CHAPTER4

SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEM

The Sewage and its Disposal

The collection and safe disposal of human wastes are among the most critical problems of
environmental health. Recent statistical reports revealed that most of the water borne diseases such as
dysentery, typhoid, diarrhea and other intestinal disorders are prevalent in areas where there is no
proper and scientific Sewage Disposal System.

The daily average volume of human waste or excreta per capita is about 80 grams of feces and 950
grams of urine. When diluted with water at the rate of 30 to 100 gallons per day to form sewage, the
solid content becomes a very small portion expressed in milligrams per liter.

Type of Sewage Disposal System

Sewage disposal system has four types:

1. The Cesspool

2. The Privy

3. The Septic Tank

4. The Public Sewer Line

The Cesspool is a hole in the ground curbed with stones, bricks, concrete hollow blocks, or
other materials laid in such a manner as to allow raw contaminated sew age to leach into the
soil. The organic wastes accumulate and finally disposed of by disintegration process.
The Privy is a concrete sealed vault with a wooden shelter constructed for the collection of raw
sewage. The disintegration of excrement is accomplished in the same manner as in a cesspool.
It is objectionable because of the danger of contaminating the source of water supply
The Septic Tank is a device or receptacle used to expedite the decomposition of the elements
contained in a raw sewage waste. Raw sewage consists of water, and settleable solid called
organic materials that can be precipitated in a septic tank in a very short time.
The Public Sewer Line is a public sewage system, operated and maintained by the government
consisting of a sewage treatment plant that conveys the raw sewage from buildings and houses
to a disposal system.
Of these four types of sewage disposal, the cesspool and the privy are already obsolete. The
prevailing types recommended by the sanitary authorities are the Public Sewer line and the
Septic Tank.
Public Sewer Line

The Public Sewer Line is classified into three types according to the kind of waste it disposes

1. The Combination Public Sewer

2. The Sanitary Sewer

3. The Storm Drain

The Combination Public Sewer is the oldest type of public sewer that conveys both storm water and
sanitary wastes. This type of public sewer is already obsolete and no longer allowed by sanitary
authorities

The Sanitary Sewer is a public sewer facility that carries regular sanitary wastes only. It terminates in a
modern sewage dispersal plant. Rainwater is not permitted to enter into this type of public sewer

The Sanitary Sewer is classified into two types:

1. The Intercepting or Trunk Line Sewer

2. The Tributary or Contributing Sewer

The Intercepting Sewer is a sanitary sewer that conveys sanitary waste to a dispersal plant. It is
commonly made of concrete pipe that varies in sizes from 0.60 to 3.00 meters in diameter. The pipes
are laid underground to a minimum depth of about 3 meters, depending upon the natural contour of
the ground

The Tributary Sewer is classified as an intercepting sewer branch The pipe is made of either vitrified clay
or concrete pipe laid in an open trench. It is generally smaller in diameter installed not more than 3
meters below the street grade and terminate into the intercepting sewer

The Storm Drain is another kind of public sewer line that carries storm water. It terminates in a natural
drain such as canals, lakes or rivers

Manhole is classified as a device of the main and storm sewer. It serves as man's access for inspection,

cleaning and repair. It is constructed out of bricks, stone adobe or concrete at an interval distance from
75 to 150 meters. The manhole diameter varies from 90 to 120 centimeters provided with iron rungs to
serve as ladder for the maintenance crew to reach the bottom.

The Materials required for the public sewer line could be determined under the following procedures

1.From the plan of the public sewer line, find the net distance between manholes to be laid with
concrete pipes. Total distance minus the space area occupied by the manhole
2. The net distance found divided by the length of one pipe at 1.00 meter long regardless of its
diameter
3. Subtract 3% to 4% from the obtained number of pipes in order to get the exact number
 Sewage Ejector
Sewage ejector refers to the pump that will discharge waste in the sump and transfer it
to the house drain installed overhead. Sewage ejector is necessary when the public sewer line
was installed at a depth from 2 to 4 meters below the street level.

Septic Tank
is a receptacle or vault used to collect organic waste discharged from the house sewer.
The main function of a septic tank is to liquefy and precipitate solid waste purifying odorous
materials. Sewage that was discharged into the tank is retained. during its retention period,
about 60% to 70% of the suspended solid of the sewage is removed largely by sedimentation to
form a semi-liquid substance called sludge. The sludge accumulates at the bottom of the septic
tank. Parts of the solids are formed into floating scum. Both the scum and the sludge are
processed by anaerobic bacteria and transforming them into liquid and gases. This process is
called digestion. The solid matter is reduced in sizes and consequently changed in character
The septic tank therefore, combines two processes; sedi-mentation in the upper portion of the
tank and anaerobic decomposition of the accumulated sludge at the bottom

Decomposition of organic matter from human waste is a bacteriological process caused by

1. Aerobic bacteria called aerobes
2. Anaerobic bacteria called anaerobes
3. Facultative bacteria
The life process of Aerobic bacteria is in the presence of material oxygen. The Anaerobic bacteria on
the other hand, functions in the absence of free oxygen. Likewise, Facultative bacteria also
functions even with or without free oxygen. These three types of bacteria have no relation
to disease. They thrive naturally in sewage, and will function when conditions are favorable in terms
of
I. Food Supply
2. Temperature
3. Moisture

However, even when conditions are favorable, these bacteria will cease to exist in the presence of
antiseptics or disinfectants. The human waste or excreta are decomposed, until the
organic matters are transformed into materials that could no longer be utilized by the bacteria in
their life process The process of decomposition is regarded as stabilization.
Decomposition caused by anaerobic bacteria which is sometimes referred to as putrefaction, is
accompanied by bad odors. On the other hand, aerobic decomposition is not accompanied by
unpleasant odor. A sewage that turns dark and smell unpleasantly due to anaerobic decomposition
is called Septic. Decomposition caused by aerobic bacteria is accomplished with no definite time and
could be within a matter of hours
Gasses that are Produced Inside the Septic Tank
There are different gases produced inside the septic tank ranging from organic to non-organic
gases. These are
1. Methane gas (CH.) is a combination of hydrogen and carbon, a principal component of natural gas.
2. Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is a combination of carbon and oxygen. It is the simplest oxide of carbon
3. Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a by-product of methane, classified as poisonous gas
4. Hydrogen (Ha) evolves as a moist gas from organic waste
5. Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) is a colorless gas with offensive odor.
6. Sulfur Dioxide (HO2) is also a colorless gas having an irritating odor

These gases are discharged into the atmosphere. through the ventilation pipe.

Construction of the Septic Tank

Septic Tank is constructed from either of the following
materials
1. Reinforced concrete
2. Plastered concrete hollow blocks
3. Prefabricated asbestos
4. Thin metal and plastic

The most popular and widely used material for construction of septic tank is plastered concrete
hollow blocks or reinforced concrete. Others have not gained acceptance due to cost and durability

General Conditions is Constructing a Septic Tank

1. The concrete or masonry septic tank is usually constructed in a rectangular form. The reason is to
retard the even flow of the waste, that is necessary to avoid disturbing the decomposition processes
inside the tank
2. The minimum inside dimension of a septic tank is 90 centimeters wide by 150 centimeters long
3. For effective decomposition of the organic materials inside the septic tank, a 120 centimeters depth
of the liquid content is necessary It is not impractical though, to construct a tank of greater depth
provided, that the depth should not be deeper than the natural ground water table
4. The inlet and outlet inverts of the septic tank shall be long turn sanitary tee. The inverts are installed
in the wall of the tank at least 120 centimeters from its bottom floor equally spaced from both sides.
5. . The invert is extended down the liquid of the tank not more than 30 centimeters. This is to assure
smooth delivery of the incoming sewage below the scum line. Scum refers to the lighter organic
materials that rises to the surface of the water.
6. The bottom of the digestion chamber should be sloped to one low point. The purpose is to gather
the settled organic materials into one mass to favor the propagation of the anaerobic bacteria.
7. The septic tank, should be provided with a manhole, extended a few centimeters above the surface
of the soil to overcome infiltration of surface water. This manhole will serve the purpose of cleaning,
inspection and repair of the tank.
8. Septic tank for large plumbing installations are provided with suspended compartment attached to
the ceiling slab of the tank. The baffle plate is extended down the bottom of the tank about 40
centimeters below the scum line. Each compartment of the tank separated by baffle plate is provided
with manhole
9. The Septic tank, should be constructed near the surface of the ground, because the correction of the
waste depends upon the extent of oxidation and the existence of anaerobic bacteria. Another kind of
bacteria that split and digest the effluent is the aerohic bacteria. A kind of bacteria that survive
only in the subsoil not more than 150 centimeters below the surface. Oxidation of the effluent deeper
than 150 cm. would become extremely difficult

Size of the Septic Tank

1. For a family of 6 persons, the minimum tank capacity should be approximately 1.3 cubic meters with a
minimum size of 90 centimeters wide by 150 centimeters long and 120 centimeters depth

2. A very large tank is not advisable, because the bacterial activities would be retarded. The size of the
tank is proportionally based on the number of persons expected to be served In other words, the
volume of the tank has rational proportion with the volume of incoming waste for bacterial activities to
be in favorable condition

3. For residential installation, the practice is to all to 6 cubic feet of tank volume per person Thus, a
septic tank that will serve family of 12 person must have a liquid capacity of 6 x 12 72 cubic
feet or 538 gallons. (one cubic foot is 748 gallons)

Technical Data in Determining Volume of Septic Tank

Minimum width 90 cm
Minimum length 150cm
Minimum depth 120 cm

For residential buildings to serve

larger number of people, allocate.... 14 to 0.17 cu m
of liquid per person

For small residential house to

serve up to 12 persons, the chamber 2.0 cubic meters
should have a liquid content of not
more than …

For school, commercial and industrial

establishments, the volume of the
septic tank should not be less than .. 057 cu m. nor
more than……… 088 cu m/ person
Location of Septic Tank
Location of the septic tank shall observe the following consideration:

1.The septic tank may be located closer to the building it will serve, providing a minimum distance of
2.00 meters from the outside wall
2. As much as possible, the septic tank should not be located closer to the doors or windows
3. Septic tank should be at least 15 meters away from any source of water supply. The farther the better

Requirements for a Satisfactory Disposal of Human Waste

1. There should be no contamination of ground sur-face that may enter into the spring or wells
2. There should be no contamination of surface water.
3. The surface soil should not be contaminated
4. Excreta should not be accessible to animals, flies ,cockroaches, vermin and the like
5. There should be no odor and unsightly conditions
6. The methods used should be simple and economical in terms of construction operation

Safety Precautions
In most cases septic tanks are poorly aerated or ventilated. It lacks free oxygen. Under this condition, an
individual entering into a septic tank for making repairs or cleaning purposes, may meet almost instant
death. Septic tank may contain harmful and dangerous gases