ABSTRACT

Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan – Announcement made by Hon’ble Chief Minister under

Rule 110 in the Legislative Assembly and Announcement made by Hon’ble Minister for
Finance – Sanction of Rs.150 crores (Rupees One Hundred and Fifty Crores only) for
the implementation of the Solid and Liquid Waste Management Projects in rural areas
during the year 2013-14 and Guidelines for Planning and Implementation of Sustainable
Solid and Liquid Waste Management projects in rural areas during 2013-14 -
Orders issued.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (CGS-1) Department

G.O.(Ms) No. 116 Dated: 04.09.2013

Read:
Commissioner of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, Chennai-15
Letter Rc.No.28728/2013/TSC.1, dated 26.6.2013

********
ORDER:

During the Budget Speech on 21.3.2013, Hon’ble Minister for Finance on the
floor of the Assembly, among others, made the following Announcement:

“It is the desire of our Hon’ble Chief Minister that all the Villages in the State
should be clean and tidy. This requires the establishment of a sustainable solid waste
management system in all our villages. Our Hon’ble Chief Minister had started the
‘Clean Village Campaign’ during 2003. Regrettably, this scheme was not followed up by
the previous Government. This Government has now relaunched the ‘Clean Village
Campaign’ from 2011-2012. All the villages will put up a proper solid waste
management system with recycling and waste disposal facilities. The village adjoining
the urban areas can be part of the solid waste management projects implemented in the
urban areas. A sum of Rs.150 crores will be earmarked within the devolution for putting
up such facitilies, including the cost of manpower for collecting and handling waste.
Rs.97.85 crores, available under the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan will also be used for the
purpose of solid waste and waste water management during 2013-2014”.

2. On 9.4.2013, Hon’ble Chief Minister made an announcement under Rule 110

in the Legislative Assembly that “A sum of Rs.150 crore allocated in the Budget 2013-14
will be used for various solid and liquid waste management activities like segregation
and disposal bio-degradable and non-biodegradable wastes, maintaining the streets,
open space and surroundings clean and tidy; disposal of liquid wastes and recycling of
waste water and construction of compost pits, vermi-composting and bio-gas plants”.
 -2-

3. In pursuance of above announcements and in order to implement the Solid

and Liquid Waste Management projects in rural areas during 2013-14, the
Commissioner of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, in the letter read above, has
sent draft guidelines therefor for approval of the Government and has requested the
Government to sanction Rs.150 crores which was already allocated in the Budget
Estimate 2013-14 for implementation of Solid and Liquid Waste Management
Programme.

4. The Government, after careful examination of the proposal of the

Commissioner of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, approve the guidelines for
Planning and Implementation of Sustainable Solid and Liquid Waste Management
projects in rural areas during 2013-14 annexed to this Government Order and accord
sanction for Rs.150 crores (Rupees One Hundred and Fifty crore only) for the
implementation of the Solid and Liquid Waste Management projects in rural areas
during the year 2013-14.

5. The amount sanctioned in para 4 above shall be debited to the following head
of account:

2515 00 – Other Rural Development Programmes – 800 other expenditure I Non

Plan – AO Grants for Clean Village Campaign Scheme - 09 Grants-in-Aid – 03
Grants for Specific Scheme
(DPC 2515 00 800 AO 0939)

6. This order issues with the concurrence of Finance Department vide its
U.O.No.38103/2013, dated 31.7.2013.

(BY ORDER OF THE GOVERNOR)

C.V. SANKAR,
PRINCIPAL SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT.
To
The Director of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, Chennai – 15.
All Collectors (Except Chennai) (thro’ DRD & PR)
All Project Directors, District Rural Development Agencies, (thro’ DRD & PR)
The Accountant General, Chennai – 18/35/6.
Copy to:
The Chief Minister’s Office, Chennai – 9.
The Special Personal Assistant to Hon’ble Minister (Finance), Chennai – 9.
The Special Personal Assistant to Hon’ble Minister (Municipal Administration,
Rural Development, Law, Courts and Prisons), Chennai – 9.
Finance (RD) Department, Chennai – 9.
The Senior Private Secretary to the Principal Secretary to Government,
Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department, Chennai – 9.
Rural Development and Panchayat Raj(OP.II) Department, Chennai -9.
The National Informatics Centre, Chennai – 9.
//Forwarded by order//

SECTION OFFICER.
Guidelines for Planning and Implementation of Sustainable Solid and
Liquid Waste Management Projects in the Rural Areas.
I. Introduction
The management of solid and liquid waste is emerging as an issue
needing urgent attention from the point of view of health and environment in
rural areas. It is an important determinant of improved sanitation in any
community. The goals of sanitation fail miserably when solid waste
management aspect is not given proper attention to improve health and
living environment of the community. In rural areas this aspect is mostly
neglected due to lack of proper infrastructure; unavailability of sustainable
technology at household or community level and lack of adequate awareness
of common people. Whereas, management of solid wastes in rural areas is
much easier and profitable than in urban areas due to the fact that it is
mostly organic in nature and does not contain toxic compounds. In rural
areas, waste can be safely reused for beneficial purposes with limited
resources.
The Honourable Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu launched “Clean Village
Campaign” in 2003 to create a momentum to bring about a sanitary
revolution in the State. The Clean Village Campaign comprised of all the
activities taken up in the Village for environmental sanitation such as
management of solid and liquid waste including human and animal excreta,
effective implementation of ban on plastics along with water conservation
and Rain Water Harvesting, converting bio-degradable waste into vermi-
compost, collection and removal of plastics and safe disposal of non-
biodegradable wastes with the participation of every member of the Village
Community. However, this scheme was discontinued in 2006. Taking into
account the importance of this Scheme in the overall health, sanitation and
environmental aspects that directly benefit the rural areas and the people,
the Government ordered the revival of 'Clean Village Campaign' from 2011-
2012.
It is the desire of Hon'ble Chief Minister that all the villages in the
State should be clean and tidy. This requires the establishment of a
sustainable solid and liquid waste management system in all our villages in a
phased manner. All the villages need to put up a proper solid waste
management system with recycling and waste disposal facilities. The villages
adjoining the urban areas can be part of the solid waste management
projects implemented in the urban areas.
II. Objectives of Solid and Liquid Waste Management in Rural Areas

• To empower the community and local bodies in Planning and

implementation and strengthen their managerial capacity and
responsibility on all aspects of Solid and Liquid Waste Management.
• To promote recycling and reuse of solid waste.
• To convert bio waste into energy for ensuring greater energy security at
village level.
• To generate employment for rural poor by offering new opportunities in
waste management by adopting cost effective and environmentally sound
solid waste treatment technologies.
• To develop and promote technology options for different geographic
 locations and conditions.
• To protect human health and improve quality of life among people living
in rural areas by reducing environment pollution and make rural areas
clean.
• To enable networking, co-ordination and better convergence of various
agencies and groups working in the solid waste management with a view
to optimizing efficiency of implementation and ensuring sustainability of
systems.

III. Strategy

• Creation of awareness among all the stakeholders regarding the advantages

of Solid and Liquid Waste Management in rural areas and its potential in
health & environment protection, recycling and reuse of waste, generating
employment, and providing energy security.
• The Gram Sabha should resolve to take up Solid and Liquid Waste
Management with the support of local people guided by the district
administration. Local Bodies involvement in the process for managing and
monitoring the program.
• Developing Village Panchayat/Cluster based action plan with the involvement
of local community.
• Appropriate partnerships with local NGOs, Women SHGs, and Private sector
may be developed.
• Participatory Rural Appraisal tools should be used for creating awareness in
the community to expose the prevailing unsanitary practices and other
undesirable practices and their implications.
• Capacity building of implementers including PRIs about various technology
options available at various levels, viz., Household level, Community level
and for commercial establishments.
• Solid and Liquid Waste Management should primarily be focused at
household level for sustainability and cost effectiveness. Certain elements
which cannot be managed at the household level should be managed at the
community level
• Appropriate technologies suited at each level should be made available to
them.
• Integration of different programmes implemented by various agencies
through convergence of efforts.
• Enforcement and punitive action will also be a part of the Campaign by
invoking statutory provisions.

IV. Solid Waste Management (SWM):

1. Meaning of Solid Waste

Any waste other than human excreta, urine & waste water, is called
solid waste. Solid waste in rural areas generally includes-house sweeping,
kitchen waste, garden waste, cattle dung & waste from cattle sheds, agro
waste, broken glass, metal, waste paper, plastic, cloths, rubber, waste from
markets & shopping areas, hotels, etc. Solid waste can also be defined as the
organic and inorganic waste materials produced by households, commercial &
industrial establishments that have no economic value to the owner.
2. . Classification of Solid Waste

As per biodegradability, solid waste can be classified as:

• Biodegradable: Waste that are completely decomposed by biological
processes either in presence or in absence of air are called biodegradable.
e.g. kitchen waste, animal dung, agricultural waste, etc.
• Non-biodegradable: Waste which cannot be decomposed by biological
processes is called non-biodegradable waste. These are of two types:
o Recyclable: waste having economic values but destined for
disposal can be recovered and reused along with their energy value.
e.g. plastic, paper, old cloth etc
o Non-recyclable: Waste which do not have economic value of
recovery e.g. tetra packs, carbon paper, thermocol, etc.

Solid Waste

Biodegradable Non-
biodegradable

Examples: Non-recyclable
Vegetable peel, Food,
Recyclable
farm, & animal waste waste waste

Examples: Metal, Examples: Tetra-

Paper, glass, plastic packs, thermacol
bottles
 Classification of Solid Waste
Biodegradable Non-biodegradable
and Recyclable Recyclable Non-recyclable
Kitchen Waste Plastic – carry bags, milk covers, Nitrogen sealed
PVC Pipes etc. Syringes, Glucose packing for chips
bottles etc. Cotton and nylon cloth
Tyres & Tubes
Food Shampoo Tetra-packs
Cow dung/animal Bottles Thermo cal
waste Glass Carbon paper
Agriculture Book/notebook Plastic coated
Leaves Wires visiting cards
Egg shells Caps of mineral water bottles Sachets
Henna paste Plastic Modern packing
Vegetable Tin can materials (plastic)
Peels, meat, bones Metal for food packaging
Dead animals Ash/dirt
Paper, Wood PET mineral water bottles

3. Sources of Solid Waste

i) Solid Wastes generated at Household Level

ii) Solid Wastes generated at Community Level
iii) Solid Wastes generated by Commercial Establishments

4. Reuse and Recycling of Non-Biodegradable Solid Waste

• Efforts should be made to segregate the non-biodegradable solid waste into

two portions namely a) recyclable and (b) non-recyclable at household as
well as community level.
• Sorting out or segregation of paper, plastic, cloth, metal, glass etc may be
done at the community level by the women self help groups to recycle these
waste materials.
The following type of papers, plastics and clothes may be segregated for
recycling/re-use purpose:

Clothes, metal and

Paper Plastic
glass
Color Paper: Wall Posters, Notices,
Carry bags Cotton cloth
Newspapers, Tissue paper
Books and Magazines Containers Synthetic cloth
Note book Paper Milk covers Metal
Used wires, hangers,
English News Paper Oil Covers
tins, cans, blades, etc
Local news paper Water Covers Glass
White paper: computer bills, A4 Sari shop Bottles, bangles,
papers, computer printing papers covers mirrors etc
Packaging boxes: e.g. Soap box,
Cigarette box, Sweet box, PVC Pipes
detergent box
Nylon pots,
Paper plates and cups
tubs, brushes
Brown carton Nylon wires
Cardboard Syringe
Glucose bottles
Pet bottles
X-ray
Scan sheets
Ice-cream cup
Crushed bottle

5. Processing of Biodegradable Solid Wastes

Biodegradable solid waste can be decomposed in two ways, viz., Aerobic
(with oxygen) and Anaerobic (without oxygen) decomposition.
Aerobic decomposition: This process takes place in the presence of air,
in which aerobic bacteria act on the complex organic matter and break it
down into nutrients and primarily produce carbon dioxide gas.
Anaerobic decomposition: This process takes place in the absence of
air, in which anaerobic bacteria act on the complex organic matter and
break it down into nutrients and primarily produce methane and carbon
dioxide gases.

6. Approaches to Solid Waste Management

For effective solid waste management in rural areas, focus at household
level is very essential. The waste that cannot be managed at household level
should be collected, transported and managed at community level. The
approaches should be adopted for solid waste management at household
level and community level are described in the following section.
i. Household level

The following steps are involved in the solid waste management at the
household level:
i. Segregation of solid waste (biodegradable and non biodegradable) at the
household level by generating awareness among the public;
ii. Reuse of non biodegradable waste at the household level to the extent
possible.
iii. Household level processing of bio degradable waste.

The segregated biodegradable waste could be processed at the

household level by adopting any one of the following technologies and the
products are used:
- Composting
- Vermi composting
- Biogas plant
Some of the segregated non-biodegradable waste can be recycled.
Households may be encouraged to keep such wastes separately and sell to
the rag pickers and scrap buyers and keep the non-recyclable wastes for
subsequent transportation for community level management.

ii. Community level

The following steps are involved in the solid waste management at the
community level:

• Collection and transportation of segregated waste from the households

to a place identified for solid waste management at the community
level;
• Processing the biodegradable waste collected from the households by
adopting an appropriate technology from among the following;

- Composting
- Vermi composting
- Biogas plant

• Non biodegradable recyclable waste may be further segregated and

sold or recycled
• Waste which cannot be composted, reused or recycled may be
disposed at the landfill sites following appropriate procedure.

For collection and transportation of solid waste in rural areas, the

following strategy may be adopted:
• Self Help Groups (SHGs) or group of unemployed youth in the village
may be identified for collection and transportation of household waste
to community storage/processing site. Each member may be
 entrusted with the responsibility for collection of waste from about 75-
100 households.
• The members involved in the above process may be given push/pull
carts or tricycles by the Village Panchayat. One tricycle will be
sufficient to cover 100 - 200 households for collection and
transportation of waste to community storage/processing site. The
number of tricycles or mechanised small three wheelers required may
be decided based on the size of Village Panchayat and the density of
population.
• The Village Panchayat should keep at least two – three spare tricycles to
sustain the system in case of breakdown of one or two tricycles.

Segregated waste need to be packed and stored in a Segregation

shed/Storage shed. Village Panchayat/SHGs/Outsourcing agencies can sell
the recyclable segregated waste to the local recyclers as and when enough
quantities accumulate. This will fetch revenue to them. Papers, plastics and
clothes should be converted into appropriate recyclable products to generate
revenue from such waste.
Solid waste, if managed properly, can be a resource to generate
income and livelihood. However, the cost of processing the waste to recover
its value must be kept in mind when computing the benefits.
Some examples of reuse of waste include:

• Compost from animal, farm and kitchen waste can be used as manure or
sold;
• Organic solid wastes can be treated to generate biogas;
• Plastics, if collected, segregated and shredded as per norms can be used in
road construction; and
• Waste paper, cloth, metal and glass can be recycled.

7. Recycling of Papers

It is possible to convert waste paper into useful recyclable product. Making pulp
from waste paper is an old art. The process has now been refined. Various articles
including showpieces may be made using the pulp. The articles are so sturdy that
they can be an alternative to wood to some extent. Hence it is also called
Pepwood. Similarly, waste papers and Agri Farm wastes can be recycled
by making Handmade paper using machines.

Women SHG members after receiving thorough training and after

attaining certain level of skill can undertake this activity.

8. Recycling of Plastics

Plastic will not decay and are environmentally harmful. It is estimated

that plastic bags take 20- 1000 years and plastic jugs/bottles take 1
million years to decay. Plastic wastes should not be burnt as they will emit
poisonous gases which harm human health. In all types of solid waste in
rural areas, plastics have become a major cause of concern due to:
• Non-biodegradability and
• Nuisance value in waste stream and blockage of drainage channels
• Pollution of surface water
• Random burning here and there causing air pollution problem
• There is no proper collection or disposal system of plastic waste.

Awareness among all stakeholders through appropriate IEC measures should

be generated for collection, segregation and recycling of plastic waste. Individual
house owner should segregate the waste at household level and Village Panchayat
should get it collected through a suitable mechanism. The segregated plastic at
the Village Panchayat level may be given to the SHGs for taking up a viable
project for recycling and reuse of plastic waste.
Some of the products which can be made at village level using shredding,
cutting, weaving, etc., of plastics are;
• Shredding of plastic and used in laying of waste plastic mixed
bituminous roads
• Plastic rope
• Plastic bag
• Pillows and mats
• Showpieces

9. Landfill

In spite of composting, re-use and recycling, some waste remains

untreated/unmanaged which requires final disposal, of Non-Biodegradable Solid
Waste.

10. Convergence with Mahalir Thittam and Pudhu Vaazhvu in

Recycling of Wastes

PLFs/HLFs/SHGs of Mahalir Thittam and Pudhu Vaazhvu may be

involved in the solid waste management initiatives so that they can take it
up as an Economic Activity. Tamil Nadu Corporation for Development of
Women and Pudhu Vaazhvu Project shall provide necessary assistance in
this regard.
Setting up of micro-enterprises by SHGs/PLFs can be an integral part
of Solid Waste Management Projects which are taken up in the districts. The
following advantages will accrue due to the convergence:
1. Accessibility and availability of Raw materials at no cost
2. Ensure clean environment and beneficial use of waste
3. Creates employment opportunities for SHGs with sustainable income
potential

The District Level Solid and Liquid Waste Management Committee shall
take earnest steps to provide necessary loan assistance to the active Groups
so that they are able to sustain and maximize their economic potential.
11. Ideal approach for Planning and Implementation of Solid Waste
Management:
In order to properly manage solid waste with minimum effort and cost, focus
must be on management at the household and community level. Segregation of
waste at household level should be promoted through proper IEC campaigns.
The following steps may be followed for introducing community based rural solid
waste management system.

Step 1: Information collection

• Total population and no. of households in the area proposed for SWM (Village
Panchayat/Cluster of Village Panchayats - Zones)
• Details about shops, markets & shandies, Hotels, marriage halls, commercial
establishments, Barber shops, etc.
• Preparation of Village maps highlighting sources of waste generation
• Quantity of solid waste generation from each source.
• Quantum of waste generated during Market days, Festival days or any other
specific occasion having local significance.
• Existing system and practice of waste management.
• Details about vacant land availability.
• Details of unused Government Buildings
• Details and activities of NGOs, Self Help Groups, etc., in proposed area.

Step 2: Participatory planning

• Involvement of community in data analysis and planning.

• Community would be informed and motivated about adoption of better SWM
in the village.
• Assessment of Manpower requirement and availability of outsourcing
agencies, SHGs, etc., who can carry out SWM in a sustainable manner.
• Preparation of action plan with community participation.
• Community must be convinced about the importance of sustainability of the
programme.

Step 3: Preparation of Village Panchayat / Cluster level action

• Social mobilization and awareness generation

• Technology options.
• Operation and maintenance.
• Sustainability of the management system.

Selection of Technological options:

Some factors that need consideration when selecting a technology option
include:
• Characteristics of the waste being generated;
• Quantity and frequency of waste generation;
• Availability and affordability of technology options;
• Applicability of the technology option in the area; and
• Availability of skilled personnel, energy, O&M needs, land
requirements, etc. is considered ODF only when safe disposal of
human fecal matter is
Step 4: Implementation and Monitoring

• Commencement of SWM activities with the active involvement of the

Community
• Mapping of day to day activity and addressing the issues that may crop up at
the initial stages itself.
• Continuous monitoring and capacity building whenever necessary.
• Minimizing the cost of operation and maximizing the income generated
through wastes so as to make it sustainable
12. Unit of Planning:

The unit of planning for SWM initiatives should be the Village

Panchayat or a cluster of Village Panchayats depending upon the
quantity and characteristics of waste being generated, resources available,
and so on.

a) Demarcation of Solid Waste Management Zones / Cluster of

Village Panchayats:

The District Level Solid Waste Management Committee shall

geographically demarcate the rural areas in the district into various Zones
for easier management and handling of solid waste. These Zones may also
be co-terminus to cluster of Village Panchayats identified for combined SWM
projects.
b) Geographical demarcation of SWM Zones / Clustering of Village
Panchayats shall be done taking into account the following
factors:

1. Population and No. of Households;

2. Proximity to urban areas;
3. Tourism and Pilgrim areas;
4. Bus stands and Railway stations handling floating population;
5. No. of Industrial and Commercial establishments;
6. Accessibility and connectivity by road;
7. Quantum of solid waste generated; and
8. Availability of land for putting up the following:
a. Segregation sheds
b. Compost yards
c. Land fill sites
13. Creation of infrastructural facilities
A. Segregation Sheds:
i. Primary segregation sheds can be put up at Village level or at
Panchayat level depending upon the quantum of waste generated.
The main purpose is to segregate the waste into biodegradable and
non-biodegradable. After segregation, the biodegradable waste can be
sent to compost yard / Bio-gas plants for decomposing through
 biological processes. The non-biodegradable waste is then moved to
the Secondary segregation shed.

ii. Secondary segregation shed will facilitate the segregation of non-

biodegradable waste into plastic, paper, cloth, glass, metal, etc. This
will also function as a storage shed. The segregated material is sold
to the scrap dealer not below the rate approved by the District SWM
Committee.

The unused Government buildings in the proposed area may be

renovated and used as Segregation sheds. If no such building is available,
Segregation sheds may be taken up under any of the ongoing Government
Schemes.
B. Composting:
Composting is one of the options for treatment of solid waste. In composting
process the organic matter breaks down under bacterial action resulting in the
formation of humus like material called compost. As already discussed, Composting
is carried out in two ways. Aerobically (in presence of oxygen) and Anaerobically
(in absence of oxygen). Bio degradable solid waste can be composted either in
compost pit or in a vermin compost pit.
The various Technological options available for Composting at Household
level and Community level are given in Annexure I.
C. Biogas Plants:

The biogas technology can be used for management of bio degradable solid
waste. When biodegradable organic solid waste is subjected to anaerobic
decomposition, a gaseous mixture of Methane (CH4) and Carbon-dioxide (C02)
known as Biogas could be produced. The decomposition of the waste materials are
mainly done by the fermentation process and the microorganisms involved for
biogas generation is mainly the bacteria. Proper size (capacity) of the plant should
be fixed based on the cattle strength and waste produced in the community. Proper
site should be selected for the installation of biogas. Construction of biogas plants
requires trained and skilled masons for proper installation. It is advisable that local
resource institutions having proven expertise in setting up biogas plants should be
engaged for training and supervision of the construction work. Biogas plants help in
not only decomposing the solid waste but also produce good amount of clean fuel
and environment friendly organic manure.

The various models of Bio-gas plants is given in Annexure II.

D. Sanitary Landfill:
The non-recyclable inorganic waste solid waste that is not suitable for any
further processing is transported and disposed by secured land filling
operation. For this purpose, a sanitary landfill site has to be identified
and developed.
• Filling of low yield land
 • No risk of ground water and surface water pollution.
• Compaction of fill
• Earth cover after filling
• Land reclamation
• Landscape development
• Use of land for horticulture playground, recreational park etc.
All the necessary aspects of scientific land filling have to be considered
during creation of sanitary landfill. The Pollution Control Board norms in
respect of Landfill should be strictly followed.
The Technical description of Sanitary Land Filling is given in Annexure III.
IV. Liquid Waste Management in Rural Areas
Proper management of liquid wastes is an important determinant of
improved sanitation in rural areas. The goals of sanitation fail miserably
when liquid waste management aspect is not given proper attention to
improve health and living environment of the community. In rural areas this
aspect is mostly neglected due to lack of proper infrastructure, lack of
awareness and non-availability of sustainable technology at household or
community level. In rural areas, waste can be safely reused for beneficial
purposes with limited resources. There are increasing concerns on
wastewater, especially the grey water generated in households. The liquid
waste also poses serious problems by contaminating surface water as well as
ground water in high water table regimes.
Meaning of liquid waste:
Liquid waste is the used water from the household which is no longer fit
for human consumption. There are two types of liquid wastes as follows:
Black water, also called as excreta is the wastewater from the toilets
containing faecal matter with pathogens.
Grey water, also called sullage is the wastewater from bath rooms and
kitchens. Grey water generally contains fewer pathogens than the black
water.
Sources of wastewater, its classification and quantity generated per day per
person are furnished in the following:
Table 1- Classification and Quantity of wastewater generation
Sl.No. Source of Classification of Quantity (litres)
wastewater wastewater per person/day
1 Toilets Black Water 3-5
2 Bathing Grey Water 20-30
3 Kitchen Grey Water 5-10
4 Washing Cloths Grey Water 15-20
5 Animal washing Grey Water 10-15

From Table 1 it could be seen that more than 90 per cent of

wastewater generated is grey water and management of grey water is,
therefore, a major challenge in rural areas. For effective management of
wastewater in rural areas, focus should be on the management at household
level. In case, if it cannot be managed at household level, then management
at community level should be considered.

The Technological Options for Household Level and Community level

Liquid Waste Management is given in the Annexure IV.
V. State Level Committee for the approval of Solid and Liquid Waste
Management Projects
The scrutiny and sanction of the Solid and Liquid Waste Management
Project proposals recommended by the District Level Committee will be done
by the State Level Scheme Review and Sanctioning Committee for
examining, sanctioning and recommending sanitation projects, already
constituted by the Government vide G.O.(Ms) No.49 RD & PR (CGS.1)
department dated 30.5.2013.
VI. Solid and Liquid Waste Management Committee at District Level
A District Level Committee shall be constituted with the following
composition to identify, formulate and recommend the Solid and Liquid
Waste Management Projects for approval of the State Level Committee and
oversee the implementation and monitor the performance of the sanctioned
projects. The Committee shall meet atleast once in a quarter.
District Solid Waste Management Committee
1. District Collector Chairperson
2. Project Director, DRDA Member -
Convener
3. District Panchayat Chairman Member
4. Corporation Commissioner, if any Member
5. District Forest Officer of the Forest Division Member
nominated by the District Collector
6. Executive Engineer (RD) Member
7. Project Officer, Mahalir Thittam Member
8. Joint Director of Agriculture Member
9. Joint/Deputy Director, Health Services Member
10. District Project Manager, Pudhu Vaazhvu Member
11. District level officer, Pollution Control Board Member
12. Chief Education Officer Member
13. General Manager, District Industries Centre Member
14. Lead District Manager Member
15. Assistant Director (Panchayats) Member
16. Assistant Director (Town Panchayats) Member
17. Two Municipal Commissioners nominated by Collector Members
18. Two Panchayat Union Chairpersons and Five Village Members
Panchayat Presidents nominated by the Collector
19. Two NGOs nominated by Collector Members
20. Leaders of 2 PLF/SHG nominated by Collector Members
21. Representative of District level Trade / Merchant Member
association nominated by Collector
Functions of the Committee:

1. Geographical demarcation of Solid Waste Management Zones /

Clustering of Village Panchayats
2. Identify, formulate and recommend Solid and Liquid Waste
Management Projects for Village Panchayat / Cluster / Zonal Level to
the State Level Committee for its consideration and approval.
3. Identify, formulate and recommend Solid and Liquid Waste
Management Project Proposals under Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan for
consideration and approval of State Scheme Sanctioning Committee.
4. Explore the possibilities of dovetailing with various ongoing schemes
through convergence. Only the balance requirement that could not be
accommodated under any other ongoing Scheme shall be proposed
from District SLWM fund.
5. Examine the mutually beneficial methods of implementing solid and
liquid waste management covering both rural and urban areas that are
adjoining to each other. For example, if land is provided by a rural
Local Body, the urban Local Body may take up the Solid Waste
Management activities of that rural Local Body so that the waste is
handled at less cost thereby accruing gain for both local bodies.
6. Identification and approval of sites/locations/unused Government
Buildings for Segregation/Compost sheds. However, New Buildings for
Segregation/ Compost sheds can be approved only after confirming
that there are no unused Government Buildings in the proposed
project area.
7. Approval of District level Procurement of Trucks, Mini-Trucks, Tractor
with Trailers, Dipper Lorries, Tri-cycles, Push Carts and Collection bins
for the District as a whole by duly following the Tender procedures.
8. Identification and approval of SHGs/PLFs/NGOs/CBOs who can work as
outsourcing agencies by taking SWM as Economic-Business Model. The
Committee can facilitate their functioning by handholding during the
first year of their operation by arranging Bank loans, providing
vehicles, if available, free of rent for transporting/handling waste, etc.
9. Encouraging Public-Private Partnership in Solid Waste Management
with active involvement of Corporates and other Donor agencies.

10.Facilitating MOU with Forest, Agriculture, Horticulture Departments

and other agencies in the purchase of compost.

11.Preparation of Integrated Plan for the entire district in collection and

disposal of waste like use of plastics for roads, Agri Farm waste for
paper making, sale to scrap dealers, etc., in order achieve economies
of scale and to reduce the cost involved in handling waste.
 12.Identification of Scrap dealers and Waste Recycle Merchants in the
district and notifying of their competitive rates for the benefit of the
Local bodies / Outsourcing Agencies.
13.Arranging training programmes for all the stakeholders to educate on
the schemes and programmes available under various Government
departments which facilitate Solid Waste Management.

14.Identification best performing Agencies/Local Bodies in SWM and

recognise their efforts through District Level Awards.

15.Recommending the eligible Village Panchayats for Clean Village

Campaign Award and Nirmal Gram Puraskar Award.

16.Arranging the awareness Programmes among the rural households to

ensure reduction, reuse and recycling of garbage/waste, especially,
the non-biodegradable waste;

17.Encouraging Households to take up segregation of house-hold waste,

at the source for its reuse and recycling; They shall also be
encouraged to take up composting at household level as it is a
potential income source for them.

18.Devising steps to be taken for the maintenance of ecology and

reduction of environmental pollution in the area through effective Solid
Waste Management.

19.The District SLWM Committee may also form sub-committees from

among its members to recommend and report on any specific issue for
its consideration and approval.

20.Periodical conduct of Health Camps for Sanitary workers.

21.Any other instructions issued by Government and Commissioner of RD

& PR in this regard from time to time.

VII. Solid and Liquid Waste Management Committee at Block Level

A Committee to prepare the Solid and Liquid Waste Management
Projects at Village Panchayat level, oversee its implementation and monitor
the performance shall be constituted at Block level with the following
composition. The Committee shall meet atleast once in a month on a fixed
day, i.e., last Friday of every month.
Block Level Committee

1. Block Development Officer (Village Panchayat)

2. Panchayat Union Chairperson Concerned
3. Assistant Director of Agriculture
4. Forest Range Officer
4. Block Medical Officer
5. Assistant Educational Officer
3. Presidents of 25% of Village Panchayats in the Block nominated by the
Collector from among the Clean Village Campaign / Nirmal Gram Puraskar
awarded or proposed Village Panchayats.
4. Two reputed NGOs/CBOs/Experts nominated by the District Collector
5. Representatives of Trade/Merchant associations nominated by Collector
6. Leaders of 25% of the PLF
Functions of the Committee:
The Block level Committee will assist in the formulation of SLWM
Projects, provide suggestions and recommendations to the District level
Committee, oversee the sanctioned projects, monitor the performance,
arrange for discussion in Grama Sabha, assess both positive and negative
outcomes and give feedback for rectification and improvements.
VIII. Funds:
The Government have allocated Rs.150 crore for the year 2013-14 for
Solid and Liquid Waste Management. This amount will be released by
Commissioner of Rural Development & Panchayat Raj to all 31 rural districts
in two components. A minimum of Rs.2 crore will be released to all districts
as a fixed component (Rs.62 crore for 31 districts); one percent of the
allocation (Rs.1.50 crore) will be earmarked for State level activities and The
balance amount of Rs.86.50 crore will be released by the Commissioner of
Rural Development and Panchayat Raj based on the rural population of the
districts as per 2001 Census or as per the final census figures for 2011, if
available.
The purpose and mode of operation are detailed below:
A. State Level Solid and Liquid Waste Management Fund:
At State level, Solid and Liquid Waste Management Fund will be
instituted with the one percent allocation, i.e., Rs.1.50 crore. This has to be
deposited in a separate Bank account viz., Solid and Liquid Waste
Management State Fund and operated by the Commissioner of Rural
Development & Panchayat Raj. This fund can be utilized for State level IEC
activities, development of technical manuals and training materials, use of
experts for campaign, monitoring, evaluation, etc. The expenditure incurred
in this regard shall be placed before the State Level Scheme Review and
Sanctioning Committee.
B. District Level Solid and Liquid Waste Management Fund:
At district level, Solid and Liquid Waste Management Fund shall be
instituted and the fixed component of Rs. 2 crore and the Variable
component released as per the rural population have to be deposited in a
separate Bank account viz., Solid and Liquid Waste Management District
Fund and operated by the District Collector. This fund can be utilized for
sanctioning two types of projects.
1. SLWM Project for creation of Common facilities; and

2. SLWM Project for Specific Village Panchayats.

1. SLWM Project for creation of Common facilities

SLWM Project can be prepared for a cluster of Village Panchayats / Zonal

area that have been identified as per demarcation norms discussed earlier.
In such cases, the following common facilities that are required at Zonal /
Cluster level can be proposed for consideration and approval of the State
Level Committee.
• Common infrastructural facilities such as segregation sheds, compost
yards, biogas plants, etc.
• Purchase of trucks, tractors with trailers, etc., for transporting wastes
within the Zone / Cluster.
• Uniform, gloves, shoe and other protective outfits for sanitary workers.
• Any other common facilities that are required for more than one
Village Panchayat or cluster of Panchayats.

2. SLWM Project for Specific Village Panchayats

Under this category, the following item of works for the individual
Village Panchayat proposed by the District Level SWM Committee and
approved by the District Level Committee can be taken up.
• Segregation sheds
• Compost yards
• Biogas plants
• Try cycle (manual / motorised) / Push cart
• Collection bins
• Receptacles
• Any other permissible item.

Prohibited items of expenditure:

Incinerators for burning waste, Operations & Maintenance expenditure
and other recurring expenditure like fuel, salary, wages, current
consumption charges, etc., are not permissible expenditure under Solid and
Liquid Waste Management District Fund.
IX. Convergence with various Centrally sponsored, State funded Schemes
and Resource mobilization from private initiatives:
There are many Centrally sponsored and State funded Government Schemes
and programs that can provide financial support for Solid Waste
Management Projects:

1. Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan: Funds under TSC, supported by the Ministry

of Drinking Water and Sanitation, are available for Programs both
hardware and software activities with partial support of households
and communities;
2. Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee
Scheme:
Guidelines have already been issued for taking up Compost pit for
depositing bio-degradable waste under MGNREGS. Hence labour
component for such works can be converged with this Scheme for
Solid and Liquid Waste Management.
3. Member of Legislative Assembly Constituency Development
Scheme: A sum of Rs.5.00 lakh has been earmarked for Solid Waste
Management for purchase of Tri-cycles (manual / motorised) and push
carts with collection Bins for collection, segregation and safe disposal
of household garbage as per local requirement under MLACDS
guidelines 2013-14.
4. Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme
5. Self Sufficiency Scheme
6. General Funds of the rural Local Bodies
7. CVC and NGP Award Money: The award money from CVC and NGP
and can be channeled to support SLWM initiatives.
8. National Biogas and Manure Management program: The program
run by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy provides financial
support for the construction of biogas plants along with partial support
for software activities.
9. National Project on Organic Farming: The project is supported by
the Department of Agriculture and Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture,
and provides funds for capital investment to set up agro-waste
compost units.
10.Corporate Sponsorship: Corporate groups have started to support
development activities as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility
(CSR) initiatives. Their CSR funds could also be mobilized to support
SWM activities
11.Community and commercial establishments: Community and
commercial establishments, where SWM initiatives are implemented,
can be a good Commercial collective source to seek funds, if motivated
properly.

X. Providing detailed description of Project Cost:

Once the Detailed Project Report is prepared incorporating various
facilities required and the capital cost for establishing the same, the District
Level SLWM Committee shall explore the possibilities of dovetailing with
various ongoing schemes through convergence. Only after exhausting all
such options, the balance funding requirement of the total project cost may
be sought from the District Level Solid Waste Management Common Fund
and Project Fund.
The breakup of various components of the Project and the Schemes
under which each component is proposed to be taken up should be clearly
indicated in the Project proposal recommended to the State Level
Committee.

XI. Procedure for procurement of Tri-cycles, push carts and

collection Bins
The District Collector shall work out the actual requirement of Tri-cycles,
push carts and collection Bins per local body (Village Panchayat / Town
Panchayat / Municipality / Corporation) based on the total number of houses
in the given unit area in which Solid Waste Management is to be
implemented as well as taking into account the total population of that area
and the quantity of solid waste likely to be generated in that area. The
number of Tri-cycles, Push carts and collection Bins should not be in excess
of actual requirement of the local bodies concerned. The District Collector
will also procure the Tri-cycles, Push Carts and Collection bins for the District
as a whole by duly following the Tender procedures.
XII. Operation and Maintenance (O & M):
Operations & Maintenance expenditure and other recurring expenditure
like fuel, salary, wages, current consumption charges, etc., may have to be
incurred in the implementation of SWM Projects. These expenditure shall be
met out in the following three ways:
1. Wherever the outsourcing agency is operating Solid Waste
Management as an economic business model, the agency shall bear
the O & M cost.
2. If the Village Panchayats directly operate the Solid Waste Management
activities, the O & M expenditure shall be borne by the Village
Panchayats concerned. In case of Cluster, the Village Panchayats in
the cluster shall share it on a pro-rata basis.
3. Alternatively, the O& M of the Cluster / Zonal area can be borne by or
may be handed over to the Corporates / Donor agencies willing to bear
the operational cost by adopting the waste management zones as part
of their CSR activities.

XIII. Monitoring:
The implementation of Solid Waste Management Projects shall be
periodically monitored during inspections taken by State level and District
level senior officials and their observations shall be placed before the State
Level Committee. Performance of the projects shall be regularly monitored
by the District and Block level Solid and Liquid Waste Management
Committees, Sanitation Committee in the Village Panchayat and Grama
Sabha.
XIV. Experience Sharing:
The best performing Solid Waste Management Project can be a role
model for others to emulate. Therefore, District Collector can organize
experience sharing of such role models with other stakeholders through
periodic exposure visits.
The Principal Secretary to Government, Rural Development and
Panchayat Raj Department is empowered to modify any of the above
guidelines in consultation with Commissioner of Rural Development and
Panchayat Raj based on the exigencies that may arise from time to time in
the implementation of the Scheme.
 ANNEXURE - I
Technological Options for Processing Biodegradable Wastes through
Composting:
Composting
Composting is a natural biological process in which organic
(biodegradable) waste is broken down by the action of bacteria and
converted into an earthy, dark, crumbly substance called compost. Compost
is useful manure for horticultural plants and for enriching garden soil. Typical
materials suitable for composting include, green organic waste and
decomposable wastes with pre-sorting and screening to remove non-
decomposable.
The decomposition process takes place in the presence of air and
results in elevated process temperatures, the production of carbon dioxide,
moisture and a stabilized residue, known as compost. A high degree of
stabilization can generally be achieved in 3-6 weeks. For composting to
occur in an optimum manner, five key factors need to be controlled are
temperature, moisture, oxygen, material porosity and Carbon: Nitrogen
(C/N) ratio.
• Under properly controlled conditions temperature is likely to rise
beyond 70°C in aerobic composting. The temperature range of 50°
to 60° C is optimum for nitrification and cellulose degradation. The
high temperature also helps in destruction of some common
pathogen and parasites.
• The composting mass should have a minimum moisture content of
between 50 and 60% for the organisms to survive.
• It is necessary to ensure that oxygen is supplied throughout the
mass and aerobic activity is maintained by turning of the wastes.
During decomposition oxygen gets depleted and hence to be
continuously replenished by turning of the windrow.
• Solid waste is known to have good porosity to facilitate circulation
of air.
• C/N ratio of 30 is most favourable for composting. Whenever the
C/N ratio is less than the optimum, carbon materials such as straw,
saw dust, paper, etc., are added. When the ratio is too high the
sewage sludge, slaughter house waste etc., are added as source of
nitrogen to reduce C/N ratio. Solid waste in rural areas has an initial
C/N ratio of around 30 and hence does not need for adding of any
material.

1. Composting Systems at Household Level

Composting is carried out at household level in a single pit (lined or
unlined) or in bin system.
Composting in pits
• Two pits are dug in each household. The size of the pit will depend
upon the quantity of waste to be disposed of per day.
• Each day the garbage, cattle dung, straw, plant and agriculture
wastes are dumped into the manure pit. When one pit is filled, the
other pit is used.
 • The waste put in to the pit would get converted into compost in 5
to 6 months.
• Mixing of cow dung slurry with the garbage will help greatly in
converting the waste into compost.

Household level composting pits can be constructed by adopting either

lined or unlined pits as per the details hereunder;

Procedure for the construction of underground unlined compost pit

a. Excavate two pits each of 1m x 1m x 1m size

b. Place a single layer of broken bricks at the bottom
c. Make a ridge with the help of mud at the periphery of the pit
and compact it by light ramming.

This type of unlined pit is suitable to rural areas with low rain fall,
houses having an open space of about 7m2 and without cattle or with single
cattle.
Procedure for the construction of underground lined compost pit
a. Excavate two pits each of 1.2m diameter by 1 m depth
b. Inside the excavated pit construct a circular inner pit having
an inner diameter of 1m, in honey comb brick masonry of
100mm thick. The height of the circular pit should be raised
100mm above ground.
c. The top layer of the brick work of the pit is plastered with
cement mortar;
d. The bottom of the pit need not be plastered with cement.

This type of lined pit is suitable to rural areas with low rainfall and
loose soil structure, houses having an open space of about 7 square metres
and with no cattle or with a single cattle.
One Bin System:
A one bin system is the simplest way to make a compost pile. The
basic idea of a one bin system is to make an enclosure for the waste that is
at least about one metre in diameter. The materials are piled over time as
you generate compostable materials.
If you build the pile over time, the stuff on the bottom will decompose
first. When there is finished compost at the bottom of the bin, and you want
to use it, simply remove the unfinished compost from on top, take out what
you need, and throw the unfinished compost back on top.
Two Bin and Three Bin Systems:
These systems consist of two or three adjacent bins, and may be made
out of the same materials as a one bin system. The advantage of having
more than one bin is that one can have a bin for the pile being built (as
ingredients are accumulated over a period of time) and another one (or
more) for a pile already built that is in a more advanced stage of
decomposition. If you have the space for such a system, and are generating
or gathering enough materials to keep the bins in use, this can be very
convenient. When the bin is full, 'turn the pile' by transferring it to the
adjacent bin, using a garden fork or similar tool. This will aerate the pile and
hasten decomposition.
A two bin system works well. However, to have a bin for storing
finished compost, choose a three bin system. In a three bin system, you
might start by building a pile in the leftmost bin. The original pile is turned
into the middle bin when it's time to begin building another pile, aerating it
to accelerate the composting process. Another pile is then built in the
leftmost bin. When that pile is completed, the old pile (which is now in the
middle) is turned a final time into the rightmost bin for finishing, and the
just-built pile is turned into the middle bin, making the leftmost bin available
for yet another pile. Finished compost will eventually be removed from the
rightmost bin.
Operation of Household level unlined and lined composting pit
• Go on adding daily garbage (only biodegradable type) from the
house over the layer of bricks in the pit.
• When the garbage stored in the pit reaches a height of about
150mm, add dung slurry, mix it with garbage and level it.
• Spread a very thin layer of soil over it once a week to avoid odour &
fly nuisance.
• Continue to add garbage every day.
• Follow the above procedure and repeat the layers till the pit is filled.
It is recommended to fill the pit up to about 300 mm above the
ground level.
• After 3-4 days, the waste above ground settles down. Then cover
the pit with soil.
• Leave the pit as it is for 3-6 months for decomposition of wastes.
• During this period, use the second pit.
• After 3-6 months, take out the compost and use it in the fields.

2. Windrow composting at Community Level

Windrow composting is an established technology for dealing with
organic wastes, where the material is piled in long rows and aerated through
turning of the windrows. In areas where the average ambient temperature is
higher composting in open windrow is preferred. In this method the
segregated organic wastes are heaped on a paved or unpaved open space
but leveled and well drained in number of windrows with each windrow of
3.0m long x 2.0m wide x 1.5m high. Widrows are shown in Fig. 1. Each
windrow would be turned on the 6th and 11th days outside to centre to
destroy larvae of insects and to provide aeration. On the 16th day the
windrow would be broken down and passed through manually operated
rotary screens of 25mm square mesh to remove the over sized materials.
The screened compost is stored for about 30 days in heaps of 2.0m wide and
1.5m high and up to 20.0m long to ensure stabilization before use.

Fig. 1 Windrow composting

Typical lay out plan and sectional elevation of a 3 tonne/day capacity
windrow composting plant are shown in Fig. 2 to 5
3. Composting at Community Level:
Composting at community level can be taken up when household level
management of solid waste is not possible. Community level composting
should be taken up by the Village Panchayat by selecting a suitable site as
compost yard for the village. Site should be selected by taking into
consideration of wind flow direction to avoid any foul odour into inhabited
areas. The selected site should be easily accessible for transportation of
waste and manure. It should not be a low lying area to avoid water logging.

Underground unlined Composting pit:

Village Panchayat can easily construct the compost pit with available
technical knowhow. The following actions should be taken for construction of
compost pit.
• Excavate adequate number of pits of 3m (length) x 1.5m (width) x
1 m (depth) depending upon quantum of garbage generated
• Make a ridge with the help of soil at the periphery of the pit and
compact it by light ramming.

This type of construction is suitable in rural areas with low rainfall and
in villages where there is lack of space at household level for composting.
Underground brick lined Compost pit
• Excavate adequate number of pits of size 3.5m length x 2.0m
wide x 1.0m depth depending upon quantum of garbage
generated
 • In side the pits construct rectangular chambers of 3.0m x 1.5m
x 1.0m in honey comb brick masonry of 225mm thick. The
height of the pits should be 100mm above ground.
• Plaster the top layer of the pit. The bottom of the pit should not
be plastered with cement.

Operation of Community level unlined and lined Composting pit

Operation of the community pits is similar to household pits
• Go on adding daily garbage (only biodegradable type) from the
house over the layer of bricks in the pit.
• When the garbage stored in the pit reaches a height of about
150mm, add dung slurry, mix it with garbage and level it.
• Spread a very thin layer of soil over it once a week to avoid odour &
fly nuisance.
• Continue to add garbage every day.
• Follow the above procedure and repeat the layers till the pit is filled.
It is recommended to fill the pit up to about 300 mm above the
ground level.
• After 3-4 days, the waste above ground settles down. Then cover
the pit with soil.
• Leave the pit as it is for 3-6 months for decomposition of wastes.
• During this period, use the second pit.
• After 3-6 months, take out the compost and use it in the fields.

4. Vermi-Composting
Vermi-composting is carried out using earthworms in an enclosed bin
with holes for drainage and ventilation. A sturdy outdoor worm bin,
protected from pests, produces compost within six months during the warm
season or in one year in cold climates. One of the challenges in beginning a
vermin-compost system is finding a source of worms. Vermi-composting
requires a worm species that is adapted to living in decomposing organic
materials rather than in the soil. Two commonly used worm species are
Eisenia foetida and Lumbricus rubellus. NGOs that promote vermin-
composting may maintain 'worm banks' as a low-cost source of worms for
the general public.
Procedure for vermi-composting
Cement ring of 90 cm in diameter and 30cm in height is used for
vermi-composting. The bottom of the ring is covered with a polyethylene
sheet. A 15 – 20 cm layer of organic waste with compost ingredients such as
shredded leaves or paper boards, is spread over the sheet. Small quantities
of powdered rock phosphate are sprinkled over this mass. Then cow dung
slurry is sprinkled. The top of this was sealed with a paste of cow dung or
soil and allowed to decompose for 20 days. Selected number of earthworms
is then released into the ring through the cracks on the top of the heap. As
bacteria and fungi begin to decompose the materials, the worms graze on
the bacteria and fungi, and also break up the ingredients with their
movement through the bedding. Eventually, the worms have ingested the
ingredients and bedding and convert them into worm castings (feces) which
will be a good compost. Ingested feed substrates are subjected to grinding
in the interior part of the worms gut (gizzard) resulting in particle size
reduction.
The cement ring is covered with wire mesh or gunny bag to protect the
earthworms from predatory birds. Water is the sprinkled regularly to
maintain adequate moisture and body temperature of the earthworms. When
the compost is ready, it is scooped out of the rings and heaped to form a
conical mound. In about two to three hours, the earthworms moved to the
bottom portion. The top portion of the heap is removed and sieved. The
earthworms collected at the bottom are used for the next batch of vermin-
composting.
Vermi composting involves the stabilization of organic solid waste
through earthworm consumption which converts the material into worm
castings. Vermi composting is the result of combined activity of
microorganisms and earthworms. Microbial decomposition of biodegradable
organic matter occurs through extracellular enzymatic activities (primary
decomposition) where as decomposition in earthworm occurs in elementary
tract by micro-organisms inhabiting the gut (secondary decomposition). The
vermi compost is relatively more stabilized and harmonises with soil system
without any ill effect.
Vermi technology, a tripartite system which involves biomass,
microbes and earthworms is influenced by the biotic factors such as
temperature, moisture, aeration etc. Conditions unfavourable to aerobic
decomposition result in mortality of earthworms and subsequently no vermi
composting occurs. Therefore, pre-processing of the waste as well as
providing favourable environmental condition is necessary for vermi
composting.
The worm species commonly used in vermi composting are two exotic
varieties (Eisenia foetida and Eudrilus euginiae) and one indigenous
variety (Lampito mauritii). It is recommended that local variety of worms
which consume garbage should be used to the extent possible. 50 kg worms
give 50 kg manure per day. These worms are known to survive in the
moisture range of 20-80 % and the temperature range of 20º to 40ºC. The
worms do not survive in pure organic substrates containing more fresh
waste. Fresh waste is, therefore, commonly mixed with partially or fully
stabilized waste before it is subjected to vermi composting.
Adaptability
Vermi composting may be done using compost beds as well as tanks
at both household and community levels. Construction of vermi compost pit
as well as vermi tank is extremely simple and can be done by individuals and
masons available in rural areas. The process of vermi composting starts with
collection of segregated biodegradable solid waste from individual houses
and community and is to be used as feed material to vermi compost pit/tank
either at the household level or at the community level.
Vermi composting at Community Level:
The vermi composting at community level using tanks is most suitable
method capable of converting bio degradable solid waste into high quality
organic manure in a short period. It is very easy to operate and maintain.
The steps required to be followed for vermi composting in tanks at
community level are as follows;
• The site for vermin composting should be protected from direct
sunlight and should not be in low lying areas
• Construction of appropriate shed with thatched or tin roof on
bamboo /metal poles with proper slope to drain rain water and
proper ventilation is necessary.
• Construction of tanks of suitable size with brick masonry having
partition walls in side to make 4 compartments in each of the tank
unit, depending on the quantum of garbage availability in the
community.
• Four compartments in the tank are interconnected by providing
honey comb masonry in the partition walls.
• The four compartments are to be used one after other in a cyclic
manner. Each compartment has a capacity to accommodate wastes
for 15 days. Thus the total duration of one cycle is about 60 days.
When the fourth compartment is full, the vermi compost in the first
compartment is ready for harvesting.

Operational procedure of Vermi composting

• Each of the four compartments should be filled up to 125mm thick
at bottom with layers of brickbats coarse sand and fine sieved soil.
These layers are almost permanent and need not be disturbed while
removing vermi compost.
• The biodegradable solid waste generated every day, should be
added first to compartment No. 1. When compartment No. 1 is
completely filled, start adding waste to compartment No.2 and
thereafter to compartment No.3&4. The process of vermi compost
will be better if the solid waste is soft and green and is chopped to
smaller pieces.
• It is recommended to mix cow dung slurry with solid wastes (10 to
20% by weight) once or twice a week. Observe the condition of
garbage in compartment No.1. Introduce 1000 to 1200 live
earthworms of suitable species to the waste pile when it has
reached a semi-decomposed state. Cover the contents with a gunny
bag. This cover should always be kept moist by spraying adequate
quantity of water.
• Movement of earthworms is a special feature of vermi composting
tank. The earthworms will be moving automatically from
compartment No.1 to compartment No.2 and further to No.3 & 4 in
search of food, when the contents from the respective pit are fully
 consumed (converted into manure). This makes the maintenance of
vermi tank easy since it is not necessary to handle the worms.

Harvesting of Vermi Compost

Finished vermi compost is easily identified by its granular nature
resembling as tea powder. At that stage the compost is harvested.

Procedure of harvesting of compost:

• When the fourth compartment is full, the vermi compost from
compartment No.1 is ready for harvest.
• Before harvesting, keep the compartment open to air and sun for
one day which makes it easier to take out the compost.
• Remove the vermi compost up to the permanent base layer
• Start adding waste to the empty compartment as before.

Operation & Maintenance

The user of the system may be required to undertake certain
commitments for proper maintenance of the vermi composting system in
respect of the following aspects:
• Ensuring the temperature range is maintained at 20º to 30º C
• Avoiding over sprinkling of water
• Proper turning of operations is followed
• Periodical removal of vermi compost from the compartment by
careful scraping without disturbing movement of earthworms in the
compartment.
• Ensuring that no heavy metals or toxic elements go along with feed
materials
• Ensure required quantity and quality of feed materials are added
daily to the system
• Ensure red ants do not get entry into the system
• Ensure permanent base layer is not disturbed.
 ANNEXURE - II
Technological Options for Processing Biodegradable Wastes through
Biogas Plants:
Biogas generation technology can be used for the management of
biodegradable solid wastes. When the biodegradable solid waste is subjected
to anaerobic digestion, a gaseous mixture of methane (CH4) and carbon
dioxide (CO2), known as biogas, could be produced. Anaerobic digestion
(AD) is a naturally occurring process of decomposition and decay by which
organic matter is broken down to its simpler chemical compounds under
anaerobic conditions. Anaerobic microorganisms digest the organic
materials, in the absence of oxygen, to produce methane and carbon dioxide
gases.
There are several conditions and variables that must be applied in
order to obtain a proper breakdown of the organic compounds. The
operating parameters of the digester must be controlled so as to enhance
the microbial activity and thus increase the efficiency of anaerobic digestion.
Some of the parameters are briefly discussed below.
• Mesophilic temperature conditions, between 20° and 45°C, usually
35°C, is the preferable temperature range.
• The digestion time for waste treated in mesophilic digester ranges
from 15 to 30 days.
• An optimal range of pH is between 6.4 and 7.2 is favourable for
anaerobic digestion.
• Optimum carbon to nitrogen (C/N) ratios in biogas plant, are between
20 and 30. Optimum C/N ratio of the feed materials can be achieved
by mixing wastes of low and high C/N ratio, such as organic solid
waste mixed with sewage or cow dung.
• Mixing the content in the digester, improves the contact between
microorganisms and substrate and improves gas production and
prevents scum formation. However excess mixing can disrupt the
microorganisms and therefore, slow mixing is preferred.

Biogas plant is an excellent option in handling the organic wastes.

Once the solid waste is segregated into fermentable and non-fermentable
fractions, even at a 90% efficiency of segregation, solid wastes becomes
amenable for biogas production. Digested material, slurry, with or without
a post-composting stage, is safe for disposal as manure.
Typical lay out plan and sectional elevation of 600kg/day capacity
biogas plant with floating dome and fixed dome are shown in Fig. 6 to 9
 ANNEXURE - III

Technical description of Sanitary Land Filling:

In this method of waste disposal, non-recyclable solid waste or total

solid waste (un-segregated i.e., the waste that is not possible to be
segregated) is carried and dumped into the low lying area designed and
operated so as not to cause any nuisance or hazards to pubic health or
safety. The solid waste is dumped and compacted in layers of 30 to 60cm or
so and after the day’s work when depth of filling becomes about 1.5 m, it is
covered by good earth of about 15 to 30 cm thick, so that the solid waste is
not directly exposed. The filling is done dividing the entire site into smaller
portion. The compaction is done by movement of bulldozers or trucks etc.,
before starting the filling of second layer of solid waste. A final cover of
about 60cm of earth is laid and compacted at the top of the filled up land to
prevent rodents from burrowing into the waste.

With the passage of time, the filled up solid waste will get stabilized
due to the decomposition of organic matter and subsequent conversion into
stable compounds. The solid waste, in managed landfills, may usually get
stabilized within a period of 2 to 4 months and settle down by 20 to 40% of
its original height. The filled up land can be used for developing some green
land or parks or other recreational spots for the first 1 to 2 years.

Sanitary Land filling could be adopted for the following types of

wastes:

Co-mingled wastes not found suitable for waste processing

Pre-processing and post-processing rejects from waste processing
sites,

Non-hazardous waste not being processed or recycled.

Leachate
Under normal conditions, in the landfills, the rain water seeps through
the waste dump, dissolves the contaminants, moves down wards through
under lying strata although some lateral movement may also occurs and
flows through the bottom of the fill. This flow is called leachate, which may
contaminate groundwater. The movement of leachate depends upon the
characteristics of the surrounding soil. Leachate control within a landfill
involves either providing a liner system or drainage of leachate collected at
the base of a landfill and removal.
Methods of Land filling at Sanitary Land fill sites
Two methods of land filling generally adopted are

Area method; and

Trench method.
Area Method
The area method is used in low-lying area, where it is not possible to
excavate at the site due to high groundwater table. In this method the entire
land fill site is divided into number of sub division cells by constructing
embankments and roads over the embankments.
The filling in a chosen subdivision cell is done by bringing and filling
the solid waste in layers of about 50cm thick and compacted. Another layer
of 50cm in thick is then placed on top of the previously compacted layer,
and also compacted. Laying and compacting are repeated until a height of
1.5m is reached. At this point and at the end of a working day, an earth
cover of 15 to 30cm in thickness is placed and compacted on the top and the
side slopes of the compacted heap.
After the entire length of the sub division cell is filled, compacted and
provided with earth cover, cells are then constructed on the top of the
previous cells to complete another horizontal span of cells in the second lift.
The horizontal earth cover between two lifts is known as the intermediate
cover. There is no limit to the number of lift that can be filled, as long as the
side slope of the resulting heap does not exceed a certain criteria. The slope
is normally limited to a maximum of 1Vertical: 4Horizontal. When the
maximum prescribed height of fill is reached, a final cover of compacted
earth of about 60cm in thickness is placed over the top of the fill. A cap
system is usually provided at the top of the sanitary landfill, after filling to
full height, to avoid formation of leachate.

Fig.1. Section through a sanitary land fill with leachate collection system
Trench Method
When it is possible to excavate earth at the filling site, then the trench
method is used (Fig.1). In this method, a trench is excavated. The width of
the excavated trench should be sufficient enough as to allow free and easy
movement of the compaction equipment and vehicles in it. The trench is
filled with waste cells of daily solid wastes, separated by earth cover, as in
the area method. The earth excavated from the trench can be used to
provide the daily cover as well as the final cover on the waste fillings. The
import of earth for the formation of bunds and covering the waste cells is
avoided in this method. The method of filling, compacting and covering
involved in the trench method are exactly the same as the area method.
Advantages of Sanitary land filling are:

This method is most simple and economical,

There are no residues or byproducts left out in this method and
hence no further disposal is required. This is a complete method by
itself.

Low-lying water logged areas and odd quarry pits can be easily
reclaimed and put to better use.

The mosquito breeding places are eliminated, by filling with solid
wastes.
Disadvantages of Sanitary land filling are:

Low-lying depressions or dumping sites may not always be
available. Even if available today, they become unavailable in
future, since the production of solid waste is a continuous process.

There is a continuous evolution of foul gases near the fill site during
the time lf waste is being filled.

Use of insecticides is required for preventing fly nuisances.

Since dumped garbage may contain harmful and some time
carcinogenic non-biodegradable substances such as plastics, unused
medicines, paints, sanitary napkins etc., they may start troubling at
later date, particularly rainy season.
Criteria for Locating the Sanitary Landfill Site
No landfill should be located within
i. 200m of any lake or pond
ii. 100m of a navigable river or stream. For non-meandering
rivers a distance of at least 30m should be maintained.
iii. A 100years flood plains of major rivers
iv. 500m of any water supply well. This should be strictly
abided for wells located in down gradient.
v. 200m of the right of way of any state or national highway
for aesthetic reasons.
 vi. 500m from a notified habitated area. A no-development
buffer zone should be declared after the site for Sanitary
landfill is decided.
vii. 100m of a public park
viii. A wetland area, which is often difficult to define.
ix. 20km of any airport or the limit prescribed by regulatory
agencies from time to time.
x. A coastal regulation zone

Design of Sanitary Landfill

• The volume of solid waste to be placed in a landfill will be computed
for the active period of the landfill taking into account (a) the current
generation of waste per annum and (b) the anticipated increase in rate
of waste generation on the basis of past records or population growth
rate.
• Densities of solid wastes may range as low as 0.40T/m3 to 1.25T/ m3.
For planning purposes, a density of 0.85T/ m3 may be adopted for
biodegradable wastes and 1.1T/ m3 for inert wastes.
• Settlement of the completed solid waste mass beneath the final cover
will inevitably occur as a result of the consolidation of waste within a
landfill site. A typical allowance of 10% can be made when usable
landfill capacity is computed.
• The total landfill site area should be 15% more than the area required
for land filling to accommodate all infra-structure and support facilities
as well as to allow the formation of a green belt around the landfill.
Landfill heights are reported to vary from less than 5m to well above
30m.
 Annexure IV

Technological Options for Household Level and Community level

Liquid Waste Management

1. Technological Options for Household Level Management of Grey water

As far as possible, grey water generated at households should be
managed at household level such that zero or minimum community
wastewater is generated. The following technological options are suitable for
treating and disposing grey water within the area around the house:
• Kitchen Garden with piped root zone system
• Kitchen Garden with soil absorption bed
• Leach pit
• Soakage pit
1.1. Kitchen Garden with Piped Root Zone System
With this methodology, treated grey water can be utilized to irrigate kitchen
garden with plants of vegetables or flowers in the space around the house. The
grey water is passed through a grease-cum silt trap of size 450mm x 350mm x
300mm to collect silt and then through a perforated non pressure 50mm diameter
PVC pipe line laid over a 20 to 25mm thick gravel bed in a trench of 200mm width
and about 200mm depth (and length as per requirement). The PVC pipeline is and
covered with a plastic sheet and then refilled with earth. At the end of the pipe a
leach pit of 900mm diameter and 750mm depth with honey comb brick masonry
wall and water tight cover is provided. Suitable plants of vegetable or flower are
planted on both sides of the pipe.
Operation and maintenance (O&M)
• Periodical cleaning of the grease trap (every week)
• Cleaning of perforated PVC pipes (once in a year).
1.2. Kitchen Garden with Soil Absorption Bed
With this methodology also, grey water can be utilized to develop kitchen
garden to grow plants of vegetables or flowers in the space around the house. This
system is similar to above system without perforated pipe and leach pit. The grey
water is passed through a grease trap of size 450mm x 350mm x 300mm to collect
silt and allowed to flow over the soil absorption bed of appropriate size to absorb
the wastewater. Suitable vegetable or flower plants are planted on the absorption
bed.
Operation and maintenance (O&M)
Periodical cleaning of the grease trap (every week) is the only maintenance
requirement
 1.3. Leach Pit
Leach Pit is a brick lined pit of 1.0m diameter and 1.0m depth constructed in
honeycomb brick masonry of 115mm thick in a selected site near the house but
about 1m away from the wall. A drain pipe carrying wastewater from the house is
connected to the leach pit through a grease trap. In the drain pipe between the pit
and the outlet from the house P-trap is necessary to avoid vectors entering the
leach pit. The pit should be covered with RCC cover. The diameter of the cover
should be 100mm more than that of the pit. Leach pit is preferred in houses
without adequate space for providing kitchen garden and where wastewater
discharge is relatively more. Pit structure enhances the leaching effect.

Operation and maintenance (O&M)

• Periodical cleaning of the P-trap
• Periodical removal of the sludge from the leach pit.
1.4. Soak Pit
Soak pit is a dug out pit of 1.0m x 1.0m x 1.0m size filled with stones or
preferably with over-burnt bricks. The stones or bricks in the pit increase the
surface area over which micro-organisms grow and perform biological
decomposition takes place. Filling of stones will be in three layers as shown below:
• First (bottom) layer of 250mm thick with 125mm to 150mm size stones,
• 2nd layer of 250mm with 100mm to 125mm size stones, and
• 3rd layer of 250mm thick with 50 to 75mm size stones.
The grey water is discharged to soak pit through a connecting pipe of 50mm OD
non-pressure PVC pipe line. The water from the pit seeps into the ground and
reduces danger of polluting the ground water sources. Solids settled in the pit
undergo decomposition by the micro-organisms attached to the media.
Operation and maintenance (O&M)
• Soak pit should be cleaned once in a fortnight or month, depending on the
accumulation of dirt
• Soak pit looses its capacity within a period of 7 to 8 years. At that time the stones
or bricks from the pit are taken out, the walls of the pit are scraped in order to
remove the oily layer allow the pit dry for a period of 2 to 3 day, and then the
dried and cleaned stones or bricks are replaced into the pit.
2. Household Level Grey water Treatment and Reuse System
In water scarce areas, with specific treatment the grey water can be cleaned
and reused not only for gardening but also for non-consumptive uses.
Description
Grey water treatment process at the household level mainly involves screening
(grease and silt removal), soap froth removal, equalization and filtration. Flow
diagram of household based grey water treatment system is shown in Fig. 1.

2 3 4 5

1
 1. Screening (grease trap) – 300 x 300 x 100mm
2. Equalization (soap froth removal) – 300 x 300 x
300mm
3. Gravel filtration – 400 x 600 x 300mm
4. Sand filtration – 400 x 600 x 300mm
5. Filtered water collection tank - 400 x 600 x 300mm
Fig. 1. Grey water harvesting arrangement
3. Black water Management at the Household Level
There are several technologies available for handling black water at household
level. The following inter-related factors are to be considered in the selection of
technology

• Affordability
• Space in the household
• Geographical conditions – subsoil and groundwater table
• Cultural habits
• Availability of water within the house

It is, therefore, important to give several technological options to the user

to choose, construct and maintain a sanitary latrine to manage black water
within the household without much external support. The following
technologies could be useful for managing black water at household level:
• Pour-flush toilet,
• Septic tank
3.1 Pour-flush Toilet
The components of the pour-flush toilet are
• Squatting pan set on floor
• Trap with a 20 mm water seal
• Diversion chamber
• Leaching pits: 2Nos.
• Inter connecting pipes

The arrangements of a pour-flush toilet are shown in Fig. 2. The toilet is

connected through a diversion chamber to twin leach pits. The twin leach
pits are used alternatively. After each use it is flushed with about 1 to 2
litres of water into one of the pits. The liquid content of the excreta collected
in the leach pit percolates into the subsoil leaving the solids behind the pit.
When the first leach pit is filled in about two years, the excreta will be
diverted to the second leach pit. The first pit is left for its contents get
decomposed into rich organic humus which will be safe to handle. The
humus will then be emptied and used as manure. The first pit will then be
ready for use when the second pit is filled.
 Fig. 2 Pour-flush Toilet with Two pits

Fig.3 View of pour-flush toilet

Decomposition of human waste may proceed very slowly and the
period of decomposition is varying from six months to one year under
average condition in two-pit pour flush system. The temperature and
moisture conditions inhibit the growth of pathogens and by also the
competing bacterial flora and protozoa are destructive. Pathogens tend to
die quickly when humus like end products of the decomposition is spread out
and dried. The final product of decomposition contains valuable soil nutrients
and may profitably be used as fertilizers.
Advantages and disadvantages of Pour-flush toilet
The advantages of the pour flush toilet are:
• Possible location of leach pits inside the house,
• No odour or fly and mosquito breeding and minimal risk to health,
• Ease of construction and maintenance.
• Low level of capital investment and annual O&M cost,
The disadvantages of the pour flush toilet are
• They require two to three litres of water for flushing,
• When filled the first pit is to be taken out of service and the second pit
should be put into operation by diverting the flow in the diversion
chamber.
Design Criteria of Pour-flush toilet
• Latrine size: (Min) 800 ×1000mm
• Diversion chamber size: 250 × 250mm (Fig.4)
• Connecting pipe to Leach pit: 75mm OD PVC pipes laid at a grade of 1
in 5.
• No. of Leach pits: 2Nos (used alternatively)
• Only one pit is used continuously until it is filled
• Second pit will be used when the first pit is completely filled
• Shape: Circular, Square or Rectangular
• Size of leach pit: 750 × 750mm or 900mm dia.
• Effective depth: 1000mm (Min)
• Spacing of Pits = Effective depth
• Lining: With honey comb Brick work 115mm thick in cement mortar
1:6 with alternate layers are solid layers with cement mortar
• Size of holes in the lining: 12 to 15mm holes in sandy soil and 75mm
holes in other soils

Fig. 4 Diversion chamber

The dimensions of pits are furnished in Table 2.
 Table 2 Dimensions of pits for different capacities
No. of users 5 10 15
Location Dia., Depth, Dia., Depth, Dia., Depth,
mm mm mm mm mm mm
Inside the 900 1400 1100 1750 1200 2000
premises
Outside the 950 1950 1150 2250 1300 2500
premises

Maintenance Requirement
• About 1 to 2 litres water per flush, mainly depending on the pan
design and the distance to the pit.
• When full, the first pit should be abandoned and covered with 50
cm thick of soil, and second pit is put into use.
• A pit can only be emptied manually if the excreta have been left to
decompose for at least 12–18 months.
• By this time, the excreta will have decomposed into harmless
humus, which makes a good fertilizer

3.2 SEPTIC TANKS

The septic tank is the most common, small scale and decentralised
treatment system for black water usually of rectangular chamber. It is
basically a sedimentation tank in which settled sludge is stabilised by
anaerobic digestion. Dissolved and suspended matters leave the tank
untreated.
The functions of the septic tanks are as follows:

They receive black water or excreta from the toilets.

Heavier solids settle to the bottom of the septic tank where they are
decomposed by anaerobic bacteria;

The digested sludge is stored at the bottom,

The lighter solids such as hair, soap and grease float to the surface forming
scum.

The gases like carbon-di-oxide, methane and hydrogen sulphide are
produced during anaerobic decomposition and released to the atmosphere
through vent pipe.

To start with, the tank is filled with water for a depth of about 100 mm and
seeded with cow dung or sludge from other septic tank.

Septic tank is to be cleaned once in 2 to 4 years to remove the accumulated
digested sludge.
3.2.1 Design features of Septic Tanks

They shall be designed to be watertight and to provide adequate space
for settling of solids, accumulation of sludge and scum.

A baffle or a sanitary tee pipe at the tank inlet slows down the incoming rush
of wastewater, so the sludge is not stirred up. This baffle or tee is to
penetrate at least 150mm below the liquid level.

A baffle or a sanitary tee pipe located at the tank's outlet prevents floating
scum from leaving the tank. Outlet baffles or sanitary tees shall extend below
the liquid surface to a depth greater than that of inlet pipe.

The liquid depth is 1.0 to 1.8 m and the length to breadth ratio is 2 to 3 : 1.

The distance between the inlet and outlet of the tank is at least equal to the
liquid depth of the tank.

Inlets and outlets should be located on opposite ends of the tank. The invert
of flow line of the inlet shall be located at least 50 mm (and preferably
75mm) above the invert of the outlet.

Inlet and outlet pipe connections to the septic tank shall be sealed with a
bonding compound that will adhere to the tank and pipes to form watertight
connections, or watertight sealing rings.

The top of the baffles or sanitary tees must extend at least 150 mm above
the liquid level in order to provide scum storage, but no closer than 25mm to
the bottom of the cover of the tank.

Manholes to each compartment of the tank shall be provided to facilitate
inspection and cleaning through properly placed manhole openings not less
than 450 mm, in minimum horizontal dimension.
The components of the septic tank are shown in Fig. 5.
The dimensions of Septic tanks for different number of users are furnished in
Table
Table 3. Recommended sizes of Septic tank up to 20 users
No. of Length Breadth Liquid depth (D)
(m)
users (L) (B)
(cleaning interval of)
(m) (m) 2 years 3 years
5 1.5 0.75 1.0 1.05
10 2.0 0.90 1.0 1.40
15 2.0 0.90 1.3 2.00
20 2.3 1.10 1.3 1.80

3.2.2 Disposal of Effluent from Septic Tank

The effluent from the septic tank will normally clear and have lesser
organic material. However, it will be rich in fecal coliform bacteria and other
organisms and may contain pathogens. From health point of view, the septic
tank effluent is as dangerous as raw black water and it should not be
discharged to land or open drains without further treatment. The effluent
flows out of the tank, should be treated further either in soak pit as
described in section 3.1.4 or dispersion system.

Suitable soil for dispersion system

The soil must be of a suitable type and must be deep enough (at least 1.0m)
to treat effluent from septic tank further before it reaches groundwater. The soil
filters out larger particles and pathogens, which eventually die off in the soil
environment. Well-drained, medium-textured soils such as loam are best for
treatment. Coarse gravel or sandy soils allow wastewater to flow too quickly and
least time available for treatment. In fine clay or compacted soils, water moves too
slowly and the air spaces between soil particles remain filled with water, leading to
lack of oxygen and prevents the rapid breakdown of wastes by aerobic (oxygen-
requiring) soil microbes.

4. Community Level Management of Grey Water from Households

In compact and crowded rural habitations, effective grey water
management at domestic level may not be feasible due to non availability of
space around the houses. In such cases grey water generated from
households becomes community grey water. Community level management
of grey water should be as simple as possible for village level community to
understand and implement. Technological options are based on community
level management. The management of this grey water would be the
responsibility of the Village Panchayat. Community level grey water can be
of the following two types:

a) Grey water from public places like wastewater from public stand
posts for water supply, wells, hand pumps, schools, etc.
b) Grey water from households which cannot be managed at domestic
level.

The grey water from public places would have minimum amount of
pollutants, while domestic grey water which becomes community grey
water, would have grease, kitchen wastewater, food particles, bathing and
clothes washing water, silt etc. Therefore, the technology should be suitable
to take care of these pollutants from households and to stabilize grey water
as far as possible for subsequent reuse.

4.1 Collection and Transportation of Grey Water:

The first step in the management of community grey water, would be
to establish a system for collecting and transporting the grey water to a
suitable location for the final treatment. It will be necessary to establish a
suitable drainage system for this purpose.

It is desirable for the Village Panchayat to have a network of drainage

system for its villages, taking into consideration, the roads, the lanes and
the number of houses on each component of the drainage line. The village
land contours will have to be considered in the alignment of drain so that
adequate gradient (slope) is available for smooth flow of water.
This drainage system could be of any of the two types;
a. Open drain with technically sound design, with semicircular base and
trapezoidal cross section is essential so as to maximize self cleaning
velocity for carrying away silt in grey water. This is generally not
preferable.
b. Closed drain such as small bore sewer system with intercepting tanks.
4.1.2 Small Bore Sewers
In rural areas, per capita water supply is very less in the order of 40 to 70
lpcd only. Consequently, generation of waste water is too low to make
conventional trunk sewer system effective. Small bore sewers (SBS) also
known as solid free sewerage is a means of conveying sewage or grey water
and is laid below ground close to the surface. SBS is suitable and
appropriate system as it is low cost and requires minimum maintenance.
Wastewater has been settled in an interceptor tank before entry into the
sewer (Fig. 6).

Fig. 6. Schematic diagram of Small Bore Sewer

The CPHEEO, Government of India Manual on Sewerage and Sewage

Treatment (Second Edition, 1993) discusses this system. SBS uses gravity only to
transport wastewater, similar to conventional sewers. However, small bore sewers
are always preceded by an interceptor tank for pretreatment of wastewater. The
settling of solids occurs in the interceptor tank eliminates much of the suspended
solid matter from the wastewater. Hence, there is no need to maintain self
cleansing velocity in the sewers. This enables the sewerage system to have smaller
diameter pipes flowing full and at more flat slope. The pipes used are made of light
weight plastic (PVC or HDPE) and can be buried at a relatively shallow depth.
Manholes are not required for SBS as there is no need for cleaning; instead, clean
out ports are provided in collection pipes for maintenance.
Interceptor Tanks
The design requirements of the interceptor tank include the following;

Interceptor tank (preferably with two compartments) can be one for
individual house or for number of houses (up to 4 houses).

The design wastewater flow, is based on the ultimate water
requirements of the population.

The pipe connecting the houehold and the interceptor tank should
be at least 100 mm in diameter, laid as straight as possible, and
have a steeper slope than 1 in 30.

Vents may have to be located next to the building connected to the
pipe leading to the interceptor tank.

One day’s storage capacity in the tank allows sufficient retention
time of wastewater.

A tee on the inlet side of the tank dissipates the energy of the
wastewater as it enters and prevents short-circuiting.

The outlet from the interceptor tank should be located about 75
mm below the level of the inlet. The outlet with a tee and an
effluent filter prevents even finer solids from leaving the tank.

The tank cover should be airtight to prevent escaping of odour and
entering of storm water into the tank. But it must be provided with
a manhole access for desludging.
Sewer

PVC pipes can be used for the sewers as they have a very smooth
inner surface, so that the effluent flows through them easily. The
diameter of the sewer may be from about 75mm to 160 mm OD.

Clean outs made from standard pipe- fittings can be installed at
high points of the sewer. A typical cleanout (right) and simple
junction without a cleanout (left) of SBS is shown in Fig. 7.

Fig. 7 A typical cleanout in the SBS

Advantages:
• As the system is closed, materials like garbage, roadside solid wastes,
plastics, building materials etc. will not find access to the system.
• Operation and maintenance becomes easier by Village Panchayat.
• Construction cost is less than the cost for surface drain.
• Road space is fully utilized.
This system is suitable to villages with dense population, where houses
do not have place for managing their own household grey water and villages
with narrow lanes.

Operation and maintenance (O&M)

Operation and maintenance costs for SBS are very low. The only
maintenance requirement is the periodic pumping sludge out of the interceptor
tanks, which is usually done every two to three years with the help of vacuum
operated trucks or carts.

5. Treatment of Community Grey Water

Decentralised treatment of wastewater in rural areas is more suitable.
In such areas wastewater contains only organic wastes that can be treated
easily by the help of natural microbes present in waste water. Due to
absence of toxic and heavy metals in such waste water, treated waste water
as well as sludge can be effectively used for agricultural purposes.
Advantages of decentralised wastewater treatment system are as follows:
• Low operational and maintenance costs.
• Semi skilled persons can operate whole system.
• Energy consumption is nil or very low depending upon technology
applied.
• Depending upon the technology there is economic return.
• Can be designed as per the site condition and requirement – reuse or
disposal of effluent can be easily regulated.
• There is a safe reuse of treated effluent as well as of sludge.
In rural areas, wastewater contains only organic wastes, free from any
contamination of heavy metals or other toxic elements. It can be effectively
treated and safely reused for agricultural/ horticultural purposes with
sustainable technologies through decentralized system of treatment.
Once the community grey water is collected at one or multiple points outside
the village, the treatment is required to convert it into harmless and
reusable water. Therefore, only technologies for decentralised treatment of
wastewater are to be considered. Some appropriate treatment technologies
easily manageable by Village Panchayat could be;
• Decentralised Waste Water Treatment System (DEWATS)
• Waste stabilization pond (WSP).
5.1. Decentralised Waste Water Treatment System (DEWATS)
In rural areas wastewater contains mostly organic matters, making it
more suitable for reuse for agricultural purposes. The technology developed
by the Bremen Overseas Research and Development Association (BORDA),
Bremen, Germany, in collaboration with various organisations in India,
known as DEWATS and its principle is described below. This technology has
widely been implemented in rural as well as urban areas in different States
in India.

DEWATS is a modified septic tank system. In this system there are

three or four or more chambers, depending on the quality and quantity of
waste water. The first chamber is a settling chamber and the rest are
treatment chambers where bacteria grow on media in the forms of stones or
any other rough plastic material. Effluent quality is good enough to be used
for agriculture purpose. Important advantage with the system is that it takes
total wastewater, i.e., grey water along with black water. A schematic
drawing of DEWATS is shown (Fig 8). Basic principle of DEWATS is proper
settling of settleable solids of influent through three or four chambers in
series and increase bacterial activity through proper bacterial growth on the
media in different chambers for the growth and bacterial degradation of
dissolved solids in effluent. Such treated effluent has much less BOD suitable
for use for agriculture and horticulture purposes.

Fig. 8 Plan and Longitudinal Section of DEWATS

Advantages of DEWATS
• The system has least operation and maintenance costs
• The system can be operated by semiskilled persons
 • Requirement of space for treatment of wastewater is very low in
comparison to WSP and
• Final effluent is suitable to be used for agriculture purpose.
Limitations with the system
• The system has high implementation (capital) cost
Dimensions of DEWATS
Dimensions of units of DEWATS for treating 50000 Litre/day wastewater flow
are furnished in Table 4.

Table 4. Dimensions of different units of DEWATS to treat 50000 Lpd

wastewater

Name of the unit Length, m Width, m Depth, m

Screen chamber 1.10 1.00 1.00
Pre-processing filter 2.50 2.00 2.50
Baffled septic tank 7.50 2.00 3.00
Up-flow Baffled filter 22.00 2.00 2.00
reactor
Root zone treatment 22.00 2.00 2.00
chamber

5.2. Waste Stabilization Ponds (WSP)

Waste stabilization ponds (WSPs) are a low-cost, low-energy, low-
maintenance and, above all, a sustainable method of wastewater treatment.
WSPs are an extremely appropriate method of wastewater treatment in
India particularly in rural areas. They are highly appropriate under many
conditions in India. The climate in India is very favourable for the efficient
operation of WSP. WSPs are shallow man-made basin into which wastewater
flows and from which, after a retention time of few days a well-treated
effluent is discharged. WSP systems comprise of a series of ponds –
anaerobic, facultative and maturation ponds in series.

The advantages of WSP systems are as follows:

• WSPs are simple to construct and maintain. It contains construction of

different ponds excavated to a desired depth and capacity with proper
lined embankments, inlet and outlet chambers and interconnecting
pipes.
• WSPs are much cheaper than other wastewater treatment processes.
• It is highly efficient, up to 90% removal of BOD making the effluent
suitable for reuse in agriculture purposes.

Ponds should be located at least 200 m (preferably 500 m) away from

habitation. Odour release, even from anaerobic ponds, is most unlikely to be
a problem in a well-designed and properly maintained system.
Functions of different ponds under WSP system
WSP system comprises of a single series of anaerobic, facultative and
maturation ponds. Anaerobic and facultative ponds are designed for BOD
removal and maturation ponds for pathogen removal, although some BOD
removal also occurs in maturation ponds and some pathogen removal in
anaerobic and facultative ponds. In general maturation ponds will be
required only when the treated wastewater is to be used for unrestricted
irrigation (for all crops) and has to comply with the WHO guideline of less
than 1000 faecal coliforms per 100 ml, prior to surface water discharge. A
schematic diagram of WSPs is as in Fig 9.

Fig.9. Schematic diagram of Waste Stabilization Pond system

Anaerobic pond
Anaerobic pond, the first pond in the WSP system, is commonly 2 to 5
m deep and receives a high organic loading therefore, they contain negligible
dissolved oxygen and algae. Their primary function is the removal of BOD.
Anaerobic ponds work extremely well in warm climates. A properly designed
pond will achieve around 70 per cent reduction of BOD at 25º C and above
temperature. Wastewater with a BOD of up to 300 mg/l, hydraulic retention
time of 1 day is sufficient at temperatures greater than 20ºC.
Facultative pond
Facultative ponds, which receive settled wastewater (usually the effluent
from anaerobic ponds) are 1.20 – 1.50 m deep. They are designed for BOD removal
on the basis of a relatively low surface loading of 100 – 400 kg BOD/Ha-d at
temperature between 20°C and 25°C to permit the development of a healthy algal
population as the oxygen for BOD removal by the bacteria is mostly generated by
algal photosynthesis. Due to the algae facultative ponds are colored dark green.
Effluent entering the facultative pond from the anaerobic pond is converted
into carbon dioxide, water and new bacterial and algae cells in the presence of
oxygen. Algae populations within the aerobic pond require sunlight for
photosynthesis. They develop and produce oxygen in excess of their own
requirements. This excess oxygen is used by bacteria to further break down the
organic matter within the effluent. The pond usually has an aerobic upper layer and
anaerobic lower layer and hence called facultative pond. This facultative condition
occurs because high oxygen levels cannot be maintained to the total depth of
ponds. The processes in the facultative pond are shown in Fig. 10.

Fig. 10. Processes in the facultative pond

The facultative pond will remove odor and kill most pathogenic microorganisms.
Oxidation Ponds
Oxidation ponds are WSP with single pond system. For village
panchayats with small volume of flows of less than 5,00,000 Lpd single
oxidation pond will provide the necessary treatment. Pond is enclosed with
earthen embankment formed by cut and fill method by equating the volume
of excavation to volume of embankment.
Design Criteria of Oxidation pond
Detention time: 20 to 25days
Volume of pond: 20 to 25 days flow
Depth of the pond: 1.20 to 1.50m
Slope of the embankment: inner 1.5H: 1.0V (inside lined with pre cast
concrete slabs)
Outer: 2.0H: 1.0V (outside finished with turfing)
Top width of embankment: 1.5m
Free Board: 0.75m
Length to Breath ratio: 4:1
C.V.SANKAR,
PRINCIPAL SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT.
//True Copy//

SECTION OFFICER.