KALMUNAI MUNICIPAL COUNCIL

The WASSER-Project:
Water and Sanitation for Settlements in Eastern Sri Lanka
- An Asia Pro Eco IIB Project -

TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY STUDY

STUDY OF THE
SANITATION CONDITION IMPROVEMENT AT
SAINTHAMARUTHU COASTAL LAGOON AREA
AREA

Prepared By:

ENG.A.J.A.H.JOWSI

PROJECT MANAGER
(Municipal Engineer)
CONTENTS

1.0 Introduction
1.1 Project Background
1.2 Objective of the Project
1.3 Project area and Beneficiaries

2.0 Evaluation of existing sanitation condition

1.1 Conventional pit system
1.2 Ground water pollution
1.3 Fecal sludge management

2.0 Details of the Proposed Design

2.1 Overview of the system design
2.2 Improvement of house hold septic system
2.3 Sewage Treatment plant.
2.4 Proposed work plan
2.5 Estimates

Annexes

Annex-1, Bill of Quantities

Annex-2,Technical literature of the treatment plant.
Annex-3,Drawings
1.0Introduction-

1.1 Project Background

Kalmunai has been irregularly populated as it lies at a stretch of land which bordered by
the Sea and Marshy land.

The above picture shows the southern are of Kalmunai is almost occupied by the
buildings.

Even though there exists a water supply network in the Kalmunai municipality, still
more than 50% of the people use shallow wells to drink water. So the ground water
contamination has to be immediately addressed.

There are two main natural resources to be conserved.

1. Ground water
2. Surface water

Ground water is mainly polluted by the open dumping by the Cess pits. To introduce
at least the septic tank system Kalmunai has to have a treatment facility for the gully
sucker loads.
 WASSER is undoubtedly a timely assistance to Kalmunai because it comes at the
critical point of water pollution.

Another project funded by EU, is EU/Ampara partnership which has a project

Environmental remediation Program (ERP).The ERP has mainly Solid Waste
Management. Under this open water bodies which are dumped by the garbage are
cleaned.

Capacity of the Municipal technical staff also at the time of post tsunami intervention was
poor. So the WASSER was expected to build the staff capacities.

1.2 Objectives of the project

-reduce the fecal contamination of ground water in the selected project area

-improve the well functioning of the onsite septic tank /single pit systems during rainy
seasons by gully sucking and treating sludge at the treatment plant.

-Increase the awareness of the local authority staff, councilors CBOs and the project area
of concern.

1.3. Project area and Beneficiaries

Based on water pollution and population density Grama Niladhari Divisions of

7,8,9,11&14,17 of Sainthamaruthu Divisinal Seceretary Division.

Most of the coastal lagoon area community are poor and middle class who were badly
affected by Tsunami. There are small self-help groups set up by aid agencies such as
CDC (Community Development Council) organized by UN-Habitat under its post
Tsunami home owner driven housing schemes
2.0 Evaluation of existing sanitation condition

2.1 Conventional pit system

A.Ground water connection and pollution

This toilet has the direct connection to ground water at the bottom. So the
seasonal changes in the ground water level affects the function of this toilet.

Case-1, During the dry season

Ground water table goes under the bottom of the soakage pit. This is the season the
pollution to ground water is less and the toilet function with out any problem.
From feb/March- September/October.

Case-2,During the rainy season

If the high ground water level is greater than the invert pipe outlet at pit. The entire
system malfunctions and due to back flow of water bad smell emitted at squatting
fan. This situation is even worse for the toilet pits which were built under the house
as it is difficult to gully suck.

B) Structural failure of brick wall of aged toilet pits ,reduction of volume and odor
problems.

Due to the pressure of ground water and soil and penetration of roots of trees and
plants brick wall get cracked.

Due to the surcharge load on the soil above and cyclic movement of ground water
these cracks open up and sand seep through and accumulated at the bottom of pit..
This results the reduction of volume of the pit.

When the toilet get aged (>8-10 years) and due to the non availability of sewage
treatment plant sludge accumulates at the bottom and the pit is functioning with 70-
60 % of its effective volume.

At the occurrence of flooding this aged pits are malfunctioning due back flow of
waste water. In addition to that malodorous gases leak through the cracks and make
unpleasant environment .
2.2 Ground water pollution

Around 10000 toilets at Sainthamaruthu area and another projected 1000-2000 in

near future all together 12000 toilets continuous to discharge fecal coli forms. At the
end it will contaminate ground water.

So the Kalmunai Municipal Council should envision a 5-10 years environmental

remediation program to conserve its ground water resource.

Picture below shows the ground water testing done by M.Nawas, Lecturer The South
East University Srilanka, It is noted that due to the coast lagoon functioning as the
source of ground water recharge; more pollution of fecal contamination observed at
the surrounding of lagoon

A (Groundwater quality) case study at Sainthamaruthu

26 wells were monitored for around one year (2004/2005 AD)

1. Top left corner (diagonal) – Nitrate contamination was noted high
Only 4 wells, above recommended value (maximum up around 72 mg L-1, NO3-)
2. Right corner (pink – crescent shape) – Salinity (in terms of Electrical Conductivity)
was noted high during dry season
Water samples from 9 – 10 wells, showed higher EC Values than 2000 micro
Siemens/cm (maximum, up to 3,600 micro Siemens/cm)
3. Bottom, middle (blue, oval) – E. coli was noted high.
Highest value: - 260 CFU Lowest value: - 10 CFU
2.3 Sludge management.

At present Kalmunai Municipal Council is dumping the sewage collected at Tsunami IDP
camps ,commercial entities and houses at a deserted land. Need of proper sewage
disposal has been greatly realized after the Tsunami disaster.IDP camps were constructed
with common toilets and septic tanks. These septic tanks filled very quickly and gully
sucked with the help of NGOs. In 2007 two gully suckers were donated by NGOs and
Municipal council is utilizing it.

Another factor is also important as the dumping ground is about 20KM away from KMC,
the service charge levied from the houses is comparatively high(.Rs.2000/- for Samurdi
receipients and 3000 for others. Normal range is 500-1000). If a treatment facility
constructed in the vicinity of Municipality the service charge can be reduced and house
hold coverage can be increased.

In some areas ,the width of the street is very narrow, A mini-tractor arrangement will be a
good solution for these areas
3.0 Details of the Proposed Design

3.1 Overview of the system design

The pre-feasibility report suggested about various options with the view of
reducing the pollution by waste water disposal. Municipal council has decided to
go for consultancy to find an appropriate solution.

The consultant advised for onsite improvement by augmenting bio-cell ( plastic

septic tank cum bio media) to existing system and a mechanized sludge
treatment facility called “Zero sludge treatment plant” ( A sequence batch reactor
type).Later the plastic bio cell option was reviewed and concrete pre-cast
cylinders option was decided based on cost/social aspects. Mini tractor gully
sucker is to be purchased to put in service for areas with narrow streets.

The technical literature of the treatment facility is given in Annex- 2 .(A report of
the consultant)

3.2 Improvement of House hold septic system

As shown in the picture below, the direct connection to existing pit is bypassed through
two vertical precast concrete cylinders which are to function as septic tank and bio filter
that are to be gully sucked after 1-1.5 years.
 3.3 Sewage Treatment plant.

This treatment plant is capable of treating 40 cubic meters of sewage , it is to be operated

by 3-phase current.
3.4 Estimates ( BOQ for the construction work is given in Annex)

Discription Unit Unit price Amount

1 Consrtuction of 1 2,166,639.30 2,166,639.30
Treatement plant( refer
BOQ)
2 Precast cylinders with lid 400 3,250.00 1,300,000.00

3 Installation of septic Tank 200 17,500.00 3,500,000.00

(Refer BOQ)
3 Minitractor gully sucker 1 350,000 350,000.00
4 Aerators and pumps 3 70,000 210,000.00
Total cost
7,316,639.30

3.5 Work plan ( Find the excel file) draft workplan for swp.xls
4.0 Annexes-

Annexes-1, (tender treatment plant\priced BOQ.xls) and septic tank installation

Estimate.xls

Annex-2 Treatment plant.doc

Annex-3 KALMUNI FINAL DRAWING.dwg