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Chapter 1 Introduction

1.1 Introduction Wastewater management serves a vital role in maintaining the safety of environmental and public health. Wastewater management system goes back hundreds of years; waste water system was fairly primitive until the last 100 years. The early methods for managing polluted water were much decentralized. Most wastewater was simply dumped to cesspools. If untreated wastewater is allowed to accumulate, the decomposition of the organic materials can lead to the production of large quantity of malodorous gases. In addition, untreated wastewater usually contains numerous pathogenic or disease causing, microorganisms that dwell in the human intestinal tract. Hence proper management of wastewater is very much needed for a healthy nation.

1.2 Wastewater Management System


Wastewater can be defined as any water that has been adversely affected in quality by anthropogenic influence. It comprises liquid waste discharged by domestic residences, commercial properties, industry, and/or agriculture and can encompass a wide range of potential contaminants and concentrations. In the most common usage, it refers to the municipal wastewater that contains a broad spectrum of contaminants resulting from the mixing of wastewaters from different sources. (Fernando, 2002) Wastewater mainly contains gerywater, blackwater and storm water. Main types of wastewater are given in the Figure 1.1. Mains water supplied to households is used for many purposes, other than drinking and food preparation, notably bathing and showering, toilet flushing and the
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washing of utensils, dishes and clothes. Except where main drainage is not installed, the used water gravitates to the local sewer and becomes sewage.

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Domestic wastewater usually contains both solid and dissolved pollutants including fecal matter, paper, urine, sanitary items, food residues and a variety of other contaminants. In the most common usage, it refers to the municipal wastewater that contains a broad spectrum of contaminants resulting from the mixing of wastewaters from different sources. 1.2.1 History of Urban Wastewater Management Because of the sparse population did not cause many hazards or problems during ancient time at decentralized wastewater management system even in urban areas, most wastewater was simply released into cesspools. However, as population grew and sanitation became a greater concern, management shifted to centralized systems using familiar public sewerage systems and improved health of the environment and reduced the spread of disease by improving the efficiency of people own septic tanks. Collecting and treating wastewater has been even more beneficial to human health than the health service because it stopped waterborne diseases such as cholera and typhoid. Hence, treatment of sewage is essential to ensure that the receiving water into which the effluent is ultimately discharged is not significantly polluted.
(URL:///I:/Project%20Report%2004_07_2011/Final%20Project %20%2827_04_2011%29/Final%20Project/Litreature%20%28Important%29/Waste %20Water/envm0002pf.htm)

There are numerous processes that can be used to clean up waste waters depending on the type and extent of contamination. Most wastewater is treated in industrial-scale wastewater treatment plants which may include physical, chemical and biological treatment processes. However, the use of septic tanks and other onsite sewage facilities is widespread in rural areas, serving up to one quarter of the homes in the Sri Lanka (Kumar and Badu, 2005). The most important aerobic treatment system is the activated sludge process, based on the maintenance and recirculation of a complex
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biomass composed by micro-organisms able to absorb and adsorb the organic matter carried in the wastewater. Figure 1.1 Types of Wastewater Anaerobic processes are widely applied in the treatment of industrial problem.
(Source: http://www.idrc.ca/openebooks/112-4/img/wastewater_22_la_2.jpg)

wastewaters

and

biological

sludge.

Disposal

of

wastewaters from an industrial plant is a difficult and costly

1.8 Health Issues The wastewater that is collected from the domestic, industrial, public places by the separate or combined system is disposal of the body of the water such as river, sea or scream or on land is reason for mainly health and the environmental issues. Polluted water could result in four types of diseases such as water borne, water washed, water based and water related. Water borne diseases could get transmitted focally or orally. Some are caused by bacteria; these include cholera and typhoid. Some others are caused by the phage virus or bacteriophages. Water borne diseases can be prevented by either improving the quality of drinking water, or by preventing the use of water from unhygienic sources.
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The another type identify called water washed diseases, as these are spread from person to person using water as the medium. Skin diseases, leprosy and conjunctivitis rank among these. To prevent the spread of water washed diseases, it is needed to improve access to a reliable domestic water supply, and also increase the quantity of water available for washing, cleaning, etc., so as to prevent sharing of the same water by many people. Water based diseases are identified the liver fluke and guinea worm diseases feature among. Controlling snail populations, filtering the water using a fine mesh cloth, so as to remove larvae, cyclops or snails will help prevent these diseases, apart from disinfecting contaminated water. Water related diseases refer to those spread by vector organisms. Malaria, filaria and dengue fever are prominent among these. These can be prevented by destroying breeding mosquitoes. The Figure 1.2 shows the from infection disease and there have approximately 22 % of death case by the water related diseases.

Figure 1.2 Deaths from infectious Disease


(Source: http://www.catea.gatech.edu/grade/health/module2.htm)

1.1 Types of Wastewater Collecting Systems


Sewage is defined as the combination of domestic sewage, municipal, industrial waste and storm water. But Sewage is correctly the subset of wastewater that is contaminated with faeces
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or urine, but is often used to mean any waste water. "Sewage" includes domestic, municipal, or industrial liquid waste products disposed of, usually via a pipe or sewer or similar structure, sometimes in an emptier. Sewage collecting methods can be classified in to two types. They are separate system and combined system.
(Source: http://www.answers.com/topic/wastewater)

Figure 1.3 Combined Sewer Systems


(Source:http://www.thewatertreatments.com/wpcontent/uploads/2009/08/separate-sewage-system.JPG)

Although separate sewer systems are intended to transport only sewage, all sewer systems have some degree of inflow and infiltration of surface water and groundwater, which can lead to sanitary sewer overflows. Inflow and infiltration is highly affected by antecedent moisture conditions, which also represents an important design consideration in these systems. Table 1.1 shows comparison of separate & combined systems. Figure 1.3 and Figure 1.4 show the combined and separate sewer system respectively.
(Source:http://www.thewatertreatments.com/wpcontent/uploads/2009/08/separate-sewage-system.JPG)

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Figure 1.4 Separate Sewer Systems Table 1.1 Comparison of Separate and Combined System Item of comparison Arrangement of sewers Separate system Combined system

Difficult- two laterals Simple- One lateral and two house and one house connections for a connection for a building building Two set Small One set Big

No of sets of sewers required Size of sewerage Load of treatment plants Cleaning of sewers

Less as storm water More s storm water not treated treated Difficult - as self- Easyno flushing cleaning velocity not required. Silting achieved. Flushing occur in summer necessary Low as storm water High as both storm does not need water and sewer pumping require pumping Storm water sewer aligned with reference to topography and natural drains of Alignment of sewer cannot be done according to topography.
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Maintenance cost

Alignment of sewerage

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area.
(Source: Kamala and Rao, 1988)

1.10 Sewerage Systems in Sri Lanka The City of Colombo is the major urban area in Sri Lanka. The metropolitan area has become the home of increasingly more people from all social and economic strata, and as the commercial and industrial activities have exploded, land has increasingly became a scarce and expensive commodity in this region. About 80% of the city of Colombo and two adjacent cities is sewer. The collected sewerage is discharged to the ocean without any treatment, through two outfalls. Septic tanks with soakage pits is the on-site disposal method for sanitary sewage (black water) used in houses not connected to the network, which includes some houses in the sewer area (Wikramanayake & Corea, 2003). 1.1 Low Income Housing Scheme A large proportion of the population of the City of Colombo estimates range of one third to one half- live in what are terms low income housing schemes. The City of Colombo and the associated Greater Colombo metropolitan area is the major urban area in Sri Lanka. A large proportion of the population of the city of Colombo estimates range from one-third to one-half live in what are termed lowincome communities (also known as community gardens). The proportion of the population in the surrounding urban areas in such communities ranges from 10-15% (Wikramanayake & Corea, 2003). The term covers housing units ranging from temporary structures to semi-permanent and even permanent structures. However, all these communities are generally unauthorized, consist of very small lots (ranging from 25-50 m2) and are densely settled (Wikramanayake & Corea, 2003). Most of these housing units do not have individual sanitary facilities and the inhabitants have to use common toilets or defecate in the
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open. The sanitation coverage of these communities is summarized in Table 1, which gives the overall figures as well as the figures for the communities located next to water bodies and in low-lying areas. In the table the categories Adequate and Marginal are defined as less than 10 households to a toilet. The categories Inadequate and Grossly Inadequate are defined as between 10 and 20, and greater than 20 households per toilet, respectively. The table shows that the categories Inadequate and Grossly Inadequate total over 50% of the population in these areas. Furthermore, the table shows that about 20% of the total population in low-income communities both live near water bodies and marshes and have inadequate or grossly inadequate sanitation facilities. It is very likely that a high proportion of the sewage load from such communities reaches the surface water directly, with consequent impacts on public health and the environment. About 80% of the City of Colombo and parts of two adjacent cities are sewered. The collected sewage is discharged to the ocean, without any treatment, through two outfalls (Wikramanayake & Corea, 2003). Septic tanks with soakage pits is the on-site disposal method for sanitary sewage (black water) used in houses not connected to the network, which includes some houses in the sewered area. Sludge (gray water) is disposed of directly into soakage pits. Table 1.2 Sanitation Coverage of Low-income Communities in Colombo Sanitation Coverage of total population Sanitation Coverage of population located along canal banks, rivers and coasts, and in low-lying areas Adequate and Marginal Inadequate and Grossly Inadequate
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Adequate and Marginal

Inadequate and Grossly Inadequate

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Colombo Dehiwala/M t. Lavinia All MC areas


Source: Greater

112,000 10,500

150,000 12,500

19,000 4,500

51,500 3,500

122,500

162,500

23,500

54,500

Colombo

Wastewater

and

Sanitation

Master

Plan

(Engineering Science 1993)

Soakage of effluent into the ground fails when one or more of the following conditions are encountered high density of buildings, high groundwater table, and poor soil conditions. Much of the recent urban expansion has been on filled marshy lands. Many houses in such areas are not able to dispose effluent to the ground. Instead the effluent including septic tank effluent is diverted to surface drains. Many low-income communities are also located on such lands. Therefore individual septic tanks and soakage pits are not feasible even if space is available. It was the potential failure of the individual septic tank / soakage pit system under conditions of high housing density as well as the need to reduce groundwater pollution that motivated the major expansion of the existing 100-year old Colombo sewer network in the 1980s (Wikramanayake & Corea, 2003). 1.1 Study Area Arunodaya Mawatha Housing Scheme Housing Scheme of Arunodaya Mawatha is situated at Rajagiriya. Arunodaya Mawatha Housing Scheme is a part of President Premadasas political program named shelter for the low income people in Sri Lanka. 22 years ago this area was a marshy land. It was developed by Sri Lanka Land Reclamation Development Corporation (SLLRDC). In this housing scheme each house has 2 perch lot with streets & back alleys. National Housing Development Authority (NHDA) have
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constructed the sewerage system in this housing scheme and presently it is controlled by Kotte Municipal Council (KMC).

Study Area Figure 1.5 Area of Aruunodaya Mawatha Housing Scheme 1.1 Problem Identification Since last 10 years Arunodaya Mawatha community faces huge problems due to their wastewater disposal system. The wastewater system has been blocked-up and overflows from manholes (see Figure 1.6). During the rainy season almost all manholes overflow and spared all over the roads (see Figure 1.7 and Figure 1.8). There is no proper drainage system to collect storm water runoff and wastewater. Hence even due to a small rainfall event flooding occurs. Further mismanagement wastewater directly cause to pollute the environment and to spread various types of diseases. Due to improper wastewater disposal system, Arunodaya Mawatha community faces to health and sanitation problems seriously.

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Overflowed Sewer

Manhole Position

Broken Manhole

Figure 1.6 Overflowed Manholes 1.8 Problems Occur in Sewerage System

Though some septic tanks are functioning poorly, due to very poor maintenance such as cleaning per every month, cause for most of the problems in sewerage systems. It is understood that the most of these septic tanks were not cleaned for many years. Another important problem is illegal constructions. In several manholes and septic tanks were unable to clean due to illegal constructions, which were carried out on the manholes. Black alleys and pipelines are also covered by illegal constructions and expansions of houses. Figure 1.7 shows back alleys blocked due to illegal constructions. There is a manhole arrangement of the collection of the sewer. One manhole is connected to four houses. All these manholes are connected to the septic tanks. The main problem occurs due to overflow of those manholes. Even during a little rain manholes starts to overflow and during the rainy season this become very serious and flooding occurs due to blockage of the sewer system, which leads to overflow the cannel. Figure 1.8 shows the occasion of flooding in the housing scheme.

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A river of the Diyawanna water system flows beside the Arunodaya Mawatha Housing scheme and all surface water finally flows into the canal. Most houses (legal) release their greywater to canal and blackwater dispose to the septic tanks through existing network. The septic tank effluent is finally discharged to the cannel through pipes. Unauthorized houses inhabitants discharge their sewer & wastewater in to the canal without any treatment process. Therefore the canals depth has been reduced. And during the rainy season it starts to flood. Further, blocked black alleys with illegal constructions are affected to improper drainage system. Flooding severely affects to human health as the canal water has already polluted. The canal has been covered with aquatic plants such as algae, water hysinth and also with debris. Therefore Kotte Municipal Council, (KMC) who is the responsible local authority on management of disposal systems in this housing scheme, wants to rehabilitate the wastewater disposal system at Arunodaya Mawatha low income housing scheme to upgrade their living standards and also to avoid health risks.

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4 feets reduced to 2 feets

Figure 1.7

Back alleys Blocked due to Illegal Constructions

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Boundary Walls 1 Roads Figure 1.8 1.10 Aim of the Study The aim of the study is to investigate the existing problems of wastewater management system at Arunodaya Mawatha low income housing scheme and rehabilitate or design a new wastewater management system. 1.11 Objectives of the Project Flooding due to Rain Flooding

To full fill the above aim following objectives were carried out;

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Investigate

the

problems

due

the

wastewater

management system in Arunodaya Mawatha community.

Collect the data from questionnaire survey.


To analysis the data and identify their problems. To To examine study the details about guide existing lines for wastewater wastewater management system and site conditions. the design management system.

To design a new wastewater system or in order to


rehabilitate the existing system. 1.12 Scope of the Study

Study the current situation of the wastewater system at Arunodaya Mawatha housing scheme and in this type of past projects. Analysis collected data. Propose suitable solution for the wastewater management system in Arunodaya Mawatha housing scheme. (Design a new wastewater management system or rehabilitation the existing system.) 1.13 Structure of the Project This project is considered give the most effective wastewater system to the low income community. Therefore we were trying to develop the existing septic tank. In this research aimed to develop more effective anaerobic baffled rector to the community. Chapter 1 discussed the background of the study, aim, objectives and the scope of this study. Literature review showed in the chapter 2, which describes the methods of wastewater treatments, low income housing units and their wastewater system in Sri Lanka, wastewater disposal regulations of Central Environmental Authority (CEA), what is the anaerobic baffled reactor, different types of filter materials and dimensional analysis for the prototype. Chapter 3 describes the methodology used in this study. Chapter 4 displayed the data

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collection and analysis while chapter 5 shows the rehabilitation of selected septic tank in the housing scheme. Chapter 6 includes the design of anaerobic baffled reactor for selected septic tank in the housing scheme. Chapter 7 devotes for results and discussion while the last chapter of the report i.e. Chapter 8 describes summary, conclusions and recommendations.

References (Chapter 1) Fernando, D. (2002). Design of a Preventive Maintenance & Management Mechanism for Public Urban Housing Schemes. Sustainable Housing for Urban Poor, (Page No.4 9) Wikramanayake, N, & Corea, E. J. H. (2003) Alternative technology for urban wastewater treatment: Case studies and issues of implementation and sustainability World Water and Environmental Resource Congress, American Society of Civil Engineers, Philadelphia. Kamala A, Rao DLK. (1988). Environmental Engineering. Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Company. New Delhi, India.

Web Sites
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Source:http://www.thewatertreatments.com/wpcontent/uploads/2009/08/separate-sewage-system.JPG Source:http://www.thewatertreatments.com/wpcontent/uploads/2009/08/separate-sewage-system.JPG Source: http://www.answers.com/topic/wastewater Source: 4/img/wastewater_22_la_2.jpg Source: http://www.catea.gatech.edu/grade/health/module2.htm URL:///I:/Project%20Report%2004_07_2011/Final%20Project %20%2827_04_2011%29/Final%20Project/Litreature %20%28Important%29/Waste%20Water/envm0002pf.htm http://www.idrc.ca/openebooks/112-

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