Activity 2.3.10 Wastewater Management
Introduction
As urban centers grew in size, it became apparent that dumping raw sewage into streets, creeks, rivers, and lakes ultimately threatened the drinking water supply. The concept of wastewater management was born.
Once water has entered a structure, it is inevitable that the water will be used and the quality changed—usually for the worse. The used water is called wastewater. The constituents (impurities) within wastewater are dependent upon how the water has been used.
Sanitary wastewater is generally accepted to consist of human waste, household cleaning solutions, oil and grease from cooking activities, small solid particles from garbage grinders, or soil from cleaning clothes and floors. Wastewater from commercial establishments may include metals, strong acids and bases, cleaning solvents, oil and grease, and grit (small plastic, glass, stone, or metal particles), in addition to sanitary wastewater. Sometimes water is used for cooling purposes; thermal pollution is created and must be managed correctly.
The selected method of wastewater management depends upon the quantity (i.e., flow rate) and quality of the wastewater, available treatment technologies, codes and regulations, and economics.
A civil (environmental) engineer must decide how to manage the wastewater by considering three broad categorical options:
Reuse: Wastewater that can be used again without treatment of any kind
Recycling: Wastewater that is treated either on-site or off-site and used again
Discharge/treatment: Wastewater that is simply discharged from the structure for treatment either on-site or off-site
In this activity you will learn to select an appropriate wastewater management method and perform fundamental layout calculations.
As urban centers grew in size, it became apparent that dumping raw sewage into streets, creeks, rivers, and lakes ultimately threatened the drinking water supply. The concept of wastewater management was born.
Once water has entered a structure, it is inevitable that the water will be used and the quality changed—usually for the worse. The used water is called wastewater. The constituents (impurities) within wastewater are dependent upon how the water has been used.
Sanitary wastewater is generally accepted to consist of human waste, household cleaning solutions, oil and grease from cooking activities, small solid particles from garbage grinders, or soil from cleaning clothes and floors. Wastewater from commercial establishments may include metals, strong acids and bases, cleaning solvents, oil and grease, and grit (small plastic, glass, stone, or metal particles), in addition to sanitary wastewater. Sometimes water is used for cooling purposes; thermal pollution is created and must be managed correctly.
The selected method of wastewater management depends upon the quantity (i.e., flow rate) and quality of the wastewater, available treatment technologies, codes and regulations, and economics.
A civil (environmental) engineer must decide how to manage the wastewater by considering three broad categorical options:
Reuse: Wastewater that can be used again without treatment of any kind
Recycling: Wastewater that is treated either on-site or off-site and used again
Discharge/treatment: Wastewater that is simply discharged from the structure for treatment either on-site or off-site
In this activity you will learn to select an appropriate wastewater management method and perform fundamental layout calculations.
Conclusion Questions
1. When would the use of a septic system for wastewater management be appropriate?
2. What course of action should an architect or civil engineer take if the proposed slope of the building sewer is less than 1 percent (1/8 in. of drop per foot) of pipe?
3. Why is it important that the wastewater from a structure(s) is not toxic to microorganisms?
4. Why is proper wastewater management critical for the health and welfare of society and the environment?
1. When would the use of a septic system for wastewater management be appropriate?
2. What course of action should an architect or civil engineer take if the proposed slope of the building sewer is less than 1 percent (1/8 in. of drop per foot) of pipe?
3. Why is it important that the wastewater from a structure(s) is not toxic to microorganisms?
4. Why is proper wastewater management critical for the health and welfare of society and the environment?