Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION TO SEWAGE
1.1 INTRODUCTION
 Wastewater engineering is that branch of environmental
engineering in which the basic principles of science and
engineering are applied to the problems of water pollution
control.
 Related to sources of generation, wastewater may be defined
as a combination of the liquid or water carried wastes
removed from residences, institutions and commercial and
industrial establishments, together with such ground water,
surface water and storm water as may be present.
1.2 IMPORTANT TERMS AND DEFINITIONS (Aug.
15)
 Sullage : Sullage is a term used to indicate the wastewater
from bathrooms, kitchens, wash basins etc.
As organic matter in it is either absent or is of negligible
amount, so it does not create bad smell.
 Sewage : It includes sullage, discharge from latrines, urinals,
stables, industrial waste and also the ground surface and
storm water that may be admitted into the sewer.
 Domestic Sewage : It consists of liquid wastes originating
from urinals, latrines, bathrooms, kitchen sinks, wash basins
etc. of the residential, commercial or institutional buildings.
Since, it contains human excreta and urine, it is extremely
foul in nature.
 Industrial Sewage : It consists of liquid wastes originating
from the industrial processes of various industries, such as
distillery, dairy, paper mill, textile, brewing etc.
The quality of the industrial sewage depends upon the type
of industry. It may contain objectionable organic compounds
and thus may require extensive treatment before being
disposed of in public sewers.
 Sanitary Sewage : It is the sum total of domestic and
industrial sewage.
 Storm Sewage : The run-off resulting from the rain storms is
called storm sewage or storm drainage or simply drainage.
 Night Soil : It is a term used to indicate the human and
animal excreta.
 Sewer : It is an underground conduit through which sewage
is carried to a point of disposal.
Sewers can be classified as follows :
(1.1)
 Separate Sewers : These type of sewers are carrying the
household and industrial wastes only.
 Storm Water Sewers : These type of sewers are carrying
rain water.
 Combined Sewers : These type of sewers are carrying
both sewage and storm water.
 House Sewer : It is a pipe to carry sewage from a
building to street sewer.
 Lateral Sewer : This type of sewer collects sewage from
the houses.
 Branch Sewer (Submain Sewer) : This is a sewer which
receives sewage from laterals and discharge into a main
sewer.
 Main Sewer (Trunk Sewer) : This is a sewer which
receives sewage from tributary branches and sewers.
 Depressed Sewer : This type of sewer is at lower level
than adjacent sewers. This sewer runs full under the
force of gravity and at more than atmospheric pressure.
 Intercepting Sewer : This type of sewer flowing parallel
to a natural drainage channel, into which a number of
main sewers discharge.
 Outfall Sewer : This type of sewer receives the sewage
from the collecting system. It's location is at final
discharge.
 Sewarage : This term is applied to the art of collecting,
treating and finally disposing of the sewage.
 Oxygen Deficit :
Oxygen deficit = [Saturation dissolved oxygen – Actual
dissolved oxygen]
 Bio-Chemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) : The amount of
oxygen consumed by aerobic bacteria for the decomposition
of wastewater (ofcourse upto oxidation is completed) is
called BOD.
 Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) : A known quantity of
wastewater is mixed with a known quantity of standard
solution of potassium dichromate and the mixture is heated.
The organic matter is oxidised in presence of H 2SO4 by
potassium dichromate. The resulting solution of potassium
dichromate is titrated. The oxygen used in oxidising the
wastewater is known as COD.
 Total Organic Carbon (TOC) : TOC test is the method for
measuring the small concentrations of organic matter.
ENVIRONMENTAL ENGG. - II (BE CIVIL) (1.2) INTRODUCTION TO SEWAGE

 ThOD : Theoretical oxygen demand.
 Treatability Index (T.I.) :
 Dilution Factor :
 Population Equivalent :
Generally, the BOD5
kg/day/person.
 Relative Stability :
 Detention Period :
 Sometimes, the storm water is also allowed to flow into the
. sewers due to lack of space for its removal inopen drains.
Generally, in small towns the excreta and domestic sewage
are separated from the storm water and in large cities the
sewage along with industrial wastes and storm water are
removed together.
of domestic sewage is 0.08 Table 1.1 shows advantages and disadvantages of the modern
water-carriage sewage system over the old conservancy system.
Table 1.1 : Advantages and Disadvantages of the Modern
Water-Carriage Sewage System Over the
Old Conservancy System

Sr. Factors Water-Carriage Conservancy System

 Volumetric BOD loading / Organic Loading :
No Sewage System
Volumetric BOD loading/Organic loading .
= 1. Hygienes and The system is very The system is very
 Food to Micro-Organisms Ratio (F/M) : Sanitary Aspects hygienic. The unhygienic, since in this
wastewater is conveyed system, the society's
 MLSS : Mixed liquor suspended solids. through closed conduits wastes have to be
which are not directly collected and carried in
 MLVSS : Mixed liquor volatile suspended solids.
exposed to the buckets or carts.
 Sludge Age :
atmosphere.

2. Foul Smell No foul smell as no There is lot of foul smell

1.3 SYSTEMS OF SANITATION (Nov. 17)
chances of putrefication. due to putrefication.
Depending on the type of waste, the following two systems may
3. Epidemic Aspect As flies and other There are more
be employed for its collection, conveyance and disposal :
insects do not have chances of out- break
1. Conservancy system.
direct access to the of epidemic due to
2. Water carriage system.
sewage, there are no improper disposal of
1. Conservancy System :
chances of outbreak of night soil.
 This system is sometimes also called as dry system. The
epidemic.
faecal matter (night soil) in this system is collected in pails
which is then removed to some convenient site away from 4. Pollution Aspect Pollution problems are Pollution problems are
the inhabitated area and buried underground in shallow rare as the liquid wastes more since the liquid
trenches which are covered with alternate layers of dry earth, etc. are directly wastes from lavatories
as it possesses the property of de-odouring and oxidizing conveyed through the etc., may soak in the
the organic matter. sewers. ground, thus
 In the localities, where agriculture is an occupation, the contaminating the soil.
excreta are mostly used as manures. The garbage is collected  Conti.
separately in dust bins and conveyed in hand carts or vehicle 5. Compactness in Compact design is Compact house design
twice in a day. House Design possible since the is not possible.
 The combustible waste in incinerated and the non- latrines can be kept
combustible waste are used as land fill. The storm water is clean after every use,
conveyed in open drains. excreta does not remain
2. Water Carriage System : and therefore no foul
 In this system the solid faecal matter is removed along with smells. So the latrines
sewage water in underground sewers. There is always a can be attached to the
variation in sewerage system due to size of the town and the living and bedrooms.
occupation of the inhabitants.
ENVIRONMENTAL ENGG. - II (BE CIVIL) (1.3) INTRODUCTION TO SEWAGE

1. Cost (a) Maintenance Cost : (a) Maintenance

6. Labour Aspect Labour required is The working of this
Consideration Two sets of sewers Cost : As this
negligibly small for the system wholly depends
prove to be costly. system requires
operation and on labour (sweepers).
only one set of
maintenance.
sewers,
7. Final Disposal Final disposal easier Possibility of risk may maintenance
cost is less.
because of treatment be at final disposal.
(b) Construction Cost : (b) Construction
works.
Less Cost : Very high
8. Land Disposal Land required for the Land required for the because of large
Requirements disposal of treated disposal of untreated dimensions of
sludge is less. sewage is large. the sewers to be
constructed at
9. Cost Initial cost is high, but Initial cost is small, but sufficient depth
Consideration running cost is very less the running cost is high to receive the
as labour requirement is as labour requirement sewage from the
less. is more as compared to basement.
water-carriage sewage 2. Load of Influent As only the foul sewage Due to the addition of
system. on Treatment carried by the separate storm water, the load
Units sewers need be treated, on the treatment plant
1.4 TYPES OF WATER CARRIAGE SYSTEM the load on the increases.
treatment units will be
(Aug. 15, Nov. 15, May 17)
lowered.
The following are the types of water carriage system : 3. Chocking Due to smaller size of Due to larger size of
1. Separate system. Problem sewers, they are likely to sewers, the chances
get chocked. of their chocking are
2. Combined system.
rare.
3. Partially separate system.
4. Lifting of In this system, sewage When pumping is
1. Separate System : When the drainage (storm drainage) and Sewage can be lifted required for lifting of
sewage are taken independently of each other through two mechanically, so the sewage, the system is
different sets of conduits, it is called a separate system. system is economical. uneconomical.

2. Combined System : When the drainage is taken along with 5. Ventilation As size of sewers is As size of sewers is
small, they can be large, they are more
sewage, it is called a combined system.
ventilated easily. difficult to be
3. Partially Separate System : Sometimes a part of drainage ventilated.
water (rain water from roofs of buildings), is allowed to be
6. Foul Smell Foul smell may be there Due to more air in the
admitted into the sewers and similarly, sometimes the because of lesser air larger sewers, the
domestic sewage is allowed to be admitted into the drains, contact in small size sewer gas, that may
the system is called a partially separate system. sewers. be formed, gets
diluted.
Table 1.2 gives comparison between separate system and
combined system. 7. Storm Water In this system, no Storm water is
Table 1.2 : Comparison between Separate and Polluted question of pollution of unnecessarily polluted
Combined System storm water as it is as it is mixed with
Sr. Factors Separate System Combined System flowing from separate sewage.
No. open channels or
sewers.
 Conti.
ENVIRONMENTAL ENGG. - II (BE CIVIL) (1.4) INTRODUCTION TO SEWAGE

8. Pollution due to Due to heavy rains, Due to heavy rains,  Conti.

Overflow sewers may overflow but the sewers may 6. Flat Topography If the country is flat, For such cases, for
Problems unhygienic condition will overflow and may required more depth to laying bigger size
not be there as rain thus create achieve reasonable sewers at a great
water is not mixed with unhygienic conditions gradient, in such a case depth will not be
sewage. as it is mixed with this system is more economical.
sewage. economical.

9. Provision of As flow in a sewer of When rain water is not 7. Space When space available for This system is
Automatic smaller section is more available, they may Considerations laying the sewers is preferred where the
Flushing Tanks efficient, there is no become foul in dry restricted, this system will space available for
necessity of providing weather, so there is not be preferred. laying the sewers is
automatic flushing tanks necessity of providing restricted.
for use in dry weather. automatic flushing EXERCISE
tanks. 1. Define :
In the modern days, "separate system" is generally preferred to a (a) Sewage, (b) Sullage.
"combined system", although the selection of system depends on 2. Explain :
individual merits, keeping the above points into consideration. (a) Conservancy system. (b) Water carriage system.
Table 1.3 : Factors Governing Choice of Separate and 3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of
Combined System (May 10) conservancy and water carriage system ?

Sr. Factors Separate System Combined System 4. Discuss the advantages of the separate and combined
No. system of sewage and give the conditions favourable for
the adoption of each of them.
1. Financial Aspect If sufficient funds are not If sufficient funds are
5. Write short notes on :
available at the beginning, available, then this
(i) Sewage and drainage.
then this system is system is preferred.
(ii) Combined and separate systems of sewage.
preferred.
(iii) Domestic and industrial sewage.
2. Rainfall Pattern If rainfall is for shorter If rainfall is evenly
UNIVERSITY QUESTIONS
duration, then this system distributed for the
is preferred. year, then this
system is preferred. 1. Differentiate between domestic sewage and storm water
runoff. Explain giving reasons, when to adopt separate and
3. Development This system is preferred, This system is
combined systems of sewage. [5]
Pattern when the sewers are laid preferred, when the
before the area is sewers are laid in
1. Discuss the different systems of sewerage commonly used
developed. already developed
in India with their relative merits and demerits. [5]
area.
4. Subsoil Condition Where subsoil is hard, Where subsoil is
1. Differentiate between separate and combined sewerage
this system is economical hard, this system is
system. [5]
compared to larger size of not economical.
combined system.
1. Enlist different methods of collection and conveyance of
5. Pumping This system is Where both sewage
sewage. [5]
Requirements economical, where only and storm water is
sewage is required to required to pump,
1. Enlist different methods of collection and conveyance of
pump. this system is
sewage. [5]
preferred.

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