LIQUID WASTE MANAGEMENT

AIM: Is to equip the learner, with

knowledge, skills and attitudes that
will enable him/her to promote
health and prevent diseases through
planned intervention on liquid waste
 SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
1.Define terms used in liquid waste management
2.Outline the objectives of liquid waste management
3.Describe the composition and characteristics of liquid
waste
4.Explain the activities involved in sewage treatment
5.Describe the design, construction and operations of
liquid waste treatment plants
6.Carry out sampling and interpret the analyzed results
7.Identify and interpret water bodies standards and laws
regulating liquid waste management
 CONTENTS
UNIT 1;Definition of terms used in liquid waste management
• Liquid waste, Pollution, Pollutant, Nuisance, Sewage, Sewerage,
Sewer, Sullage water, Ecosystem, Soil water, Domestic sewage,
Industrial waste, Lagoon, Oxidation ponds, Storm water
UNIT 2;Objectives of liquid waste management
UNIT 3;Composition of liquid waste
UNIT 4;Charecteristics of liquid waste
UNIT 5;Activities involved in sewage treatment
UNIT 6;Priciples of liquid waste management
UNIT 7;Construction and operation of treatment plants
UNIT 8 ;Taking samples
UNIT 9;River standards and regulatory laws
REVER STANDARDS AND REGULATORY
LAWS
WHO STANDARDS
EUROPEAN STANDARDS
KENYA GOVERNMENT STANDARD:
• Environmental Management Coordination Act
of 1999
• EMCA Legislation
• Kenya Bureau of Standards
 DEFINITIONS
1.LIQUID WASTE-Means waste water resulting from all
domestic and industrial activities but without any excreta
2.SOIL WATER-Is excreta, urine plus wastes from water closet,
urinal or slope hopper
3.SULLAGE WATER-Is that part of waste water that contains
vegetable matter resulting from kitchen activities
4.ECOSYSTEM-Is the science of biological communities( living
things )and environment

5.STORM WATER-Is rain water running along the surface

6.SUB-SOIL WATER-Indicates the ground water which finds its
entry into sewers through licks
 DEF. CONT……
7.SEWAGE-Is used to indicate the liquid waste from
the community that is combination of domestic,
industrial wastes liquid wastes and storm water
7.COMBINED SEWAGE-Indicate a combination of
sanitary sewage and the storm water with or
without industrial wastes
9.DOMESTIC/SANITARY SEWAGE-Indicates sewage
mainly derived from residential or commercial
buildings, institutions and it may or may not
contain storm water
 DEF.CON….
10.CRUDE/RAW SEWAGE-Indicates sewage which is
not yet treated
11.DILLUTE/WEAK SEWAGE-Is sewage containing
less suspended solid matter
12.DRY WEATHER FLOW-Means the normal flow of
sewage during the dry season
13.FRESH SEWAGE-Means sewage recently
produced and discharged
14.INDUSTRIAL SEWAGE-Means sewage including
industrial wastes and water predominant
 DEF.CON…
15.SEPTIC SEWAGE-Indicates sewage which is still
undergoing the treatment process
16.WET WEATHER FLOW-Refer to the normal flow of
sewage during the rainy season
17.SEWERS-Refer to underground drains through which
sewage is conveyed from a point of production to a
point of storage, disposal or treatment
18.POLLUTION-Refer to presents of unwanted
contaminating substances in form of organic, inorganic
or liquid on land, water or atmosphere which has no
beneficial qualities
 DEF.CON…
19.SEWERAGING/SEWERAGE-Is the process of
collecting, treating and disposal of liquid waste
20.POLLUTANTS-Refer to any substance that
pollutes, in form of solid, liquid, or gaseous
21.NUISANCES OF SEWAGE-Refer to any
troublesome, annoying or disturbing
consequence resulting from sewage for example,
in form of smell, unsightliness, fly breeding,
vectors, vermin
 DEF CONT…..
22.FITTINGS-Are components necessary for connecting
pipes e.g traps, joints, bends, nuts
23.FITMENT-Are self contained receptacles for collecting
waste water like sink, water hand basin, water closets
24.SUB-MAIN SEWER-Refers to the sewer which collects
the discharges from different laterals and delivers it to
the main sewers
25.LATERAL SEWER-Is sewer that obtain its discharge
directly from building
26.MAIN SEWER-Is sewer that obtains its discharge from
a few sub-main sewer
 OBJECTIVES OF LIQUID WASTE
MANAGEMENT
Liquid waste management aims at:
1. Preventing water pollution
2. Prevention of land and air pollution
3. Reduction of nuisances-odours, unsightliness
4. Reduction of pathogens
5. Prevention of food pollution
6. Prevent destruction of ecosystem
7. Reduction of breeding places of insects like flies
and vermin
COMPOSITION OF DOMESTIC WASTE
Organic matter in form of feaces and other
animal and vegetable matter
Urine and feaces from urinals and water
closets
Detergents like soap, jik, antiseptic,
Waste water from bathrooms, sinks
 COMPOSITION OF INDUSTRIAL
WASTES
Organic matter especially from food
processing plants like bakeries, breweries,
canning, coffee process, sisal factories
Inorganic matter like metals, salts, ammonia
nitrates, phosphates, synthetic detergents
Radio active wastes
Waste water from washing activities (cooling
water)
 CHARACTERISTICS OF DOMESTIC
WASTE
 Physical, chemical and biological like:
 COLOUR
 ODOUR
 TURBIDITY
 PH
 BOD (BIOLOGIGAL OXYGEN DEMAND)
 COD (CARBO OXYGEN DEMAND)
 DO (DISSOLVED OXYGEN)
 TDS (TOTAL DISSOLVED SOLIDS)
 TSS (TOTAL SOLUBLE SOLIDS)
 CHARECTERISTICS OF INDUSTRIAL
WASTE
• PHYSICAL, CHEMICAL,AND BIOLOGICAL
• Color
• Turbidity
• Temperature changes
• Ph change
• BOD
• COD
• DO
• TSS
SUMMARY OF WASTE COMPOSITION
• Daily per capita out put of excreta is an
average of 80gms of feaces and 1000mililitres
of urine (normal adult)
• When discharged with water which it dilutes
with between 30-1000gallons per day the
solid content remains low and is expressed in
mg/l or parts per million
• An average sewerage contain 99.9% of water
and only0. 1% of solids
 Summary cont….
• The solids are composed of 70% organics and
30% inorganic matter
• The organic is in form of proteins 65%,
carbohydrates 25%,fats 10%
• The inorganic is divided into metals, salts,
grits, (inert parts)
 SUMMARY OF LIQUID WASTE
CHARECTERISTICS
• CHARECTERISTICS INFLUENT EFFLUENT
1. PH, Acid, alkalinity + +
2. Temperature + _
3. Soluble solids + _
4. BOD + +
5. COD, TOD + +
6. Organic nitrogen + +
7. Ammonia + +
8. Nitrates + +
9. Phosphate + +
10. Synthetic detergents + +
 NOTE
+ MEANS-Has Significance (is present)
_MEANS-Has no significance (is not
present/normal)
• The concentration percentage present in most of
the above determines the quality of the sewage
• Concentration of organic matter in the sewage is
determined by BOD, Biological Oxygen Demand
or Biochemical Demand to be used by bacteria
when oxidizing organic matter expressed in mg/l
 CONT…
• The BOD is determined by incubating a
sample of sewage for 5 days at 20degres
census and the value obtained after 5 days is
taken as conducive
• NEXT SLIDE shows BOD Loads for various
strengths of SEWAGE
 BOD LOADS
• STRENGTH BOD(mg/l)
Weak sewage 200 or less
Medium up to 350
Strong up to 500
Very strong sewage up to 750
 NOTE
• The daily per capita output of organic wastes
is 30-50 grams with BOD of about half this
being associated with feaces and urine and
half with sullage
 BACTIRIALOGICAL ACTIVITIES IN
SEWAGE(ECOSYSTEM&BACTIRIOLOGY)
• Micro organisms are important in liquid waste
control
• The stabilization of organic waste is largely
achieved by micro organisms
• Bacteria utilize organic material in a sewage as
food source that eventually the organic wastes
are oxidized to stable end products as carbon
dioxide and water
TYPES OF MOS IN BREEDING SEWAGE
The micro organisms utilized in breeding down
sewage are divided into:
1. PLANTS Like algae, fungi
2. ANIMALS
3.BACTERIA & VIRUS
 PLANTS
• Plants require soluble foods which may be
organic or in organic in nature
• Plants in sewage break down organics and
inorganic like nitrates & phosphates and utilize
them for food thus reducing the amount in a
given sewage
 FUNGI
• Is an indicator organism
• These are multi cellular plants and assist in
breaking down organic and in organic wastes
in sewage
ALGAE-Are photosynthetic plants. They utilize
carbon dioxide, ammonia and phosphate to
produce oxygen
 NOTE
• In the absence of sunlight, algae turn to using
oxygen thus competing for oxygen with aerobic
bacteria
• Algae and Bacteria growing in the same sewage
will not compete for food but operate in
SIMBIOTIC reaction
• Algae utilizes the end products produced by
bacteria when decomposing organic matter, in
turn produce oxygen which help maintain aerobic
condition
 NOTE CONT…..
• In the absence of organic matter, algae may be
maintained by minerals in the carbon dioxide
from carbonates thus reducing hardness and
the same time increasing the PH
• Algae are important in sewage in that they
positively affect the DO balance and also
because of their property of producing tastes
and odours
 PURPOSE OF TREATING SEWAGE
1. To prevent pollution of the receiving water with
either pathogenic, organic matter or toxic
substances, which may result to either:
• Disease outbreak like cholera, typhoid
• Color change and smells of the receiving water
bodies
• interfere with recreation facilities( water bodies
for recreation )
• Pollution of water
 PURPOSE OF TREAT…..
2.To reduce aesthetic nuisance or nuisance of
smell
3.To preserve aquatic life and ensure self-
purification of receiving water
4.For reuse purposes
5.To conform to national river board standards
WHY TREES SHOULD NOT BE PLANTED
AROUND SEWAGE TREATMENT WORK
• Trees will compete for oxygen from micro
organisms and carbon dioxide from plants
• Will cause obstruction of sunlight
• Will cause root displacement (damage)
• Will act as wind breakers and prevent aeration
in wind currents causing mixing up of sewage
• Will increase suspended solids in sewage by
falling leaves
 PROTOZOA(AMOEBA)
• Single celled, living mainly by eating bacteria
• One protozoa can consume many bacteria
because it is large and require energy
• Protozoa cannot synthesize all the essential
elements and growth factors, therefore they
must depend on bacterial group to provide
this items
 INDICATOR ORGANISMS IN SEWAGE
1.ROTIFERS-Are simple multi cellular animals
sensitive to changes in environment
• Dominate in stable (low bacterial load)
conditions with high dissolved oxygen
2.CRUSTACEANS-Are hard cellular, multi cellular
organisms, indicator in stable
sewage
3.WORMS &LARVAE-Are mainly found in the
bottom deposits of liquid wastes. Acts as
scavengers by metabolizing organisms not readily
broken by other micro organisms
 INDICATOR ORGANISM CONT…
4.VIRUSES-Presence is an indicator of possible sewage
pollution, due to their size ,they are difficult to remove
5.BACTERIA-Are single celled organisms/plants
• Are useful in breaking down organic matter in sewage.
They are sensitive to temp. changes and various
species have individual optimum growth temp.
• Bacteria are either:
I. AEROBIC-Use free oxygen
ii. ANAEROBIC-Strictly do not use oxygen
iii. FUCULTATIVE –Use free oxygen or oxygen from
compounds
 PRINCIPLES OF LIQUID WASTE
MANAGEMENT
1. Removal of sewage from the source and
transportation through sewer/drains
2. Destruction of pathogens in the sewage
3. Re-use of the treated sewage(effluent)like for
irrigation, duck farming
 ECOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES
• ECOSYSTEM-Is the science of biological communities( living things
)and environment
• TROPHIC RELATIONSHIP-Is nutritional interdependence of all
communities of living things. The biological communities are in
form of plants, animals and microbes which exist in a balanced
ecosystem. Some of these communities in sewage are:
1.AUTOTROPHIC-Are organisms capable of synthesizing their organic
requirements from inorganic sources. They can grow independently
of an external source of organic matter like plants(are termed as
producers)
2.NON AUTOTROPHIC-Are organisms which require external source of
organic matter(consumers).They are decomposers, break down
organic matter like saprophytes
 FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE
TREATMENT
1. Rainfall-introduction of carbonic acid
2. Sunlight-used for manufacture of food by
certain aquatic autotrophy like algae
3. Presents of other aquatic organisms
4. Vegetation like trees
5. Presents of other animals
6. Air change-assist in aeration
 FACTORS THAT DETERMINE
PRODUCTION OF SEWAGE
Seasonal variations
Time of the day
Classes of people(economic status)
Cultural practices
Activities(sports, domestic, industrial)
Type of plumbing systems(single or separate)
 ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS THAT
AFFECT TREATMENT OF SEWAGE
• TEMPERATURE
• LIGHT
• OXYGEN
• PH
• MOISTURE
• TOXIC SUBSTANCES
 1.TEMPERATURES
• Is important factor in sewage treatment because it
affects the growth of bacteria
• Different organisms have different temperatures for
optimal growth. Organisms used in sewage treatment
prefer temp. between( 20-45)degrees census (the
mesophiles).
• So low or higher temp than this would reduce their
number, resulting to poor breakdown of organic matter
• High temp expel the dissolved oxygen required by the
micro organisms to breakdown the organic matter
 2. LIGHT
• Is vital because algae and other plants utilize
the light for photosynthesis process hence
breaking down some organic matter utilizing
carbon dioxide in the sewage and sometimes
producing oxygen which is utilized by the
aerobic bacteria
 3. MOISTURE
• Most active growing micro organisms are
composed of 75-95% water. They also utilize
water for their metabolic activities and keep
their cells moist. If the moisture content is low
many micro organisms will die
 4. OXYGEN
• Is required by micro organisms to break down
organic matter(aerobic)
• Other forms of life for example fish and larvae
also require oxygen for their survival
• Oxygen is also required for the break down of
inorganic matter(COD)
• Algae need oxygen at night so as to carry out the
activities
• There is therefore need to have sufficient amount
of dissolved oxygen in the liquid wastes/sewage
 5.P.H
• Refer to the degree of alkalinity acidity of any
sewage or it also means the concentration of
hydrogen ions
• Note that different organisms prefer different PH,
therefore the survival of organisms depends on
the correct regulation of its alkalinity and acidity
• Sewage is usually alkaline unless mixed with
industrial sewage
• Acid conditions would also lead to corrosion of
pipes in the treatment plant
 6. TOXIC SUBSTANCES
• These originate from industrial wastes, they
usually inhibit the growth of micro organisms
involved in sewage treatment and even kill
them
• Sewage with toxic substances must be treated
before being discharged into ant public
treatment plants
 FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN
DESIGNING SEWAGE TREATMENT
PLANT
• Hygienic factors
• Nuisances factors
• Traditional factors
• The receiving water body
• Use of effluent
• Operation& maintenance cost of the plant
• Finance availability to start and continue the running
cost
• Type of waste to be treated, industrial, domestic or
combination
• Population to be served &yield to be produced
 1.HYGIENIC FACTOR
• The treatment method should be a type which
will eliminate all the pathogens resulting to an
effluent with a low BOD-Minimum 4mg/l
2.NUISANCE FACTOR-The design should aim to
eliminate smell nuisance. So any scum or leaves
should be removed immediately for aesthetic
reason
3.TRADITIONAL FACTOR-The method of sewage
collection, transportation, treatment and reuse
Should be assessed in advance to ensure that it is
acceptable to the community concerned
 4. THE RECEIVING WATER BODY
• Should avoid interference with aquatic lives,
social amenities and self purification
• If the water is used downstream, extra care
should be taken to ensure that the effluent is
of high quality
5.USE OF EFFULENT-Consider the use to be put
to avoid problems for example irrigation,
fishing farming,
 6.OPERATION AND MAINTAINANCE
• The training of personnel and the availability
of spare parts for repair are important factors
to consider if the system is to succeed
• Finance availability to start the plant and to
maintain running cost
 SITE SELECTION FOR SEWAGE
TREATMENT PLANT
 Gradient of the land to allow sewage to flow by
gravity instead of pumping
 Be at least 500m away from the nearest
habitation to avoid smell and fly breeding
 Type of soil-impervious & firm to avoid collapse
and eroding sides &bottom
 Be free from flooding to avoid contamination
 Enough space-project future
 Be on leeward side of any habitation. Vegetation
 SEWAGE TREATMENT METHODS
1. CONVECTIONAL SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT
2. OXIDATION PONDS
3. SEPTIC TANKS
4. DILUTION –Natural purification of water
bodies
 OPERATION OF CONVECTIONAL
TREATMENT PLANT
The raw sewage is discharged at the sewage works
through public sewers
1.SCREENING
 When sewage has reached the treatment plant the
speed is reduced to between 0.3m/s and 1m/s to allow
large objects like rags, maize cobs and pieces of wood
to be removed and inorganic matter like grit to be
deposited
 The large objects are removed by use of screen. The
screen bars are made of mild steel and put at an
inclination of 60 degrees across the flow of the sewage
 SCREENING CONT….
The sizes of the screen bars are 10mm & 50mm
and they are placed at intervals of 20mm-40mm
Screening is normally done mechanically in big
plants. Where mechanical raking is done, manual
raking is also provided for use incase mechanical
raking breaks down
Mechanical raking is done at interval of 10-
30min.manual raking is normally twice in a day.
After the sewage has been screed, it enters grit
chambers
 2.COMMUNATION
 This is a process of cutting up the solids in sewage as
they pass through the comminatory
 A comminatory is a self cleansing and shredding
machine; consisting of a hollow cast iron drum which is
rotated by an electric motor
 In the drum are screen bars with 6mm-8mm spaces.
The cutting teeth are fixed on the screen bars
 During the operation, the teeth cut the solids which
pass through the comminatory into small pieces
 Comminatory are important because they avoid
handling and disposal of screenings
 3.GRIT CHAMBER
 Grit chambers are long rectangular open chambers or tanks
designed to remove grit from the sewage, sometimes called
detritus
 It is the heavy inorganic matter composed of sand, piece of
glass, road grit, small stones, piece of metals, egg shells,
ashes and others (biodegradables)
 Grit has a higher relative density of 2.5,therefore settles to
the bottom at a higher rate than organic solids
 Grit chambers are designed in such a way as to allow a
consistent flow of sewage through them. The retention
period should be adequate to allow grit to settle quickly to
the bottom
 Settled grit is removed from chambers for disposal
 4.METERING OF SEWAGE
 Metering of sewage is done immediately after screening or
after grit has been removed. This is done by an automatic
meter continuously so as to know the volume admitted into
the treatment plant
 This will enable the operator to have proper control of the
whole treatment process. When the volume is large two
parallel lines is used instead of one line
 Continuous recording of the volume will give a clear picture
of when (time and days) to expect high or low volume
 Also recording assist planners to project volume to be
expected in future
 Knowledge of the projected volume enable planers design
the plan for expansion purpose
 5.SEDIMENTATION
 Is a process of precipitating the suspended solids
in the sewage so that they settle at the bottom of
the sedimentation tanks at a very slow velocity
 The suspended solids settle to the bottom on
their own in the form of sludge and the lighter
materials rise to the top to form scum
 Beneath the scum, anaerobic bacteria multiply
and convert the remaining solids into sludge
(liquid gas) which is over 90% water
 It should be removed regularly to avoid
decomposition in the sedimentation tank
PRIMARY FUNCTIONS OF
SEDIMENTATION TANKS
Reasons for regular
removal of sludge:

To allow for precipitation of

suspended solids and removal of
sludge

To balance out variations in the

flow and the strength of sewage
 SEDIMENTATION TANKS
 Sedimentation tanks are either rectangular or circular.
In both designs the bottom of the tank is conical wall
 The sludge is then removed by opening the valve to an
outlet at the bottom of the well. The sludge is pushed
through this outlet by the pressure in the sewage In
the tank
 The effluent from the top of the sedimentation tank
passes over weirs into a channel which leads to the
filters (tank effluent)
 in order to maintain a uniform velocity in the
sedimentation tanks, weirs must be absolutely level
 DRAW DIAGRAM OF A SEDIMENTATION TANK
 6.BIOLOGICAL
FILTRATION(BIOFILTERS)
Filters are used in biological filtration of the
effluent from sedimentation tanks. The effluent
contains some organic matter which cannot settle
and therefore treated in the bio filter
The filters are circular in shape and are filled with
uniformly graded gravel of 50mm pieces which
rest on drainage tiles. The depth varies from
1.5m-3.0m depending on the quality of the
effluent required at the outlet. Most filters are2m
deep
 BIOLOGICAL PROCESSES
There are two biological processes most widely used for
sewage purification:
 BIOLOGICAL FILTRATION
 ACTIVATED SLUDGE PROCESS
Biological filter consist of a pile of rocks, stones, slate,
flint, or similar material to act as medium over which
polluted liquid is allowed to trickle
Air passes up through the medium as the waste trickles
down. Organisms establish themselves in the filter. Its
population varies according to chemical composition
of sewage passing through it, temp and climate(DRAW)
 DISTRIBUTION IN THE BIOFILTERS
• Distributors of radial arms are circular pipes
with holes at intervals. They are used to
sprinkle settled sewage at the surface of the
medium. They consist of a central rotating
pillar through which settled sewage rises up to
the spurge pipes to rotate
• Spurge pipes have holes on the bottom side.
Pressure of the effluent makes the spurge
pipes to rotate
 SECONDARY CLARIFIERS
• Once the effluent leaves the bio filters, it goes
to the secondary clarifiers (tank) from which it
is finally deposed off into the river
• But if suspected not to have attained the
required BOD (4mg/lit) can be re-circulated
and admitted between sedimentation tanks
and bio filters
 DISPOSAL OF EFFLUENT
• The purified sewage effluent may be disposed off
by sub-surface irrigation or by discharging into a
stream
• The stream should be capable to provide a
dilution ratio(rate) of10:1 and never less than
4:1.where the effluent is to be reused as portable
water, further treatment is necessary
• This is done by the use of sand filters to remove
the ova of parasites and reduce bacterial load
• Filtered water is chlorinated and used
OXIDATION/STABILIZATION PONDS
 It is a small scale treatment plant
 It is important to consider the following points
when designing oxidation ponds because they
affect the size and layout of the pond system
1. The volume of sewage to be treated
2. The strength of the sewage to be treated (BOD)
3. The desired quality of the final effluent
4. The climatic condition
 FACTORS USED TO MEASURE THE
QUALITY OF EFFLUENT
• BOD-Used to measure organic matter content
(determine the measure of organic matter)
• SUSPENDED SOLIDS(SS)-Used to measure the
amount of suspended solid material in the
effluent
• BACTERIAL LOAD-Expressed as the number of
feacal coli form bacteria (F.C.B) per 100mls of
the effluent
 SITTING OF OXIDATION
PONDS(LAGOONS)
1. Should be sited at more than 15m away from any well to
avoid water contamination through seepage
2. Should be at a distance of at least 30m away from big
trees to have smooth flow across ponds ,assist in mixing,
to avoid shade, avoid fading of leaves into the ponds and
avoid underground roots from breaking the pavement
construction
3. Ponds be located 200m away from residential area and at
least 500m from large residential areas
4. Be fenced all round and be provided with lockable gate to
prevent access by people esp. children and animals
5. Area not flooded, hilly or water table near surface
6. Low gradient area for easy flow by gravity
 PRELIMINARY TREATMENT OF
SEWAGE
• Before discharging into the treatment ponds,
sewage is subjected to some preliminary
treatment to remove large objects such as rags,
maize cobs, piece of wood, stones and plastic
materials which would hinder the anaerobic
process
• These materials, if present would also reduce the
capacity of the ponds
• Screening can be done mechanically or manually.
screeds are buried or burnt. Grit is also removed
in a grit chamber
 TYPES OF SEWAGE STABILIZATION
PONDS
There are three types of ponds used for
sewage treatment especially in tropical
countries like East Africa
1.Anaerobic ponds (primary digestion ponds)
2.Fucultative ponds (secondary treatment
ponds)
3.Aerobic(maturation) ponds (tertiary ponds)
 ANAEROBIC PONDS
 The ponds are used for the settling down and breaking up of
organic matter in the sewage. solids settle down at the bottom of
the pond as sludge where they are acted upon by anaerobic
bacteria into water and gases
 BOD level is high, anaerobic treatment is affected by anaerobic
bacteria
 The solid products pass to the next pond for further treatment
 Anaerobic ponds are designed to receive BOD loading of between
100-400g/cubic meters per day
 They are upto 4m deep
 The actual loading depends on climatic condition
 Retention period will be 1-2 days
 BOD loading will be up to 80%
 Effluent goes to facultative pond
 FACULTATIVE
 These ponds are used for the removal of BOD and
pathogenic organisms
 In the pond the suspended organic matter is digested by
facultative bacteria
 Organic matter is removed by sedimentation while aerobic
bacteria digest sewage in the upper layer and the anaerobic
bacteria digest the sewage in the lower layer
 Algae growing in upper layer produce oxygen during
photosynthesis.
 The oxygen in turn used by aerobic bacteria to digest the
effluent while algae utilize carbon-dioxide during
photosynthesis in the presence of sunlight(symbiosis
process)
 FACULTATIVE PONDS DESIGNS
• Facultative ponds are usually designed to be 1.5-2.5m deep
to allow light to reach the bottom of the pond. when these
are deeper than 2.5m anaerobic condition prevail
• On the other hand when ponds are shallower than 1.0m,
there will be a problem of plants growing in the ponds.
• The retention period of sewage in these ponds varies from
5-30 days depending on the weather conditions
• Disludging is usually done after 10-15 years, since the
biological process depends on temp without any problem
• Wind play the role of mixing the sewage in the ponds,
ponds should be exposed to wind
• The height of the embankments round the ponds to be
more than 0.5m above normal effluent level
AEROBIC OR MATURATION PONDS
• Maturation ponds are used to further treat the effluent
after it comes from facultative ponds or any other kind
of maturation ponds
• Aerobic ponds receive only treated effluent and are
aerobic in nature for their whole depth
• Aerobic ponds are used mainly for the removal of
pathogens. Pathogenic organisms die out with time
and therefore they are gradually eliminated as the
effluent passes slowly through the maturation ponds
• The number of maturation ponds required will depend
on the quality of the final effluent
 DESIGN
• Their depth is 1.0-1.5m,with retention period of
between5-7 days/pond. More than one pond in
series would even purify the effluent further
• The effluent coming from the maturation pond
has low concentration of disease causing micro
organisms and can therefore be used for fish
farming or duck rearing for human consumption
• Embankment should be simple and cheap to
construct. If the soil is loose ,should be
constructed with impervious clay or a lining of a
damp proof material
 DESIGN CONT….
 From the effluent level, the embankment should be protected from
soil erosion for a distance of 2m width precast concrete slab(P.C.S)
 The outlets should discharge some meters away from the edge of
the pond to avoid sludge accumulation at the edge point
 Inlets and outlets should be sited where they keep the effluent
from passing directly across the ponds
 They are located diagonally opposite corners as shown in the
diagram
 The anaerobic pond measures 100m long by 70m wide and 2-4m
deep
 A facultative pond measures 70m long by 50m wide and 1.5-2.5m
deep
 ADVANTAGES OF OXIDATION PONDS
When working properly ,it has the following advantages:
I. They are effective in treating sewages to the required
degree of purification
II. Are simple to construct, reliable, easy and cheap to
maintain
III. The removal of pathogenic organism is higher than in
convectional treatment plant
IV. They are able to withstand sudden increase of both
organic matter and hydraulic load
V. They can be used treat effectively a wide range of
industrial and agriculture waste
 ADVANTAGES CONT….
Vi) land where they are constructed can be
reclaimed in future for other purposes
Vii) Fish and duck farming is done in the maturation
ponds
Viii) Effluent from oxidation pond is used for
irrigation
DISADVANTAGES
I. Require large area of land than any other type
of treatment
II. They are nuisance of odour and mosquito
 MAINTENANCE OF OXIDATION
• Keep the pond surface clean from floating
materials
• The screenings should be burnt to avoid
nuisance of odour
• The two(2) meter embankment to be kept
clean by cutting grass and weeds
• Periodic disludging of the facultative and
aerobic ponds
 SEPTIC TANKS
 These are rectangular chambers sited just below the
ground level and are water tight
 They receive both excreta and flush water from flush toilets
and other wastes from household waste water receptacles
 The mean hydraulic retention time in the tank is usually 1-3
days
 Hydraulic retention time means time taken by the waste
water received to stay in the septic tank
 The bio degradable material in the sewage is said to be
0.04kg/day
 During this retention time, the solids settle at the bottom
and they are digested anaerobically
 SEPTIC TANK CONT…
 A thick layer of scum is formed at the surface of the septic tank
 Although the digestion is reasonably effective, some sludge
accumulates at the bottom and the tank must be disludged at
regular intervals between 10-15 yrs
 The effluent from the septic tank from the health point of view, is as
dangerous as raw sewage
 It should therefore not be discharge into surface drains or water
sources without further treatment
 It is ordinarily discharged into soakage pits and leaching fields to
allow seepage
 Where there are leaching fields one can provide moulds (a closed
channel put underground to convey raw sewage to treatment works
 SEPTIC TANK CONT…
 Although the septic tanks are used to treat sewage from individual
households, they can be used as a facility for a population of 300 persons
 A two compartment sewage treatment is preferred than the single
compartment because the ss is low
 The first compartment is usually twice the size of the 2nd compartment in
a septic tank
 The liquid depth is 1m-2m, 2/3 of the tank is reserved for storage of
accumulated sludge and scum
 The liquid retention time (1-3 days) should be at least 24hrs in order to
provide sufficiently ample time for effective sedimentation of the sewage
solids
 The size of the septic tank should be based on 3days retention time of
start up
 This ensures that there is at least 1day retention time prior to each
disludging operation
 RECOMMENDED TREATMENT AND
DISPOSAL
ITEM SEPTIC TANKS SOAKAGE PITS
Buildings 1.5m 3M
Property boundaries 1.5m 1.5m
wells 10m 10m
streams 7.5m 30m
Cuts and embankments 7.5m 30m
Water pipes 3.0m 3.0m
Large trees 3.0m 3.0m
 SLUDGE TREATMENT AND DISPOSAL
Sludge may be treated or disposed off through
any of the following:
I. Digesting
II. Aerated sludge process
III. Drying process
IV. Burying
V. Discharge into existing sewage works
VI. Recycle to fertilizer
 EFFLUENT DISPOSAL FROM SEPTIC
TANK
• Sub-surface disposal into soak away pits or irrigation in drain field
trenches is the most common method of disposal
• The soil must be permeable i.e must have sufficient percolative
capacity
• To establish this, a soil percolation test is carried out :
i)Drill three 150mm diameter test holes of 0.5-5m deep across the
proposed drain fields
ii)Fill them with water and leave them overnight so that soil becomes
saturated
iii)On the following day fill them to a depth of 300mm
iv)Measure the water level after 30min and 90min
v)The soil is considered to have sufficient percolating capacity if the
level in each hole has dropped 15mm after 1hr
 OPERATION AND STARTING OF A
SEPTIC TANK
1. Test for tightness by filling the tank with
water and allowing water to stand for one
day
2. After testing, the tank should be left full of
water
3. Digestion is helped by throwing well digested
material for example from an old septic tank.
This is referred as seeding that is
introduction of healthy active
MAINTAINANCE OF A SEPTIC TANK
1. The septic tank should not be emptied
completely. Some old sludge should always
be left at the bottom to ensure the digestion
continues
2. Should be provided with a vent to get rid of
gases like methane, hydrogen sulphide and
other dangerous gases
3. The tank should be filled with water again
 DISADVANTAGES
1. High capital cost in the tank construction
2. Large area of land needed: land with permeable soils
only
3. Not practical in highly populated areas like urban due
to space (unavailability)
4. Needs high degree of the users attention
5. Nature of soil may not accept the sewage effluent;
leading to spillage; nuisance due to high water table
and shallow soils being uncertain
6. In such the following may be used to improve the
system: use mounds or evaporation
 BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL SAMPLES

• Sampling of waste water is necessary to determine

the nature of the waste and it is done before
treatment(influent) in the process of treatment and
after treatment(effluent)
• Waste water is not constant in character from place
to place and from time to time why?
• As sewage passes through the collection system
some of the organic matter and other light wastes
tend to float at the surface and may be deposited on
the sides of the drain pipe
 Cont..
• This means sampling of flow which is likely to be
stratified require that the sample be taken across
the depth of the pipe if representative sample is
to be obtained
• Also analyzing a flow which is variable from time
to time requires that a number of samples be
taken from time to time in order to define the
actual concentration
• The characteristics of sewage and its constituents
vary from one place to another, depending on its
source
CHEMICAL SAMPLE CHARECTERISTICS
WHAT YOU CHECK
1. NITROGEN-Is found in both organic and inorganic
constituents. In untreated waste water it is found in
form of ammonia or as a constituent of nitrogen
2. PHOSHOROUS- is primarily present in waste water in
form of phosphates which is a salt of phosphoric acid
3. ALKALINITY-The alkalinity of water is important
because it helps in neutralizing the acids produced by
bacterial action in an anaerobic or nitrifying systems
 NOTE
• As sewages ages its PH tends to drop because of the
production of organic acids by bacterial metabolism
• When the wastes is treated(stabilized) this acids are
oxidized to carbon dioxide and water and PH fall
• The total quantity of organic materials in sewage is
measured by determining the quantity of some oxidizing
agents which is required to convert to water, carbon
dioxide and other end products
• Three techniques are used to achieve this:
1. Biological Oxygen Demand(BOD)
2. Chemical Oxygen Demand(COD)
3. Total Organic Carbon(TOC)
 BIOLOGICAL OXYGEN DEMAND(BOD)
• When bacteria comes in contact with organic matter,
they break them down into simpler matter and utilizes
them as food with production of water and carbon
dioxide
• For them to break organic matter, they need a certain
amount of oxygen as energy
• The amount of oxygen used in this process is called
Biological Oxygen Demand and is considered to be a
measure of organic content of that waste
• It also represents to some extend the amount of
oxygen which would be required to stabilize the waste
in a natural environment like stream or lake
CHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND(COD)
• The test involves an acid oxidation of the waste
by potassium dichromate
• A measured volume of standard dichromate is
added to the measured volume of the waste the
sample is acidified with concentrated sulphuric
acid and the mixture boiled while connected to a
reflex, then cooled and measured
• The sample is taken from a discharge of a pump
or by manually dipping a container into the flow
or by siphoning from the stream
 TOTAL ORGANIC CARBON(TOC)
• Tests acidification of the sample to convert all
the organic carbon to carbon dioxide
• The sample is then injected into a furnace,
where its oxidation in the presence of a
catalyst, the oxygen produced is measured
and converted instrumentally in the original
organic carbon content
• The test is rapid, accurate and correlates
moderately well with BOD
 SAMPLING PROCEDURE
• There is difficulty in obtaining a representative
of the variable material in waste water
• However there are three methods used in
sampling sewage:
1. Grab sampling
2. Composite sampling
3. Continuous sampling
 1.GRAB SAMPLING METHOD
• Is simply a portion of a flow taken in such a
manner that will encourage true
representative of the flow at the time of
taking it
• Taken normally from the discharge, a pump or
by manually dipping a container into the flow
siphoning from the stream
 2.COMPOSITE SAMPLE
• Is a sample taken from a mixture of many grab
samples which have been taken over a period
of time
• They are most useful for analysis of average
characteristics such as daily waste loads
 3.CONTINOUS SAMPLE
• This involves extraction of samples from the main flow at
constant intervals /rates.
• A small fraction of sewage is diverted into a sampling tool
continuously and analysis of each individual sample is done
and the results compared
• Normally this representative samples must sample the
entire cross section of the flow
• This is because sewages contains multiple phase stratified
phases which tend to be different from the surface or the
bottom
• If samples are to be preserved for latter analysis, they
should be kept at 4 degrees cc. Freezing alter the
characters of solids so avoid it.
 ANALYSING SEWAGE SAMPLES AND
INTERPRETATION OF RESULTS
• It is important that the amount of organic matter present in
sewage be known so that the quantity of oxygen required
for its stability be determined
• Together with oxidation of organic matter more oxygen is
required during nitrifying bacteria
• The amount of oxygen required to completely stabilize a
waste will be calculated on the basis of the complete
chemical analysis of the sample
• Therefore the COD determined by using potassium
permanganate or potassium dichromate gives the Ultimate
Oxygen Demand(UOD) combined with BOD and extra,
oxygen required for oxidizing of non-organic matter
 CONT….
• The quality of oxygen required to oxidize a
pollutant is measured in the test known as the
biological(biochemical oxygen demand)
• A period of 5days should not be more than 4-
5mg/lit
• In no circumstances should the BOD value of
the effluent be such that the BOD of the
receiving water will be increased to more than
5mg/lit
 NOTE
• For one to arrive at a fairly certain assessment
(analysis) it is desirable to know the following:
1. The dissolved oxygen concentration in the
receiving water body
2. The BOD of the polluting discharge the(effluent)
3. The DOD of the receiving water
4. The daily quality of the discharge
5. Duration of the discharge and its variation
during each period of a day and a week
 AMMONIA NITROGEN
• This exists as nitrogen dissolved in water. It may also have
free ammonia existing as nitrogen
• These are the decomposition of protentous matter
• This form of nitrogen as far as organic organisms are
concerned, is readily assimilated by the organisms
• Raw sewage may contain 10-30mg/lit of ammonia nitrogen
• Some industrial wastes have very high ammonia nitrogen
• Farm wastes may contain up to 100mg/lit ammonia
nitrogen but low carbon content
• Always 1gm of ammonia nitrogen will require 4.57mg/lit of
oxygen
 NITROGEN
• This is the main component of ammonia
• ORGANIC NITROGEN- Is mainly protein and
urea
• Proteins are extremely complex and are
composed of amino-acids, where urea is
present in urine and feaces with 46% nitrogen
• Raw sewage contain 20-50mg/lit of organic
nitrogen
 USE OF ORGANIC NITROGEN RESULTS
1. comparison of wastes
2. Estimate the available Nitrogen
3. When treating waste water, both aerobic and anaerobic require
Nitrogen for their nutrients
Therefore nitrogen is important for synthesis
For aerobic process, the ratio is
BOD N P
100mg/lit 5gm 1gm 100:5:1
But for anaerobic process, the ratio will be
BOD N P
150 5 1 150:5:1
NB only 50% organic nitrogen is available for synthesis
1mg/lit of nitrogen will require 4.57mg/lit of oxygen to break it
 INTERPRETATION OF EFFLUENT
ANALYSIS REPORT
1. COLOUR-No appreciable colour when viewed in a column
of 75mm in depth
2.ODOUR-No offensive odour after storage for 30 days at 100
degrees F(37.8degres cc)
3.NITROGEN-Normally indicated as nitrates and nitrites which
are produced in the process of bacteria, purification of
sewage and are further broken down into nitrogen gas. A
high nitrogen content in an effluent indicate purification
4.AMMONIA-A low ammonia figure is indicate of effective
purification
5.OXYGEN ABSORBED-The smaller the amount of oxygen
absorbed in oxidizing the organic matter and other
impurities in an effluent ,the more purified is the effluent
 Setting the WQ standards
Requirements when setting WQ standards include:
• Water quality criterion (water quality guideline) –
Needed to support and maintain a designated water
use. who sets the guidelines in Kenya?

• Water Quality Objective ( water quality goal)- Needed

to support and to protect the designated uses of water
at a specific site.

• Water quality standard – An objective that is

recognised in enforceable environmental control laws
or regulations of a government
 Water quality objectives
• Water quality objectives are the measures that
specify the concentrations of substances
permissible for all intended water uses at a
specific location on a lake, river, or estuary.
• The objectives are based on the water quality
guidelines for the uses at that location, as well as
on public input and socio-economic
considerations.
• The objectives not only protect water users and
the environment, but they also promote
sustainable water management strategies
 Cont..
• Water quality objectives are the measures that
specify the concentrations of substances
permissible for all intended water uses at a
specific location on a lake, river, or estuary.
• The objectives are based on the water quality
guidelines for the uses at that location, as well as
on public input and socio-economic
considerations.
• The objectives not only protect water users and
the environment, but they also promote
sustainable water management strategies
 Advantages of Water Quality
Objectives
• Focuses on solving problems caused by conflicts
between the various demands placed on water
resources, particularly related to assimilated
pollution.
• Enables an overall limit on levels of contaminants
within a water body to be set according to the
required uses of the water.
• It treats industry equitably requiring the use of
best available technology for treating hazardous,
as well as a number of conventional water
pollutants whenever the industry is located
 Primary drinking water standards
criteria
• Microorganisms - Giardia lamblia; Virus;
Legionella;Turbidity
• Disinfection By products- bromate, chlorite,
trihomethanes; haloacetic acids
• Disinfectants- chloramines, chlorine and chlorine
dioxides
• Inorganic Chemicals – Arsenic, barium, fluoride,
copper, lead,
• Organic Chemicals – Benzine; Carbon
tetrachloride; Dichloromethane
• Radionuclides – Uranium; Alpha particles; Beta
particles and photon emitters
Secondary - Drinking water standards
(EPA)
contaminants Secondary standard
Aluminum 0.5mg/l
Chloride 250mg/l
Color 15colour units
Copper 1.0mg/l
Corrosives Non corrosive
Fluoride 2.0mg/l
Iron 0.3mg/l
Manganese 0.05mg/l
Odor 3 threshold odor number
Ph 6.5-8.5
Silver 0.1mg/l
Sulfate 250mg/l
Total solids 500mg/l
Zinc 5mg/l
 Irrigation water quality – salinity and
sodium hazards
• The total concentration of soluble salts (TDS or
EC)
• The relative proportion of sodium to the other
cations,
• The bicarbonate concentration as related to the
concentration of calcium and magnesium, and
• The concentrations of specific elements and
compounds.
• Sodium Adsorption Ratio is given
• SAR = [sodium]/[calcium][magnesium]
 Others standards
• Domestic Wastewater effluent standards- pH,
mercury, cyanide, turbidity, DO level
• Industrial water standards – Varies with type
of goods being manufactured
• Industrial waster water effluent – Heavy
metals
• Bathing water – swimming pools etc
• Nb: Standards can be national (WRMA),
regional (EAC) or international (WHO, EPA)