THE TREATMENT AND DISPOSAL OF

HUMAN WASTES
• The Problem
• Characteristics of excreta and sewage
• Bacteriology of sewage and stabilization
• Sewage disposal systems, collection,
treatment and disposal
Human Waste (Excreta)- refers
to the waste products of the
human digestive system and the
human metabolism, namely
feces and urine.
The Problems On Environmental Health:

 The collection of human wastes

 Safe disposal of human wastes
 Pollution in the rivers and other
bodies of water
 Disease transmission
Disease transmission is also affected by host
characteristics and behavior, including:

• Immunity
• Nutritional and Health Status
• Age
• Sex
• Personal Hygiene
• Food Hygiene
Infectious Diseases Transmitted:

 Cholera
 Typhoid
 Hepatitis
 Polio
 Cryptosporidiosis
 Ascariasis
 Schistosomiasis
CHARACTERISTICS OF
EXCRETA AND SEWAGE
EXCRETA

• It is the waste matter (such as feces

or urine) eliminated or separated
from the body.
• 83 grams – feces
• 970 grams – urine
SEWAGE

• Waste material that is carried

away from homes and
other buildings in system of pipes.
• 99% of water and a small portion of
solid
Characteristics:

• PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTIC

• CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTIC

• BIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTIC
Physical Characteristics
Fresh water Stale or Septic
(old sewage)
Temperature < 80 degree Celsius > 30 degree Celsius

Color Yellow to light brown Dark brown to black

Odor Musty odor Foul odor

Turbidity Less turbid High turbid

Chemical Characteristics
PH Describe the acid or base properties of water solutions

Dissolved oxygen The solubility of oxygen in fresh water

Oxygen demands The oxygen used by the bacteria and other wastewater
organism to feed upon the organic solid in wastewater
Nutrients Are life supporting nitrogen and phosphorus

Toxic Chemicals The discharges of which can be harmful to wastewater

treatment processes
Oxygen Demands
• BOD – the amount of oxygen required by
aerobic bacteria to decompose or stabilized the
organic matter.
• COD – the amount of oxygen required to
stabilized the organic matter chemically.
Biological characteristics
• Bacteria
a. aerobic bacteria
b. anaerobic bacteria
c. facultative bacteria
• Viruses
• Parasites
Bacteriology of Sewage and
Stabilization
Decompose
• To cause something to be slowly destroyed and broken
down by natural process or chemical process.
• Decomposition of organic matter derived
from excreta is a bacteriological process
which is carried by;

1.Aerobic Bacteria
2.Anaerobic Bacteria
3.Facultative Bacteria
• All the bacteria mentioned above have no relation
to disease.

• It occurs naturally in sewage and excreta and will

function when conditions are favorable in terms of
food supply, temperature and moisture and in the
absence of antiseptics or disinfectants.

• Decomposition proceeds until the organic matter

is changed into material that can no longer be
utilized by bacteria, then it is said to be stabilized.
Aerobic
• The aerobic bacteria function in the • Aerobic process is the process that
presence of free oxygen relies on microorganisms thrive under

• It is not accompanied by disagreeable aerobic conditions i.e where plentiful

odors, and practical stabilization is of oxygen is available and a sufficient

accomplished in time which cannot be amount of food is present

stated definitely but with which will e

within a matter of hours
Aerobic Digestion Process of Waste
• Aerobic digestion is a process in sewage treatment
designed to reduce the volume of sewage sludge and
make it suitable for subsequent use.
• Aerobic biological processes use natural microbial
colonies and molecular oxygen to decompose organic
substances in the wastewater.
Anaerobic
• The anaerobic bacteria function in the absence of free
oxygen
• Anaerobic decomposition or sometimes called
“putrefaction” is accompanied by unpleasant odors.
• It is slow and may require from several weeks to months
for practical stabilization.
• In wastewater treatment
plant, in a sealed tank,
microorganisms does not
need oxygen for living
respiration and their growth.
• The process is used for
industrial or domestic purposes
to manage waster or to
produce fuels.
• The processes mentioned above is
very necessary for the existence of
life on earth.
• Sewage treatment plants are
designed to employ under
controlled conditions of anaerobic
and aerobic process.
Other Bacteria found in Sewage
• Escherichia Coli or (E.coli) – which normally inhabits the
intestines of man and animals and is excreted with the feces
• Cloacae- which is found in soils and in the feces of man and
animals
• Aerobacter aerogens- which is normally found on plants
and grains in the soil and to a varying degree in the feces of
man and animals
Stream Pollution
• When sewage is discharged into a stream,
decomposition of it organic matters will start
unless the water temperature is below 40’F.
 SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEM,
COLLECTION AND TREATMENT
 Collection

 Transportation

 Storage or Treatment

 Reusing or Returning to the

 Collection of Sewage
A system of sewers collects sewage and takes it for treatment or disposal. The system of
sewers is called sewerage system.

1. Separate System

2. Combined System
 Transportation of Sewage

 When a main sewerage system has not been provided, sewage may be
collected from homes by pipes into septic tanks or cesspits, where it may
be treated or collected in vehicles and taken for treatment or disposal.
 Storage or Treatment of Sewage

 Primary

 Secondary

 Tertiary
Sewage Lagoon
Reusing or Returning