14 WASTEWATER ENGINEERING is practically automatic, except for the operation of certain pumps etc. Therefore, there is no labour problem. In the individual houses, the latrines/lavatories can be coveniently cleaned by occupants them- selves. 6. Treatment aspect : The system permits the use of modern methods of treatment of the sewerage collected through the sewers. The treated waste water and sewage can be safely disposed off without any risk. 7. Land disposal requirements : Because of treatment facilities, the land required for the disposal of the treated wastewater is very much smaller than-that required for the conservancy system. 8. Cost consideration : Though the initial cost of installation of the system are very high, the running costs are very small since manual labour is very much reduced. 2.4. COMPARISON AND CHOICE OF THE TWO SYSTEMS The water carrigage system is the most modern and hygienic system of sweage disposal, and should be invariabley adopted wherever sufficient funds are available. Table 2.1 gives comparison between the two systems. 2.5. CLASSIFICATION OF WATER CARRIAGE SYSTEM The water carriage system can be divided into the following (1) Separate system (2) Combined system (3) Partially separate system The above three types are commonly referred to as the three systems of sewerage. 1. Separate system The separate system provides two separate systems of sewers— the one intended for the conveyance of foul sewage only, such as faecal matter, domestic wastewaters, the washings, and drainings of places such as slaughter houses, laundries, stables, and the waste waters derieved from the manufacturing processes ; and the other for the rain water, including the surface washing from certain streets, overflow from public baths and foundations etc. The sewage from the first system of sewers can be led to the treatment works, while the flow from the second system of sewers can be discharged directly to natural streams etc. without any treatment. . Advantages The separate system has the following advantages : 1. The cost of installation is iow. The storm water can beCOLLECTION AND CONVEYANCE OF SEWAGE 15 TABLE 2.1 COMPARISON BETWEEN CONSERVANCY AND WATER CARRIAGE SYSTEM | ___Comaorvay Sates | ‘The system is unhygienic since every] The system is hygienic. Sewers are laid thing is visible. below the ground and hence excreta! ete. is not visible. Due to putrefication, there is a lot of] No chances of putrefication, and foul smell. Large labour force is required Water consumption is small Requires high water consumption Initial cost is small, though the running| High initial cost. Running costs small costs are high No technical persons required Technical persons required for oper- ation and maintenance Acute pollution problems Pollution problems are rare. Risk of spread of epidemic Nosuch risk Large land required for the disposal of] Small land required for the disposal of untreated sewage. treated sludge Final disposal into streams etc not free} Final disposal easier because of treat- from risks ment works. Good quality manure available from} The sludge has small manure value. the end products The system is more suitable for rural] The system is better suited for urban conditions conditions. disposed off through the open channels along the road sides. Old sewers may also be suitably converted to carry rain water. Thus, the actual sewers carrying foul sewage will be of smaller size. 2. The load on the treatment units will be lowered, since only the foul sewage carried by the separate sewers need be treated. 3. If there is necessity of lifting the sewage mechanically, the system will prove to be economical both from the point of view of capital costs, as well as from the point of view of running costs. 4, The sewages in the separate system will be of more unifrom character, and so will lend itself more easily to putrification. 5. There is no necessity of providing automatic flushing tanks, for use in dry weather, because the flow in a sewer of smaller section is much more efficient. 6. Sewers of smaller section can be easily ventilated than those of larger section.16 WASTEWATER ENGINEERING 7. The night flow will be comparatively small this may facilirate operations at the outfall works. 8. Rain water can be discharged into streams or rivers without any treatment. Disadvantages 1. Since the sewers are of small size, it is difficult to clean them. 2. They are likely to get chocked. 3. Two sets of sewers may. ultimately prove to be costly. 4. There is a likelyhood of connections being wrongly made through a confusion of the systems. 5. Storm water sewers or drains comes in use only during the rainy season. During other part of the year, these may serve as dumping place for garbage, and may get chocked. 6. Because of lesser air contact in small size sewers, foul smell may be there due to the sewage gas formed. 2. Combined system The combined system provides only one sewer to carry both the foul sewage as well as the rain water. The sewage and rain water are carried to the sewage treatment plant, before its final disposal. The combined system is advocated on the ground that the street surface washings are as impure as the sewage itself, and should therefore be suitably treated before being allowed to enter the natural stream. Advantages 1. The system requires only one set of sewers. Hence the maintenance costs are reduced. 2. The sewers are of larger size, and therefore the chances of their choking are rare. Also, it is easy to clean them. 3. The strength of the sewage is reduced by dilution. 4. There is more air in the larger sewers than in smaller ones of the separate system. Hence the sewer gas that may be formed gets diluted. Thus the chances of foul smell are reduced. Disadvantages 1. The cost of ‘construction are very high because of large dimensions of the sewers to be constructed at sufficient depth to receive the sewage from the basement. 2. Beasue of large size of sewers, their handling and transpor- tation is difficult. 3. Due to the inclusion of the storm water, the load on the treatment plant increases.COLLECTION AND CONVEYANCE OF SEWAGE 17 4. The system is uneconomical in the circumstances when pump- ing is required for lifting of sewage. 5. During heavy rains, the sewers may overflow, and may thus create unhygienic conditions and cause pollution problems. 6. Storm water is unnecessarily polluted. 7. The large sewers get easily silted if not properly designed. They may become foul in dry weather, when rain water, is not available. 8. Large sewers are more difficult to be ventilated than the smaller ones. 3. Partially combined system In this system, only one set of underground sewers is laid. These sewers admit the foul sewage as well as the early washings by rains. As soon as the quantity of storm water exceeds a certain limit, the storm water overflows, and is thus collected and conveyed in open drains to the natural streams. The foul sewage, however, continues to flow in the sewers. Advantages 1. The sewers are of reasonable size. Their cleaning is there- fore not very difficult. 2. It combines the advantage of both the separate as well as the combined systems. 3. The storm water permitted in the sewers eliminates its chances of chocking. The sewers are completely cleaned during rainy season. 4. The problem of disposing off storm water from homes is simplified. Disadvantages 1. During the dry weather, when there is no rain water, the velocity of flow will be low. Thus self cleansing velocity may not be achieved. 2. The storm water increases the load on treatment units. 3. The storm water also increases the cost of pumping. Factors governing choice of separate system The scparate system is adopted under the following conditions: 1. Financial aspect : If sufficient funds are not available in the beginning, sewers may be constructed to carry only domestic sewage, and the rain water may be conveyed thro’ the open drains. These drains can be converted into regular sewers later when sufficient funds are available. 2. Flat topography : If the country is flat, the sewers will have to be laid at a depth in order to achieve reasonable gradient. In18 WASTEWATER ENGINEERING such circumstances, separate sewers are more economical. A combined sewer of a bigger size, laid at a great depth will be costlier. 3. Rainfall patiern : If the rainfall is there for a shorter duration, and does not take place throughout the year, it is more economical to adopt separate system. 4. Outlet conditions : If a river or natural stream is available nearby, separate system is best suited. The storm water can be directly conveyed to the stream, while the foul sewage can be led to the treatment plant. 5. Pumping aspects : Separate system is best suited under the conditions when the sewage has to be lifted up by pumping. The Separate sewers for; the storm water will reduce the load on the pumps. 6. Steep topography : If the ground has steep slopes, it is easier to convert storm water through open drains, to the natural stream. 7. Subsoil conditions : If the subsoil is hard, it is difficult and costlier to lay combined sewer of larger size. 8. Development pattern : If the sewers are laid before the area is developed, it is preferable to adopt separate system. Factors governing choice of combined system A combined system is adopted under the following conditions: 1._ Space considerations : Combjued system is preferred when- space available for laying the sewers is restricted. 2. Integrated development : If the sewers are laid along with the overall development of the area, a combined system is preferred. 3. Even rainfall pattern : Combined system is preferred if the rainfall is evenly distributed through the year, and also when the rainfall during -the monsoon season is not that - intensive, 4. Conversion of existing storm water drains : The combined system is preferred if an existing storm water drain is being converted into a combined sewer. This is possible only if the quantity of sewage is small. 5. Pumping requirements : If the ground slopes are such that it is necessary to lift both the sewage as well as the storm water, it is preferzble to use the combined system. Choice of the system The factors governing the choice of any system are so vast and varied that no generalisation can be done regarding the final choice. The conditions vary from place to place. If the availability of funds is the main factor, then one may conclude that separate system may be adopted if sufficient funds are not available in the beginning. In that case, sewers may be designedCOLLECTION AND CONVEYANCE OF SEWAGE 19 to carry the foul sewage and rain water may flow through the open drains along the roads and streets. This suggestion may be more appropriate for small cities. For large metropolitan cities, however, a combined system is highly desirable. It is possible to design combined sewers such that reasonable velocities are maintained in them through the year. Alternatively, a partially separate system may be adopted for these big metropolitan cities. 1. PROBLEMS Describe (i) conservancy system, and (ii) water carriage system. What are the relative advantages and disadvantages of the two systems ? ‘What are the conditions that are to be satisfied for the satisfactory disposal of sewerage. Describe in brief the methods of collection of various types of wastes. in the conservancy system. Describe in brief various types of water carriage system, stating ad- vantages and disadvantages of each. Discuss the relative merits of the separate and combined system of sewage, and give the conditions favourable for the adoption of each one of them.