Sewage 1

Sewage
Sewage is water-carried wastes, in either solution or suspension, that is
intended to flow away from a community. Also known as wastewater
flows, sewage is the used water supply of the community. It is more
than 99.9% pure water and is characterized by its volume or rate of
flow, its physical condition, its chemical constituents, and the
bacteriological organisms that it contains. Depending on their origin,
wastewater can be classed as sanitary, commercial, industrial,
agricultural or surface runoff.

The spent water from residences and institutions, carrying body wastes,
washing water, food preparation wastes, laundry wastes, and other A preserved medieval waste pipe in Stockholm
Old Town used to guide sewage onto the street
waste products of normal living, are classed as domestic or sanitary
where rain eventually would carry it away.
sewage. Liquid-carried wastes from stores and service establishments
serving the immediate community, termed commercial wastes, are
included in the sanitary or domestic sewage category if their characteristics are similar to household flows. Wastes
that result from an industrial process or the production or manufacture of goods are classed as industrial wastes.
Their flows and strengths are usually more varied, intense, and concentrated than those of sanitary sewage. Surface
runoff, also known as storm flow or overland flow, is that portion of precipitation that runs rapidly over the ground
surface to a defined channel. Precipitation absorbs gases and particulates from the atmosphere, dissolves and leaches
materials from vegetation and soil, suspends matter from the land, washes spills and debris from urban streets and
highways, and carries all these pollutants as wastes in its flow to a collection point.

Wastewater from all of these sources may carry pathogenic organisms that can transmit disease to humans and other
animals; contain organic matter that can cause odor and nuisance problems; hold nutrients that may cause
eutrophication of receiving water bodies; and can lead to ecotoxicity. Proper collection and safe, nuisance-free
disposal of the liquid wastes of a community are legally recognized as a necessity in an urbanized, industrialized
society[1]
"Sewage" and "Sewerage" may be used interchangeably in the USA but elsewhere they retain separate and different
meanings - sewage being the liquid material and sewerage being the pipes, pumps and infrastructure through which
sewage flows. [2]

Etymology
• The words 'sewage' and 'sewer' come from Old French seuwiere or from Anglo-Norman sewere or from
Anglo-French assewer, essiver meaning "(channel) to drain the overflow from a fish pond" or "to drain" and
ultimately from Vulgar Latin *exaquaticum and *exaquarium, from the verb *exaquare = "to drain", from Latin
ex- ‘out of’ + aqua ‘water’.[3]

Sewage services
Collection and disposal
A system of sewer pipes (sewers) collects sewage and takes it for treatment or disposal. The system of sewers is
called sewerage or sewerage system (see London sewerage system) in British English and sewage system in
American English. Where a main sewerage system has not been provided, sewage may be collected from homes by
pipes into septic tanks or cesspits, where it may be treated or collected in vehicles and taken for treatment or
disposal. Properly functioning septic tanks require emptying every 2–5 years depending on the load of the system.
Sewage 2

Sewage and waste water is also disposed of to rivers, streams and the sea in many parts of the world. Doing so can
lead to serious pollution of the receiving water. This is common in third world countries and may still occur in some
developed countries, where septic tank systems are too expensive.

Treatment
Sewage treatment is the process of removing the contaminants from sewage to produce liquid and solid (sludge)
suitable for discharge to the environment or for reuse. It is a form of waste management. A septic tank or other
on-site wastewater treatment system such as biofilters can be used to treat sewage close to where it is created.
Sewage water is a complex matrix, with many distinctive chemical characteristics. These include high concentrations
of ammonium, nitrate, phosphorus, high conductivity (due to high dissolved solids), high alkalinity, with pH
typically ranging between 7 and 8. Trihalomethanes are also likely to be present as a result of past disinfection.
In developed countries sewage collection and treatment is typically subject to local, state and federal regulations and
standards.

Conversion to fertiliser
Sewage sludge can be collected through a sludge processing plant that automatically heats the matter and conveys it
into fertiliser pellets (hereby removing possible contamination by chemical detergents, ...)[4] This approach allows to
eliminate seawater pollution by conveying the water directly to the sea without treatment (a practice which is still
common in developing countries, despite environmental regulation). Sludge plants are useful in areas that have
already set-up a sewage-system, but not in areas without such a system, as composting toilets are more efficient and
do not require sewage pipes (which break over time).

Electricity
Power can also be obtained from sewage water. The technique uses Microbial fuel cells.

Notes
[1] "SEWAGE" (http:/ / www. answers. com/ topic/ sewage). McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology. .
[2] "AskOxford: sewerage" (http:/ / www. askoxford. com/ concise_oed/ sewerage?view=uk). www.askoxford.com. . Retrieved 2010-06-09.
[3] http:/ / www. onelook. com/ ?w=sewer& ls=a
[4] Sewage sludge to fertiliser plant (http:/ / tucsongreentimes. com/ wordpress/ ?p=484)

References
• Sewage. (n.d.). McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology. Retrieved April 2, 2009, from
Answers.com Web site: http://www.answers.com/topic/sewage
• Teresi, Dick; et al. (2002). Lost Discoveries: The Ancient Roots of Modern Science--from the Babylonians to the
Maya. New York: Simon & Schuster. pp. 352. ISBN 0-684-83718-8.
Sewage 3

External links
• Sewer History (http://www.sewerhistory.org/) - main focus is sewers, but also contains significant information
on sewage, sewage treatment and disposal, and health impacts.
• A tour of the Everett Water Pollution Control Facility in Washington, written by an employee. (http://www.
poopreport.com/Consumer/poop_plant.html)
• Website of the Technische Universität Darmstadt and the CEEP about Phosphorus Recovery (http://www.
phosphorus-recovery.tu-darmstadt.de)
• Rose George - Author of The Big Necessity: The Unmentionable World of Human Waste and Why it Matters
Article Sources and Contributors 4

Article Sources and Contributors

Sewage  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=413168465  Contributors: .digamma, 21655, 730823dls1, Abq7y, Addshore, Alan Liefting, Alansohn, Amcaja, Anlace, Anthere,
Anthony Appleyard, Ark30inf, ArnoldReinhold, Astronaut, Atlant, Azuris, Belovedfreak, BenFrantzDale, Biker Biker, Bogelund, Bohemian352, Boxidon, Bryan Derksen, Bwrs, CLW, Caesura,
Can't sleep, clown will eat me, Canadian-Bacon, CanisRufus, CatherineMunro, Cdcdoc, Ceyockey, Cgord, Chriswaterguy, Chronocontrol, Cje, Closedmouth, Colchicum, Cphi, Craigofva,
Crazycomputers, Creidieki, Darthvader1, Deli nk, Delldot, Dennyboy34, Deryck Chan, Diagonalfish, Doc glasgow, Don't fear the reaper, EdJogg, Egmontaz, El klusko, Eraserhead1, Espoo,
Eyeon, Faradayplank, Feedmecereal, Forton, FreplySpang, Furrykef, GTZ-44-ecosan, Geahanse, Gh5046, GoingBatty, Gregorydavid, Guanaco, Gunnar Larsson, Hmains, Hu12, Icairns, J04n,
JB50000, JRR Trollkien, JTN, JetLover, Jjdjtremblay, John of Reading, KCinDC, KVDP, Kelisi, Kember, Kewp, Kid157, Kingturtle, Kova31klk, Kristenq, Lectonar, Leonard G., Luna Santin,
Mac, Macintosh User, Mako, Maniac18, Mbeychok, Meco, Mike Rosoft, Mrfebruary, Mrholybrain, Mrs Trellis, Ms2ger, Nathanww, NawlinWiki, Neparis, Nick Number, Nihiltres, Nucgaek,
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Palpatine, Sentinel 2008, Sephiroth BCR, Sewer Me, SoSaysChappy, SpacemanSpiff, Spellmaster, Stephenb, TacoJim, TastyPoutine, Template namespace initialisation script, The Thing That
Should Not Be, The wub, Thejerm, Thomas Larsen, Tide rolls, Uyanga, Velella, VictorianMutant, Vmadeira, Vortexrealm, Vsmith, Waso99, Wavelength, WereSpielChequers, Whitehorse1,
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Image Sources, Licenses and Contributors

Image:Nygrand 2 mars 2007.JPG  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Nygrand_2_mars_2007.JPG  License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 2.5  Contributors:
User:Mats Halldin

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