18

Wastewater Management
NCF Competencies Covered:
Expected Learning Outcomes
C-5.1 and C-9.1

Knowledge to be gained: •Wastewater and its sources •e sewerage system •Alternate methods
of sewage disposal •Steps to prevent water contamination •Sanitation in public places and at home
Skill to be developed: •Better housekeeping practices and effective sewage disposal methods.
Attitude to be inculcated: •Clean water is a precious resource and should not be wasted.
Clean water ful ls our basic needs. It is used for before they enter a large water body. is
drinking, bathing, cooking food, washing process of removing contaminants from
clothes, irrigation, ushing toilets, etc. But, due water is called wastewater management.
to increasing population, industrial activities
and mismanagement, the shortage of clean Activity-1
water has become a problem for us. We generate wastewater throughout the day.
Water that has already been used for some Contaminants added to water turn it into
domestic, industrial, commercial and wastewater.
agricultural activities is called wastewater. Write the contaminants that contaminate
is wastewater contains many chemical, water in the following activities:
physical and biological contaminants. If these Sl. No. Activity Contaminant
contaminants are not removed or treated well, 1 Washing Detergent
then it causes problems. ese problems are not 2 Bathing
speci c only for human beings, but also for 3 Agriculture Fertilisers
other animals and organisms. erefore, we 4 Flushing
need a process of removing contaminants
Wastewater Management 255
SEWAGE u Soluble inorganic impurities are mostly
e terms wastewater, liquid waste and sewage salts of nitrates, phosphates, sulphides, etc.
are oen used interchangeably. Literally u In addition to the above components, sewage
speaking, sewage is the wastewater carried by that reaches sewage treatment plants may
sewers or underground pipes. Sewage is also contain small animals like insects, sh,
mostly liquid waste. It contains dissolved and arthropods, etc. ey may also contain trash,
suspended impurities in it. ese impurities are such as plastic bags, sanitary towels, rags,
called contaminants. metal cans, wooden sticks, etc.
In this chapter, when we talk about ‘wastewater’, u Sewage water may also contain toxic gases
we talk about ‘sewage’. and emulsions like paints and oils.
Contaminants Present in Sewage From the above discussion, we can conclude
Sewage as we know it now, is a liquid mixture that sewage water can be very harmful and
containing water with dissolved contaminants. contain many contaminants in them.

e following contaminants may be present in e Sewerage System

wastewater: e underground pipe which carries away the
u Microbes like pathogenic bacteria, viruses, sewage is called a sewer.
protozoa, etc. ese microbes can cause Different sewers in an area combine and form
water-borne diseases like cholera, typhoid an underground network of interconnected
and dysentery. sewers that transport the sewage from the
u Organic impurities in the form of faeces, places where it is produced, to the sewage
hair, animal waste, urea, oil, fruits, food treatment plant. is underground network of
waste, pesticides, and herbicides, etc. sewers is called a sewerage.
e sewerage system is usually managed by the
u Inorganic impurities like sand, grit
municipality/local government.
metals, ceramics, etc.

Fig.1 Open sewer Fig.2 Untreated sewage falling into a river

256 Wastewater Management
SOURCES OF WATER POLLUTION the groundwater. ey also get swept away by
u Municipal wastewater rains and drains into rivers and lakes. It
harms the organisms present in these aquatic
is is the wastewater from homes, offices,
habitats.
etc., which is carried by sewers. It may be
only the wastewater from toilets or may Need for Drainage and Sanitation
include the wastewater from kitchens and Proper drainage of wastewater is essential. In
bathrooms. e wastewater from toilets is the absence of a proper drainage system, the
oen referred to as black water, while the sewage from drains gets collected to form pools
wastewater from kitchens and bathrooms is of stagnant wastewater.
referred to as grey water. u Sewage that stagnates as a puddle spreads
u Industrial wastewater diseases through mosquitoes and ies.
ese might spread malaria, elephantiasis,
Industries cause water contamination as they
cholera and other diseases.
release their untreated wastewater into water
bodies. ese contain harmful chemicals, u Sewage le-off might pollute freshwater
such as mercury, lead, copper, and cadmium, sources and public water distribution systems.
etc., which can affect the nervous system, and Polluted water can act as a carrier of harmful
cause skin infections. pathogenic organisms that spread diseases
such as cholera, dysentery, typhoid, etc.
u Domestic wastewater
u Exposed draining of sewage, especially
is includes waste generated in homes due
from hospitals and industries, can cause
to day-to-day activities. Human excreta,
community health problems.
food waste, plastic wrappers, soaps, and
detergents are common garbage generated in
Activity-2
homes.
u Agricultural waste Visit an open drain near your home and
Chemical fertilisers, insecticides, and observe the wastewater owing through it.
Take pictures of a few open drains and paste
pesticides, excessively used in agricultural
them in your notebook. Record the colour and
farms, seep down through the soil and harm
odour of the sewage.

Checkpoint-1
Write True or False
1. All living organisms generate waste. ___________
2. Sewage only contains organic matter. ___________
3. Sewage water is the wastewater carried by sewers or underground pipes. ___________
4. e wastewater from kitchens is referred to as black water. ___________
5. Sewage that stagnates as a puddle spreads diseases. ___________

Wastewater Management 257

 Activity-3
Wastewater treatment
plant (WWTP) Study the sewage route in your building or
school and make a line diagram of the sewage
Sewers route.
Treated water
WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT
Sewage water has to be treated before it is let off
Combined waste
wat into water bodies. For this purpose, sewage is
from all drains er
Weir treated in a wastewater treatment plant.
Wall Over owing
water Wastewater treatment includes removing
physical, chemical and biological impurities
from wastewater. e treatment is done in
Fig.3 A sewerage system
three stages—Primary, Secondary and
THE SEWAGE SYSTEM Tertiary.
In the sewage system, sewage is carried from Primary Treatment: is happens in three
its production to the place of sewage steps:
treatment. An effective sewage system is made
up of a network of pipes that carry wastewater u Screening: Materials that can easily be
to the sewer mains of the city. e pipes that collected from raw wastewater before they
carry the sewage are called sewers. Such pipes damage or clog the pipes of the primary
are made up of PVC (Polyvinyl chloride) or treatment tank are collected using bar
cast iron. e wastewater goes down the drain screens. e sewage is screened by passing
when you ush the toilet or wash your clothes. the wastewater through screens of vertical
e pipes from each house or building are bars that help to remove all large objects,
connected to a sewer main that is covered by a such as rags, sticks, glass, plastic packets, etc.,
lid called the manhole cover. A person can that are carried in the sewage stream. e
solids are collected and later disposed of in a
enter a sewer through this manhole to check
land ll. Bar screens or mesh screens of
for any leakage or blockage for maintenance
varying sizes are used, which help in solid
purpose.
waste removal from wastewater.
e sewer main ows into progressively
larger pipes until they reach the wastewater u Grit and sand removal: is is done aer
treatment plant. In order to use the Earth's screening. Here the ow of wastewater is
gravity to help with the job, the wastewater slowed down, so that the grit and sand
treatment plant is usually located in a low- present in it can settle at the bottom.
lying area and sewer mains oen follow e screened wastewater is passed through a
stream-beds to the plant. e sewage is then sand or grit chamber where the speed of the
treated, cleaned and released into rivers or incoming wastewater is adjusted to allow the
seas. setting down of sand, grit, stones, etc.
258 Wastewater Management
 e particles are removed because they sewage is decomposed with the help of
might block and damage the water bacteria. e watery waste already contains
treatment pumps. aerobic bacteria in it. e secondary treatment
u Sedimentation: Aer removing grit and is done in an open tank called the aeration
sand, the water is made to stand for a while tank. Air bubbles are blown into this tank to
in a large tank, commonly called the speed up the action of aerobic bacteria. e
sedimentation tank. e sedimentation aerobic bacteria multiply and feed upon the
tank is usually shaped like a funnel in the leover waste. In this way, aerobic bacteria
middle. e solid waste called sludge settles clean the clari ed watery waste and make it
down, while lighter impurities, such as oil, almost harmless. e water is then allowed to
and grease called scum oat on the water sit in another sedimentation tank.
surface. e tanks gently pump out the Tertiary Treatment: e water in the tertiary
sludge from the bottom, while the scum on treatment is passed through disinfectant tanks.
top gets skimmed away. is process is ey undergo chemical treatment which
called digestion . During this process, depends on the composition of water at this stage.
biogas is produced, which can be used as e water is disinfected using chlorine,
fuel. potassium permanganate and ozone. It may also
Secondary Treatment: Aer going through be exposed to ultraviolet rays to kill disease-
the primary treatment, the water is now called causing microorganisms.
clari ed water. In secondary treatment, the Clean water is now ready to be released into rivers
biological content or organic waste of the or seas.
Primary Secondary Tertiary

Grit Aeration Disinfection

Bar screen chamber Sedimentation tank tank Sedimentation tank tank

Raw
Sewage Treated
Sewage
Sludge

Air pump
Biogas
chamber

Digestion tank

Sludge drying bed

Sludge residue
disposed
off in land lls

Fig.4 Wastewater treatment plant

Wastewater Management 259
 u Septic tank: It is simply a big concrete or
Knowledge Booster steel tank. Wastewater ows into the tank.
Ÿ 90% of wastewater in developing countries e solid parts of biodegradable waste and
is discharged into water bodies, without any
excreta keep on collecting at the bottom of
treatment. This badly affects the water
pollu on levels in these countries. It the septic tank in the form of sludge.
increases the scarcity of available A septic tank contains anaerobic bacteria in
freshwater to a great extent. it. ese bacteria decompose the sewage.
Ÿ It has been researched that we should plant Biogas can also be generated in large septic
eucalyptus trees all along sewage ponds.
tanks and can be used as fuel.
These trees absorb all surplus wastewater
rapidly and release pure water vapour into Apart from the inlet pipe, there is also an
the atmosphere. outlet pipe at the top part of the septic tank
which allows the digested water to ow out.
USE OF TREATED WATER AND
SLUDGE
Water treated in this way can be used for a Toilet
variety of purposes, and is safe to be drained
into water bodies. Sludge is rich in organic
matter, nitrogen, phosphorus, inorganic salts
and heavy metals. It is the residue of the Human excreta
chemical, biological and physical treatment of
Scum
municipal and industrial waste. Sludge is Inlet Outlet
useful in the following ways: Watery waste
1. It can be used as fertiliser or as a land ll.
2. Sewage sludge and wastewater effluents can Sludge
provide essential plant nutrients since these Soil
Septic tank
are rich in organic matter. Sludge can
improve the physical condition of the soil.
3. It can be used to produce biogas which is Fig.5 Septic tank based toilet
used as a fuel and can be used to generate u Vermicomposting: It is a method in which
electricity.
worms, usually red wrigglers, white worms,
ALTERNATIVE METHOD OF SEWAGE and earthworms, are used to decompose
DISPOSAL vegetable wastes other than meat, dairy
Every community should have a way of products, fats or oils, and produce manure.
disposing of sewage so that people, animals and Vermicompost is also known as worm
ies cannot touch it. is is called an onsite humus or worm manure. Vermicompost
sewage system. is can be done in the formed contains water-soluble nutrients and
following ways: can be used as an organic fertiliser.
260 Wastewater Management
 Gas treatment
unit

Top cover

SOLID WASTE

Gas collection

Clay liner
Insulation Insulation
layer layer

Fig.6 Modern land- ll Fig.7 Vermicomposting

u Land ll: It involves burying the waste in 2. Excreta of humans and animals, along with
unused pits where the organic waste breaks organic waste, should be used in biogas
down in the absence of oxygen by bacteria plants to produce fuel and manure.
producing a gas which is pumped out of the 3. Excessive use of chemical fertilisers and
land ll and ared off or burnt in a gas pesticides should be avoided. Use of organic
engine to generate electricity. fertilisers and manure should be promoted.
4. Garbage and carcasses of animals should not
u Incineration: It is a disposal method in
be thrown into water bodies.
which solid organic wastes are subjected to
5. Sewage treatment plants should be built to
combustion, so as to convert them into
prevent sewage from mixing with fresh
residue and gaseous products. is method
water.
causes air pollution, which is why it is not
encouraged. Knowledge Booster
STEPS TO PREVENT WATER In the year 2016, the Government of India
ini ated a new mission called the ‘Swachh Bharat
CONTAMINATION
Mission’. This mission ini ates and promotes a
Water contamination is a huge threat to lot of measures, such as proper sewage disposal
mankind and the need of the hour is to take and providing toilets for everyone.
adequate and necessary steps to prevent the
same. People should be educated about the
effects of water contamination and the ways of
preventing it. Contamination of water can be
controlled in the following ways:
1. Industrial waste should be treated and
rendered harmless before being discharged
into the water bodies.
Fig.8 Spraying of pesticides
Wastewater Management 261
 Fig.9 Do not push waste down the drain Fig.10 Do not throw oil down the drain

BETTER HOUSEKEEPING PRACTICES drains. ese wastes choke the drains. ey
To avoid the wastage of water and to make the do not allow the free ow of oxygen. is
drainage system work efficiently, we all need to hampers the degradation process.
cooperate. One of the ways to minimise or SANITATION AND DISEASE
eliminate waste and pollutants at their source is e word ‘sanitation’ means to create a clean
to notice what you are releasing into the drain. environment around our surroundings. It is
u Polythene bags are a big cause of concern for very essential because it prevents the spread of
the water drainage system. Polythene bags diseases. Many people defecate in the open,
choke the drains and block many drainage near elds, on railway tracks and on the
pipes and sewers. We should avoid releasing riverside. Untreated human excreta causes
polythene bags down the drain. water pollution and soil pollution. As a
u Cooking oil and fats should not be thrown result of open defecation, surface water and
down the drain. ey can harden and block groundwater get polluted.
the pipes. In an open drain, the fats clog the We also know that, drinking contaminated
soil pores, reducing the effectiveness of water causes water-borne diseases. Some of the
ltering water. Oil and fats should be thrown water-borne diseases are—cholera, typhoid,
in the dustbin. ey also clog the pipes. meningitis, hepatitis, dysentery, etc.
u Other food items should also not be thrown Clean water is one of our basic needs, but sadly
down the drain. it is not available to all people.
u Chemicals like paints, solvents, insecticides, SANITATION IN PUBLIC PLACES
motor oil, and medicines may kill microbes Public places are the places where a large
that help purify water. So, do not throw them number of people visit daily. Some of the
down the drain. common public places are—bus depots,
u Used tea leaves, solid food remains, so toys, airports, hospitals and railway stations. Since
cotton, sanitary towels, etc., should also be thousands of people visit these places daily, a
thrown into the dustbin and not into the large amount of waste is generated. If these
262 Wastewater Management
waste materials are not disposed of regularly You can also spread awareness regarding water
and properly, it could get very dangerous. pollution and sanitation. Regular programmes
Water and soil pollution would rise. Water- and campaigns should be organised to make
borne diseases would be rampant and an people aware of the ill effects of generating
epidemic could break out. excessive waste.
By following the sanitation practices, we can We all have a role in keeping our environment
maintain cleanliness at public places: clean and healthy. We must discharge our
responsibilities in maintaining the water
u We should not scatter litter anywhere.
sources in a healthy state. Adopting good
u If there is no dustbin, we should carry the
sanitation measures should be a part of our
litter home and dispose it into the dustbin.
lifestyle. As an agent of change, your individual
u We should not spit in public places. initiative can make a great difference. You
u We should not urinate by the roadside. should strive to in uence others with your
BECOME AN ACTIVE CITIZEN energy, ideas and optimism. A lot of change can
occur if people work together towards a
Being active citizens, we can minimise the type
collective goal. ere is great power in collective
and quantity of waste. If there is an open dirty
action.
water drain in your locality, then you can
approach the municipality and insist that open Remember the famous saying by Mahatma
drains should be covered because open Gandhi "No one needs to wait for anyone else to
dirty water drains are breeding places for adopt a humane and enlightened course of
mosquitoes, ies and other disease-causing action."
microorganisms.

Knowledge Booster NCF C-5.1

Vermi-processing toilet
A design of a toilet in which human excreta is treated by earthworms has been tested in India. It has
been found to be a novel, low-water-use toilet for the safe processing of human waste. The opera on
of the toilet is very simple and hygienic. The human excreta is completely converted into vermi-
cakes—a resource much needed for soil.

Checkpoint-2
Fill in the blanks
1. e pipes that carry the sewage are called ________________.
2. ________________ is treated in a wastewater treatment plants.
3. Grit removal is done aer the ________________ process.
4. e water is disinfected using ________________.
5. ________________ is simply a big concrete or steel tank.

Wastewater Management 263

Keywords
Wastewater : e used water of domestic, industrial and agricultural activities.
Wastewater management : e process of removing contaminants from wastewater.
Sewage : The wastewater that ows down the drains.
Sewer : The pipe that carries the sewage.
Contaminants : Polluting substances that make something impure.
Sedimentation : The process of settling or being deposited as sediment.
Aeration tank : A uid-holding tank with provisions to aerate its contents.
Sludge : Solid organic matter settled down in the sedimentation tank.
Septic tank : An alternative sewage disposal system.

Points to Remember
u All living organisms generate waste and nature manages this waste very efficiently and wisely.
u e human population has been generating so much waste that nature's agents cannot handle
it anymore.
u Water that has already been used for some domestic, industrial, commercial and agricultural
activities is called wastewater.
u e process of removing contaminants from water is called wastewater management.
u Sewage is the wastewater carried by sewers or underground pipes.
u Sewage can contain a wide array of contaminants, like disease-causing microbes, organic and
inorganic impurities and toxic gases.
u e underground pipe that carries away the sewage is called a sewer.
u e underground network of sewers is called a sewerage.
u Exposed draining of sewage, especially from hospitals and industrial units, can cause
community health problems.
u Drinking polluted water mainly causes cholera, dysentery and typhoid.
u An open drain system is a breeding place for ies, mosquitoes and organisms which cause
diseases.
u Incineration is a disposal method in which solid organic wastes are subjected to combustion.
u Wastewater needs to be treated in a treatment plant (WWTP) before being released into water
bodies.
u e WWTP contains bar screens, a grit chamber, a sedimentation tank, an aeration tank and
disinfectants. e water that nally comes out of these tanks are suitable to be released into
water bodies.

264 Wastewater Management

 Exercise
A. Tick (3) the Correct Option
1. Wastewater running in sewers is called _______________.
(a) blackwater (b) sewage
(c) sludge (d) sewerage
2. e light material which oats during wastewater treatment is called _______________.
(a) scum (b) sewer
(c) sewage (d) sludge
3. Water is disinfected by:
(a) ozone (b) chlorine
(c) ultraviolet radiations (d) all of these
4. Which of the following is an organic contaminant?
(a) Ammonia (b) Paint
(c) Faeces (d) Hydrogen sulphate
5. e decomposition of sewage is carried out by:
(a) chlorine (b) bacteria
(c) ozone (d) fungi
6. An example of onsite sewage disposal method is:
(a) septic tank (b) biogas plant
(c) chemical toilet (d) all of these
7. Which of these is not a water-borne disease?
(a) Typhoid (b) Cholera
(c) AIDS (d) Dysentery
8. Which of the following plants should be planted along the sewage ponds?
(a) Eucalyptus (b) Chinar
(c) Redwood (d) Babul
9. e Government of India has initiated the Swachh Bharat Mission in:
(a) 2016 (b) 2017
(c) 2018 (d) 2019

Wastewater Management 265

B. Fill in the Blanks with Suitable Words
1. _______________ removes materials that can be easily collected from the raw wastewater
before they damage the pipes of primary treatment tank.
2. e wastewater from toilets is oen referred to as _______________.
3. e solid waste called _______________ settles down, while lighter impurities like oil and
grease called _______________ oat on the water surface.
4. _______________ involves burying the waste in unused mining voids or pits where the
organic waste breaks down.
5. e pipes that carry the sewage are called _______________.
C. Very-Short-Answer-Type Questions
1. What is wastewater?
2. What is wastewater management?
3. Write two uses of clean water.
4. What are contaminants? Name two contaminants.
5. Name two sources of wastewater.
6. Give two examples of garbage generated at home that mixes with water to form wastewater.
7. What does PVC stand for?
8. What is sludge?
9. What is scum?
10. Name two chemicals used to disinfect wastewater.
D. Short-Answer-Type Questions
1. Why is it harmful to discharge untreated wastewater into large water bodies like rivers and
seas?
2. Differentiate between sewers and sewerage. How are they related?
3. What is municipal wastewater? How are they further classi ed?
4. What is the function of a manhole?
5. Write three uses of treated water.
6. Mention three steps that can be used to prevent water contamination.
7. What is sanitation? How is it important?
8. Why should oils and fats not be released into the drain?
9. What are the practices that should be maintained in public places?
10. What is the role of an active citizen regarding sanitation?

266 Wastewater Management

E. Long-Answer-Type Questions
1. Explain the type of contaminants that can be found in the sewage.
2. Write a brief note on various sources from where wastewater is generated.
3. Why is there a need for drainage and sanitation?
4. With the help of a diagram, explain the process of wastewater treatment.
5. Mention the housekeeping practices that need to be followed so as to not clog the drains.
HOTS
1. Untreated human excreta is a health hazard. Explain how.
2. How is sewage disposed of in an aeroplane?

Activity Zone
Project Work NCF C-9.1 Collabortation

A. Work in pairs. Search for latest technologies in wastewater treatment. Find out about any
one new technology (like using plants or bacteria) and explain how it works in a short
presentation.

Science Excursion

B. Visit a sewage treatment plant. It could be as exciting and enriching as a visit to a zoo, a
museum, or a park. To guide your observations, here are a few suggestions. Record them in
your notepad.
Place ___________ Date ___________ Time ___________
Name of the official at the plant __________ Guide/Teacher ___________.
1. e location of the sewage plant.
2. Treatment capacity.
3. e purpose of screening as the initial process.
4. How is air bubbled through the aeration tank?
5. How safe is the water at the end of the treatment? How is it tested?
6. Where is the water discharged aer treatment?
7. What happens to the plant during heavy rains?
8. Is biogas consumed within the plant or sold to other consumers?
9. What happens to the treated sludge?

Wastewater Management 267

 Memory Map1
Municipal Industrial Domestic Agricultural
Wastewater Wastewater Wastewater Wastewater

Sources

SEWAGE

Contaminants present in sewage

Microbes Organic impurities Inorganic impurities Soluble impurities Toxic gases

Memory Map2
Septic tank Vermicomposting Land ll Incineration

Alternative methods of sewage disposal

WASTEWATER TREATMENT
steps in WWTP

Primary Secondary Tertiary

Screening Grit Sedimentation Aeration Disinfectation

removal

e-Resources
Please visit the link given below or scan the QR code for more resources on
this chapter:
https://www.megamindpublication.com/s-3-science/b-3-exploring-science-7/c-44/wastewater-mangement.html

268 Wastewater Management