contains detergents, food
&A
wastes, human faeces, plastic wastes, paper
activities. Most of these
utural
and make scrap, metal objects, etc.
cOntaminatethe water
further human consumnption. Agricultural waste : Wastewater discharged
s chemical
generated from agricultural farms contains
ntaminated or dirty
water
activities fertilisers, insecticides, pesticides, animals
various is
used in contaminated waste, etc.
eing Water gets discharged
astewater. solid Hospital waste : Wastewater
of suspended considerable
from hospitals containsdisease-causing
presence
the
microbes, and
various organic
impurities amounts of chemicals and
The microbes.
narganic impurities.
in water are called bacteria, virus, and other
suspended
ed and
aminants. Learn More
promote the
nutrients in water
The excess of
in eutrophication. This
growth of weeds resulting and
oxygen in water bodies
leads to depletion of plants.
aquatic animals and
causes destruction of

Sewage System
the household wastewater
Sewage is It is
contains faeces and urine.
that sources through
Contaminated water accumulated from various sewage is
through which
tes of Wastewater pipes. The pipes sewers. The sewer pipes
of called
collected are
Ls know about the various sources
ater and the contaminants present are usually made of
concrete and iron
different
and are of
tustrvarious
ial waste: Wastewater discharged
manufacturing industries sizes. A
network of
interconnected sewers
ins harmful chemicals such as acids, area is
es Over a large Sewage
and particles of lead, mercury,
um, and cadmium.
called sewer system.
195
Circular openings, called manholes, are Wastewater treatrment involves
provided at various physical, biological and chemical various
junctions in the sewer
system for cleaning
The treatment is done in threeprocesses.
steps
and maintenance of SGWER Primary, Secondary and Tertiary.
the sewers. Manholes Primary Treatment
are covered by metallic Primary treatment of sewage is a physical
or concrete lids. which is divided into
Manhole process
three stages
-screening, grit rermoval and sedimentation
The system involve d in collection,
transportation, treatment and disposal of Screening:In this stage, the wastewater
wastewater is called sewage system. is passed through closely spaced vertical
Thesewage flows through drains and pipes, metal bars which
and goes into the sewers. This remove solid wastes
sewage such as rags, plastic
flows into progressively larger pipes and
gets collected in the sewer mains of towns bags, wood, cans, and
or cities. The sewer mains other large objects. The
transport the collected solid waste
Sewage to wastewater treatment plant.
is disposed of into a
Water treatment plant
landfill.
Screening
Grit removal : After screening,
Treated
wastewater
is passed through a grit chamber which
water

removes solids such as sand, grit, silt, and

SeWer main
pebbles. The speed of the water is adjusted
to give time to settle down these
solids in
River
the chamber.

Sewage system
The sewers in the sewer system are
provided
with a slight slope to enable easy flow of
water through them.
Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) Grit chamber
Wastewater treatment plant is a setup Sedimentation: After grit removal, the
where wastewater is treated to remove all wastewater passes into a sedimentation
Contaminants from it. The sewage that tank called clarifier in which
sewage 1S
enters the wastewater treatment plant is
called influent.
The influent is treated in the plant and
discharged into various water bodies.
The treated water that comes out from
the wastewater treatment plant is called
effluent.
Clarifier
196
 stand
for 10-12 hours. During
solid wastes like food
the
settiedown at the
faeces
the
tankto form sludge. The
like oil and grease float
urnties

o water and form scum

rtace
removed by pumping it out.
eis
removed with the help of a
skimmer. The water that
aled

the sedimentation tank is

Aerion fark
om water
arified The bacteria ultimately sette down at the
bottom of the tank as
aryTreatment and clear water is aetivated sludgs
Dried
rermoved fros the top.
tment of wastewater is sludge is used as marure in fields
trea or as landfill.
dry process where the organic
ical
the sludge remaining in Tertiary Treatment
i
water is decomposed or broken
Tertiary treatment of wastewater is a
th the
help of bacteria.
chemical process in which harmful
proocess, the clarified water is substances such as nitrogen and phosphorus
s tank where
through an aeration are removed from water. Chlorine and
blowers bubble air through water. ultraviolet rays are used to kill remaining
aerobic bacteria to grow and microbes and disinfect the water.
lows
matter. This process of
se organic The treated water is either discharged into
psition is called digestion. During water bodies like rivers, strearns, etc. or
produced
ss of digestion, biogas is used to recharge groundwater.
SLSedas fuel.
SEKONDARY TREATMNT TERTARY TREATMIENT
PRIMARY TREATMENT

Denircaton
Carification Digeian Gridecion
Get removal

Wastewater treatment plamt

enative Methods of Sewage Disposal area to setup and

difficult to
require large treatment plants.
water treatrment plants are expensive, have wastewater
tán, do not
Hence, most small towns and villages methods
providing alternative provide
are capable of systems
on-site sewage disposal systems On-site sewage disposal
disposal in villages and towns.point of its origin.
tent and disposal of sewage at the 192
 Some on-site mnethods of sewage disposal decomposition off organic wastes is
are: in the overhead
tank. The
supplied to houses through a
collectedcollgasecteiss
Septic Tanks pipelines and used for cooking and network of
A septic tank is an
usually built at the back
underground tank, Compost Pits heating
of a home, to collect Compost pits are small pits d
wastes such as human ground where human and
dug in the
animal
excretion, kitchen wastes and vegetable waste are discarded. excret
The api,t
and water from wash is usually covered with
basins. Septic tank a lid. Small amount
of water is added to
Wastewater is drained into septic tank
the pit. Anaerobic
through pipes. The organic wastes settle
down at the bottom of the tank and are decomposition converts
decomposed by the anaerobic bacteria to the waste into manure. Compost pit
form sludge. The sludge is removed from the
bottom of the tank and used as manure. Vermicomposting Toilets
The excess water flows out of the tank and Vermicomposting is the process of
can be used for watering plants. decomposing organic matter by the action
of worms such as redworms.
Manhole Small
pits are dug at the base of public toiletscompost
Redworms decompose human faeces into
manure. It is simple, hygienic method of
Wasteater treating human excretion that uses minimal
amount of water.

Septic tank structure

Improper Disposal of Sewage
Septic tanks provide economic and efficient Most villages and small towns do not have
wastewater treatment for a single house or a wastewater treatment plant for
a group of houses. treating
sewage. The untreated sewage at these
Biogas Plants places is discharged into various water
bodies such as rivers, lakes and streams.
With a few modifications, a large
tank can be converted into a biogas
septic This sewage mnakes the water of these water
plant. bodies unfit for human
A biogas plant consists of a
septic tank consumption.
with an overhead tank made of steel or In large towns and cities, untreated sewage
iron. The biogas produced due to may leak from faults and cracks in sewers
anaerobic and pipelines. This sewage seeps into
groundwater and contaminates it.
Sewage from sewers may also mix with water
distribution pipelines and
the water meant for public
Contaminate
consumption.
number
Untreated
of
sewage contains alarge causes
Biogas plant overhead tank disease causing microbes and
many water-borne diseases.
198
 andDiseases not be disposed of into the sink or
anitation is one
of the major drains. These chemicals kill the useful
country. Alarge proportion microbes which help in decomposing
our India do not have toilets the sewage.
in
Wing defecate. in the open. 3. Do not throw solid wastes
and such as tea
excretions contain a large
homes

These
leaves, leftover food, cotton, sanitary
microbes and worms. towels, and plastic botties into the
rainwater and reach drains. These wastes choke the drain
with
s or seep under the
mi
bodies or sewer pipes and disrupt supply of
ater Oxygen to the bacteria in the drains
disposal systems in these which decompose the sewage.
dsewage contaminated water
thhe 4. Donot throw ash,garlands, flowers, etc.
cause available for human into water bodies.
with water contaminated water
Otption. The
r

risk for people. Every Learn More

major health
ea
thousands of
children die due to water- Eucalyptus trees absorb surplus wastewater rapidly
diseases.
and release pure water vapour into the atmosphere.
So, we should plant them all along sewage ponds.

Sanitation at Public Places

generated
A large amount of rubbish is
stations, bus
at public places like railway
stands, hospitals, cinema halls, etc. Public
facilities also
toilets and urinals at these
amount. If this
Sugnation of water due to
improper drainage generate sewage in large
properly and
system at some sewage is not disposed of diseases.
d of proper drainage water. Puddles
of regularly, it can cause several
is causes stagnation breeding lay down
tagnant water are perfect Municipal corporations of a city sanitation
These maintaining
ices for flies and mosquitoes. certain guidelines for
such as should also contribute
cts cause and spread diseases at public places. We localities.
sanitation in our
liria, cholera, dengue and yellow fever. to maintain
among
create awareness
ter Housekeeping Practices " We should about the
neighbours
should follow several practices to family, friendsand of sanitation
importance
generation of wastewater at homes
idmimaintain
se the need and the
home drainage system in at public places.
er condition. use a dustbin
" We should
to throw
Do not throw cooking oil or ghee in the at public places
sink as it sticks to the drain pipes and rubbish.
urinate
Oogs them. This reduces the efficiency .We should not spit,
road sides
drainage system. or defecate
on

Chrganicemicalssolvents,
such and
as paints, insecticides,
medicines should
and in open
areas.
 India
International-Providing Sanitation in
Sulabh rights,
human
NGOthat works to promote managemernt
Sulabh International is an India- based waste
sources of energy,
environmental sanitation, non--conventional founded in 1970 by Dr Bindeshwar
and social reforms through education. It wasimnplemented environmental friendly
Pathak They have designed. constructed andSulabh Shauchalaya in more than
12
two-pit, flush compost toilet known as
million houses all over India. Two-pit compost toilet
of public toilets at public places and in slums
Construction and maintenance landmark of Sulabh in the field of
SULADH TONLEY CONPLEN
on pay & use basis'
constructed
is
andbus
a
is maintaining over 8000 such public
sanitatiocompl
toilets n. Soexesfar
itathas
public places like stands, hospitals, markets etc. and in the slums.

International Museum of Toilets, set up in DeDelhi, is thee only

The Sulabh
of its kind that tells the story of the development of toilets over the ages
documents.
museum
through artefacts, pictures, posters, and

WORD
POWER
scum in sedimentation tanks
Clarified water:water obtained after removal of sludge and
the wastewater treatment plant
Effluent : treated water that comes out from
Influent : sewage that enters the
wastewater treatment plant
maintenance
Manhole circular opening in asewer for its cleaning and
Sanitation : conditions related to hygienic living environment
a tank in which household sewage is collected and allowed to decompose
Septic tank
Sewage : household wastewater that contains faeces and urine
Sewage system : the system involved in collection, transportation, treatment, and disposal of wastewater
Sludge solid wastes that settle at the bottom during the primary treatment of wastewater
Wastewater : the contaminated or dirty water generated after being used in various activities
POINTSTO REMEMBER
Water gets contaminated due to the presence of suspended solid particles, microbes and various organic
and inorganic impurities in it.
Industries, households, agricultural practices, and hospitals are the major sources of wastewater.
Sewage is collected and carried through a system of pipes called sewers which are linked with each
other to form a network called sewer system.
Wastewater treatment plant is a setup where sewage is treated to remove all contaminants from it and
the treated water is discharged into various water bodies such as lakes and rivers.
Wastewater treatment is done in three steps - primary, secondary, and tertiary.
Primary treatment of wastewater is the physical process of removing large solid wastes.
Secondary treatment of wastewater is the biological process of decomposition of organic contaminants
Tertiary treatment of wastewater is the chemical process of removal of harmful chemicals from wate.
On-site sewage disposal systems, such as septic tanks and compost pits, provide treatment and disposal
of sewage at the point of their origin,
Improper sanitation and drainage facilities cause water pollution and many water-borne diseases.
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