Unit 4

Sewage Disposal and Reuse

General
Sewage disposal
General
 After conveying the sewage through sewer, the next step is disposal.

 The sewage can be disposed off without treatment or after suitable treatment.

 Finally, the sewage is disposed off either in natural water courses or on land .
Sewage disposal
Methods of disposal

Natural methods Artificial methods

By dilution By land treatment Primary treatment Secondary treatment

Sewage disposal
Methods of disposal
By dilution
 Discharge of wastewater into water bodies.

 Possible when natural water source is available in sufficient quantity.

 Care should be taken for further contamination of the natural water bodies.
Sewage disposal
Methods of disposal
Dilution suitability
 When city is situated near sea, river or lake.

 When the sewage in non sceptic.

 Depth of water should be sufficient near the discharge point.

 Volume of receiving water should be large enough.

Sewage disposal
Standard for polluted water

Class Standard of polluted water Use of polluted water

A (i) Full removal of floating solids For fish life
(ii)MPN = 100.100 mL development recreation
(iii)DO = 50% of saturation value and shell fish culture
Sewage disposal
Standard for polluted water

Class Standard of polluted water Use of polluted water

B (i) Full removal of floating solids All other use except of
(ii)Min. 10% removal of SS class A
(iii)DO at saturation value
(iv)MPN = Nil
Sewage disposal
Self purification of streams

 Natural purification after the disposal of sewage.

 Suspended solids starts to deposit at the bed of the water source.

 Decomposition of the organic matter stabilized the BOD.

 Natural cycle of the inorganic compounds.

Sewage disposal
Zones of self purification

Degradation zone Clear water zone

Decomposition zone

Recovery zone
Sewage disposal
Factors affecting self purification
 Dilution: The sewage remains in aerobic condition
 Current: Directly dependent on current
 Sedimentation: Depends upon the size of particles
 Temperature: Microbial action depends on this
 Sunlight: Pathogens are killed in the presence of sunlight
 Redox reactions: Oxidation of organic matter and reduction of matters with the
highest reduction potential
Sewage disposal
Disposal of sewage in sea water
 Due to lower specific gravity of the sewage, it forms a thin layer
 Sludge banks are formed

 Generation of H2S

 Dissolved oxygen is reduced

Sewage disposal
Comparison of stream and sea during dilution
Sl. No Items Stream water Sea water

1 Specific gravity Low High

2 Solids in suspension Small More

3 Penetration of sun ray More penetration Less penetration

4 Dissolved oxygen More Less

5 Maximum sewage load Less No limit

6 Condition of sewage Aerobic Anaerobic

7 Availability Towns situated at the Towns situated at the

stream banks sea shores
Sewage disposal
Oxygen balance
 Initially there is depletion of DO (Deoxygenation)

 Subsequently there is absorption of oxygen from the atmosphere

Dissolved oxygen Critical point Oxygen sag curve

Reaeration curve

Deoxygenation curve

Time
Stream Reaeration
Stream Reaeration

 The rate of dissolving of oxygen from the atmosphere in the streams or river
depends on the saturation deficit

 It is given by the following formula,

  B i −kt
D c = 10
fs

Dc = Critical deficit
Bi = Influent BOD
fs = Self purification constant
k = Saturation rate
t = Temperature °C
Stream Reaeration
Problem
Find the critical deficit of a stream if the initial BOD is 200 mg/L, self purification
constant is 0.75, saturation rate is 0.1 at 25 °C.
Solution
  B i −kt
D c = 10 Bi = 200 mg/L fs = 0.75
fs
k = 0.1 t = 25 °C

  200 −0.1 ×25

Dc = 10 =0.84
0.75
Land treatment
Land treatment

 When the sewage is evenly spread over the land surface

Percolation

 The water will go down the ground and the organics will remain at the top
 Land treatment

Filtration Sewage farming or broad irrigation

Natural process of Use of sewage pollutants

sewage filtration as manure
Land treatment
Maximum quantity of sewage that can be applied

Sl. No Nature of soil Max sewage in m3/ha/day

Raw sewage Settled sewage
1 Loam soil 60 - 80 110 – 170
2 Clayey loam soil 40 - 50 55 – 110
3 Sandy loam soil 90 - 100 170 – 225
4 Sandy soil 120 - 150 225 – 280
5 Clayey soil 30 - 35 33 - 55
Land treatment
Advantages
 Disposal of sewage is done by natural treatment
 Natural water courses are prevented from pollution
 Cheap method
 Irrigation of land as an incentive
 Disposal is done without natural courses
Land treatment
Disadvantages
 Large area of land required
 Not effective in rainy season
 Special attention to be kept in mind if the land is used to grow crops
 Proper supervision is required
 Does not fit for clayey soil
Land treatment
Suitability
 When rainfall is very low
 When there is no presence of natural water sources nearby
 When pollution level is high
 When ground water table is much below
 When large sandy area is available
Land treatment
Irrigation water quality
Nature of soil Crops to be grown Permissible limit of EC
20 – 30% clayey Semitolerant 2000
Tolerant 4000
Deep black soils Semitolerant 1500
Tolerant 2000
Less than 10% clay Semitolerant 6000
Tolerant 8000
10 – 20% clay Semitolerant 4000
Tolerant 6000
Land treatment
Toxic effects of sewage
 Toxic effects on plants
 Can cause spread of diseases
 Can contaminate ground water
 Breeding of flies and mosquitoes
Broad irrigation
Broad irrigation
Definition
 The land acts as filter for sewage disposal
 Sewage is stabilized by aerobic action
 An under drainage system is laid below the ground level to collect effluent after
treatment
 Under drainage system usually consists of 15 cm diameter pipes laid at a
spacing of 10 to 30 m
Sewage farming
Sewage farming
Definition
 Sewage is used for growing crops

 Fertilizing elements in the sewage are consumed by roots of crops

 Nitrates, sulfates and phosphates are some of the fertilizing agents

Application of sewage
Application of sewage
 Surface irrigation

 Sub soil irrigation

 Flooding

 Ridge and furrow

 Spray irrigation

 Lagooning
Application of sewage
Surface irrigation
 Parallel drains are constructed
 All drains are connected to
distributary drains
 Suitable for sloppy areas

 Sewage is allowed to overflow

through the fields

 Absorption of sewage by the

fields
Application of sewage
Sub soil irrigation
 Porous pipes are laid about 30 cm

 Sewage is allowed to flow

through the pipes

 The pores in the pipes allow the

sewage to be absorbed by the sub
soil
Application of sewage
Flooding
 Irrigation area is divided into
various parts surrounded by dykes

 The sewage is filled like small

ponds in between the dykes

 The flood height varies from a few

centimeters to 50 cm
Application of sewage
Ridge and furrow
 Land is dug up to 30 cm

 Land is levelled and divided into

plots and sub plots

 Each plot is enclosed by small

dykes
 Ridges and furrows are formed in
each plot
Application of sewage
Spray irrigation

 Sewage is filled in tanks

 Sewage is sprayed over the fields

 Not used in India

Application of sewage
Lagooning

 Sewage is allowed to go into water

tight pond

 Detention period of two months is

provided

 Sewage is stabilized by anaerobic

action
Sewage sickness
Sewage sickness

 Clogging of soil

 Blockage of air from entering into soil pores

 Foul gas produced due to anaerobic degradation

Sewage sickness
Prevention

 By giving primary treatment to sewage

 Intermittent application of sewage to land

 By planting different crops

 By providing under drainage system

 By frequent ploughing and rotation of soil

 Choice of
method of disposal
Choice of method of disposal

 When the climate is dry

 When sandy soil is present

 When ground water level is much below

 When there is scarcity of natural water sources

 When the product of sewage forms have good market value

Impairment of
soil quality
Impairment of soil quality
 In most normal soils, Ca and Mg are principal cations
 These cations are replaced by Na due to the application of sewage
 This causes disintegration of soil particles
+¿
  Na
PSS=100× ¿
Total cation

  Percentage soluble sodium

Zero discharge concept
Necessity
 Reduction of wastewater discharge into surface water source

 Reduction of wastewater volume

 Subsequent reduction of discharge of pollutants to water bodies

 Create option for reuse of treated wastewater

National Webinar Seminar Slide No. 11

15 February 2021
The concept
 Recycling/Reuse of all industrial wastewater

Effluent
Treatment
unit

100% Recycling/Reuse is called “Zero Discharge”

Alternatively known as “Zero Liquid Discharge”

Motivational factors for ZLD

 Scarcity of water

 Economics of water

 Environmental regulations

CPCB, India
Benefits of ZLD
 Wastewater discharge is reduced by recycling

 Recovery of tangible chemicals/products

 Promotes sustainability of the environment

 Lesser use of water by industries. Hence, reduction in water supply cost