INTRODUCTION

Sewer appurtenances are the various accessories on the sewerage

system. They include :-
(1) Manholes
(2) Drop manholes
(3) Lamp holes
(4) Clean-outs
(5) Street inlets called Gullies
(6) Catch basins
(7) Flushing Tanks
(8) Grease & Oil traps
(9) Inverted Siphons
(10) Storm Regulators. Etc.

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NEED OF SEWER APPURTENANCES
 They are necessary to make the process of construction of
sewerage system easy and for the efficient operation of the
sewerage system.

 If sewerage system is not properly maintained silt, ashes, grit, oil,

fats etc. will chock the sewer lines therefore for proper operation
and maintainance various devices are required.

 These are constructed at suitable intervals along the sewerage

system to help its efficient operation and maintenance.

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MAN-HOLE
 Man-holes are the openings of either circular or rectangular in
shape constructed on the alignment of a sewer line to enable a
person to enable a person to enter the sewer for inspection,
cleaning and flushing. They also serve as ventilators for sewers, by
the provisions of perforated man-hole covers.
 These are provided at every bend, junction, change of gradient or
change of diameter of the sewer. The sewer line between the two
manholes is laid straight with even gradient. For straight sewer
line manholes are provided at regular interval depending upon the
diameter of the sewer.
 Manholes also receives sewers coming from different directions
and are very helpful during floods.

Classification of Man-Holes :
Depending upon the depth the manholes can be classified as:
(a) Shallow Manholes
(b) Normal Manholes
(c) Deep Manholes

(a)Shallow Manholes
These are 0.7 to 0.9 m depth, constructed at the start of the branch
sewer or at a place not subjected to heavy traffic conditions (Figure
8.1). These are provided with light cover at top and called inspection
chamber.

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(b) Normal Manholes

These manholes are 1.5 m deep with dimensions 1.0 m x 1.0 m square
or rectangular with 1.2 m x 0.9 m (Figure 8.2). These are provided with
heavy cover at its top to support the anticipated traffic load.

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(a) Deep Manholes
The depth of these manholes is more than 1.5 m. The section of
such manhole is not uniform throughout. The size in upper portion is
reduced by providing an offset. Steps are provided in such manholes
for descending into the manhole. These are provided with heavy
cover at its top to support the traffic load.

(a) Rectangular Deep Manhole

(b) Circular Deep Manhole

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Special Type of Manholes :
 Drop-Manholes

When a sewer connects with another sewer, where the difference in

level between invert level of branch sewer and water line in the main
sewer at maximum discharge is greater than 0.6 m, a manhole may be
built either with vertical or nearly vertical drop pipe from higher sewer
to the lower one. The drop manhole is also required in the same sewer
line in sloping ground, when drop more than 0.6 m is required to
control the gradient and to satisfy the maximum velocity i.e., non-
scouring velocity.

 Junction Manholes
This type of manholes are constructed at every junction of two or more
sewers, and on the curved portion of the sewers, with curved portion
situated within the manhole. This type of manholes can be
constructed with the shape other than rectangular to suit the curve
requirement and achieve economy.

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  Flushing Manholes
Flushing manholes are provided at the head of the sewers. Sufficient
velocity shall be imparted in the sewer to wash away the deposited
solids. In case of heavy chocking in sewers, care should be exercised to
ensure that there is no possibility of back flow of sewage into the water
supply mains.

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LAMP-HOLES

 It is an opening or hole constructed in a sewer for purpose of

lowering a lamp inside it.
 It consists of stoneware or concrete pipe, which is connected to
sewer line through a T-junction as shown in the Figure 8.12. The
pipe is covered with concrete to make it stable.
 Manhole cover of sufficient strength is provided at ground level to
take the load of traffic.

Advantages
 This lamp hole can also be used for flushing the sewers.
 If the top cover is perforated it will also help in ventilating the
sewer, such lamp hole is known as fresh air inlet.

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INVERTED SIPHONS

 An inverted siphon or depressed sewer is a sewer that runs full

under gravity flow at a pressure above atmosphere in the sewer.
 Inverted siphons are used to pass under obstacles such as buried
pipes, subways, etc.
 They also function in preventing smelly sewer gases from coming
back out of the drains.
 As the inverted siphon requires considerable attention for
maintenance, it should be used only where other means of
passing an obstacle in line of the sewer are impracticable.

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STORM WATER INLETS
 Storm water inlets are provided to admit the surface runoff to the
sewers.
 They are provided either depressed or flush with respect to the
elevation of the pavement surface.
 The structure of the inlet is constructed with brickwork with cast
iron grating at the opening confirming to IS 5961.
These are classified in three major groups viz. curb inlets, gutter inlets,
and combined inlets.

Curb Inlet
 These are vertical opening in the road curbs through which
storm water flow enters the storm water drains.
These are preferred where heavy traffic is anticipated (Figure
8.6a).

Gutter Inlets
 These are horizontal openings in the gutter which is covered by
one or more grating through which stormwater is admitted
(Figure 8.6b).

Combined Inlets
 In this, the curb and gutter inlet both are provided to act as a
single unit.
 The gutter inlet is normally placed right in front of the curb
inlets.

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Combined Inlet

Gutter Inlet

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CATCH BASINS

 Catch basins are provided to stop the entry of heavy debris

present in the storm water into the sewers.
 At the bottom of the basin space is provided for the accumulation
of impurities. Their use is discouraged because of the nuisance
due to mosquito breeding apart from posing substantial
maintenance problems.
 Perforated cover is provided at the top of the basin to admit rain
water into the basin. A hood is provided to prevent escape of
sewer gas.

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CLEAN-OUTS

 It is a pipe which is connected to the underground sewer. The

other end of the clean-out pipe is brought up to ground level and
a cover is placed at ground level (Figure 8.8).
 A clean-out is generally provided at the upper end of lateral
sewers in place of manholes.
 During blockage of pipe, the cover is taken out and water is forced
through the clean-out pipe to lateral sewers to remove obstacles
in the sewer line.
 For large obstacles, flexible rod may be inserted through the
clean-out pipe and moved forward and backward to remove such
obstacle.

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REGULATOR OR OVERFLOW
DEVICE
 These are used for preventing overloading of sewers, pumping
stations, treatment plants or disposal arrangement, by diverting
the excess flow to relief sewer.
 The overflow device may be side flow or leaping weirs according
to the position of the weir, siphon spillways or float actuated
gates and valves.

Side Flow Weir

 It is constructed along one or both sides of the combined sewer

and delivers the excess flow during storm period to relief sewers
or natural drainage courses.
 The crest of the weir is set at an elevation corresponding to the
desired depth of flow in the sewer.
 The weir length must be sufficient long for effective regulation of
the flow.

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Leaping Weir

 Term leaping weir is used to indicate the gap or opening in the

invert of a combined sewer.
 The leaping weir is formed by a gap in the invert of a sewer
through which the dry weather flow falls and over which a portion
of the entire storm leaps.
 This has an advantage of operating as regulator without involving
moving parts.
 However, the disadvantage of this weir is that, the grit material
gets concentrated in the lower flow channel.

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SIPHON SPILLWAY

 This arrangement of diverting excess sewage from the combined

sewer is most effective because it works on the principle of siphon
action and it operates automatically.
 The overflow channel is connected to the combined sewer
through the siphon.
 An air pipe is provided at the crest level of siphon to activate the
siphon when water will reach in the combined sewer at stipulated
level (Figure 8.11).

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SEWER VENTILATORS
 Ventilation to the sewer is necessary to make provision for the
escape of air to take care of the exigencies of full flow and to keep
the sewage as fresh as possible.
 In case of stormwater, this can be done by providing ventilating
manhole covers.
 In modern sewerage system, provision of ventilators is not
necessary due to elimination of intercepting traps in the house
connections allowing ventilation.

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CONCLUSION
This report has been a brief study on the various sewer appurtenances
used in the sewerage system. These are required for the proper
functioning of sewerage system. Among all the appurtenances man-
hole is of utmost importance and hence proper investigation and
designing is required for construction of man-holes. Some of these
such as Lamp-holes are not very widely used nowadays. New
techniques and appurtenances should be used for sewer conveyance.
Also after construction during its working all the sewer appurtenances
are to be regularly checked and proper maintenance is required for
smooth working of the system.

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