Sanitary engineering

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Not to be confused with Sanitation engineering.
Sanitary engineering, also known as public health engineering or wastewater
engineering, is the application of engineering methods to improve sanitation of
human communities, primarily by providing the removal and disposal of human waste,
and in addition to the supply of safe potable water. Traditionally a branch of
civil engineering and now a subset of environmental engineering, in the mid-19th
century, the discipline concentrated on the reduction of disease, then thought to
be caused by miasma. This was accomplished mainly by the collection and segregation
of sewerage flow in London specifically, and Great Britain generally.[1] These and
later regulatory improvements were reported in the United States as early as 1865.
[2]

It is not concerned with environmental factors that do not have an immediate and
clearly understood effect on public health. Areas outside the purview of sanitary
engineering include traffic management, concerns about noise pollution or light
pollution, aesthetic concerns such as landscaping, and environmental conservation
as it pertains to plants and animals.

Skills within this field are usually employed for the primary goal of disease
prevention within human beings by assuring a supply of healthy drinking water,
treatment of waste water, and removal of garbage from inhabited areas.

Compared to (for example) electrical engineering or mechanical engineering which

are concerned primarily with closed systems, sanitary engineering is a very
interdisciplinary field which may involve such elements as hydraulics, constructive
modelling, information technology, project design, microbiology, pathology and the
many divisions within environmental science and environmental technology. In some
cases, considerations that fall within the field of social sciences and urban
planning must be factored in as well.

Although sanitary engineering may be most associated with the design of sewers,
sewage treatment and wastewater treatment facilities, recycling centers, public
landfills and other things which are constructed, the term applies equally to a
plan of action to reverse the effects of water pollution or soil contamination in a
specific area.

Contents
1 History
2 Education
2.1 Engineering
2.2 Plant Operations
3 Job description and typical tasks
3.1 Typical employers
4 Modern challenges
4.1 Water scarcity
4.2 Climate change
5 References
History
Further information: History of water supply and sanitation
Irrigation systems were invented five to seven thousand years ago as a means of
supplying water to agriculture-based societies. Aqueducts and irrigation systems
were among the first forms of wastewater engineering. As population centers became
more dense, they were used to remove sewage from settlements. The Romans were among
the first to demonstrate the effectiveness of the aqueduct. The Dark Ages marked a
period where progress in water management came to a halt.[3]

As populations grew, the management of human waste became a growing concern and a
public health threat. By the 1850s in London, more than 400,000 tons of sewage were
flushed into the River Thames each day - around 150 million tons per year.[4]
Diseases such as smallpox, diphtheria, measles, scarlet fever, typhus, cholera, and
typhoid were spread via the contaminated water supply.[5] During the 19th century,
major cities started building sewage systems to remove human waste out of cities
and into rivers.

During the 1900s, the activated sludge process was invented.[6] The activated
sludge process is a form of water purification that uses bacteria to consume human
feces. Chlorine is used later in the process to kill off the bacteria.

Over the centuries, much has changed in the field of wastewater engineering.
Advancements in microbiology, chemistry, and engineering have drastically changed
the field. Today, wastewater engineers also work on the collection of clean water
for drinking, chemically treating it, and using UV light to kill off micro-
organisms. They also treat water pollution in wastewater (blackwater and greywater)
so that this water may be made safe for use without endangering the population and
environment around it. Wastewater treatment and water reclamation are areas of
concern in this field.

Education
Engineering
Wastewater engineering is not usually its own degree course, but a specialization
from degrees such as civil engineering, environmental engineering, bio-chemical
engineering, or chemical engineering. Formal education for wastewater engineers
begins in high school with students taking classes such as chemistry, biology,
physics, and higher mathematics including calculus. After high school most jobs
require certification from a state agency. Those wanting to advance in the industry
should pursue a civil engineering, mechanical engineering, environmental
engineering, or a facilities engineering degree. Gaining experience through
internships and working while in college is a common pathway toward advancement.

Education about waste treatment requires course work in systems design, machinery
design principles, water chemistry, and similar coursework. Other classes may
include Chemistry of Plant Processes, and various plant operations courses.

Wastewater engineers may advance in their careers through additional education and
experience. With additional knowledge and experience one can become the manager of
an entire plant. The accreditation body certifying the education for the degree and
license is the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). Over
time, some companies may require the wastewater engineer to continue their
education to keep up with any changes in technology.

Obtaining one�s master's degree is encouraged since many companies list it as a

preference in selection.[7][8]

In this field 76 percent of those employed have a bachelor's degree, 17 percent

have a master's degree and three percent have a post-doctoral degree as of 2013.[9]
The average annual salary is approximately $83,360.[10]
Plant Operations
Initial employment in wastewater engineering can be obtained by those with and
without advanced formal education. The California State Water Resources Control
Board (SWRCB), for example, shows how individuals can advance through a progression
of certifications as Waste Water Treatment Operators.[11] The Board uses a five
level classification system to classify water treatment facilities into categories
I-V according to the population served and the complexity of the treatment system.

The Operator Certification requirements for water treatment operators and waste
water treatment operators are described in detail by State law. To meet
certification requirements, operators must submit an application to SWRCB, have the
necessary work experience, meet the educational requirements, and pass an
examination based on the knowledge, skill,and abilities described in the
regulations. Operators are required to renew their certificates every three years.
To be elibible for renewal, certified operators must complete a specified number of
continuing education hours after the previous issuance of a certificate.[12]

Job description and typical tasks

Wastewater engineers use a variety of skills and must have knowledge of mechanical
and environmental engineering. They are required to perform tasks and demonstrate
knowledge in design, mathematics, English, construction, physics, chemistry,
biology, management, and personnel. Wastewater engineers must have skills in
complex problem solving, critical thinking, mathematics, active listening,
judgement, reading comprehension, speaking, writing, science, and system analysis.
[9] Typical work activities include problem solving, communication with management
and staff, gathering information, analyzing data, evaluating standards and
complying with them, and communicating with others in the field.

Wastewater engineers perform these activities by combining their knowledge and

skills to perform tasks. These tasks are to understand computer-aided design
programs, and to conduct studies for the construction of facilities, water supply
systems and collection systems. They may design systems for wastewater collection
machinery, as well as system components. They may perform water flow analysis, then
select designs and equipment based on government and industry standards.[13] Some
are involved with a specific area of concern such as waste collection or the
maintenance of waste water facilities and stormwater drainage systems within an
area. Others cover a broader scope of activities that might include maintenance of
the public water supply, collection of residential yard waste program, disposal of
hazardous waste, recycling strategies and even community programs where individuals
or businesses "adopt" an area and either maintain it themselves or donate funds for
doing so.

Wastewater engineers may also map out topographical and geographical features of
Earth to determine the best means of collection, design pipe and pumped collection
systems, and design treatment processes for collected wastewater.

Typical employers
Wastewater engineers work for private companies, state and local governments, and
special districts.

Modern challenges
Water scarcity
Water managers confront new challenges and the need for new technology as water
levels decrease due to increasingly frequent and extended droughts. Technologies
such as sonar mapping are being used in wells to determine the volume of water that
they can hold. For example, the United States Geological Survey and the State of
New York worked together to map underground aquifers since the 1980s.[14] Today
they have thorough maps of these aquifers to assist in water management.
Desalination plants may be required in the future for those regions hardest hit by
water scarcity. Desalination is a process of cleaning water by means of
evaporation. Water is evaporated and it passes through membranes. The water is then
cooled and condenses allowing it to flow either back into the main water line or
out to sea.[15]

Climate change
Wastewater treatment contributes to global warming in many ways. One of the factors
that contributes to global warming is wastewater treatment facilities and their
emissions of greenhouse gases. Some of those gases are carbon dioxide, methane, and
nitrous oxide. These gases occur because of the decomposition of organic material
from the anaerobic bacteria. These bacteria clean the leftover waste. Even if the
anaerobic bacteria decomposition produces these gases, the percentage of greenhouse
gases that other equipment produce is still greater than the contribution of the
anaerobic bacteria. Also, the power usage from those machinery is very high. That
is why many facilities are undergoing renovation to use higher levels of anaerobic
bacteria compared to other types of equipment.[16]

The effects of global warming on waste water treatment facilities vary from
location to location. In the Northeast, there has been increased rainfall causing
treatment plants to be too small relative to the amount coming in. In the West,
there is a lack of rainfall and water sources are being depleted. This means the
facilities will need to be updated to meet modern and future environmental changes
such as the increased use of recycled and reclaimed water. Climate change also
affects piping and increases the rate of corrosion, adding to facility cost.
[citation needed]