Chapter - 5

Chapter-5
NATURAL PURIFICATION
&
EFFLUENT DISPOSAL
1
EFFLUENT DISPOSAL SYSTEM
 Sewage is treated in treatment plants to a maximum extent possible i.e.,
the receiving water gets polluted due to waste products, present in
sewage effluents.
 The rest will be taken care of in the natural environment after disposal
 because of the natural forces of purification, such as dilution & dispersion,
sedimentation, oxidation-reduction in sun-light, etc., the process goes on
acting upon the pollution elements, and bring back the water into its
original condition.
EFFLUENT DISPOSAL SYSTEM
 Natural environments to receive effluent
 Surface water bodies (Streams, rivers, lakes and oceans)

 Mechanism – dilution sedimentation, pptn., biol. degradation …. Flow
 Other disposal methods include

 Land surface (Irrigated land, evaporation ponds & natural wetlands) as
slow rate, rapid rate & overland flow
 Mechanism – utilized by plants, filtered ….evaporation, seepage
 Sub surface (pits, percolation trenches)

 Mechanism – utilized by plants, filtered ….. infiltration
 This automatic purification of polluted /relatively polluted/ water, in due

course, is called the natural /self-purification phenomenon.
EFFLUENT DISPOSAL SYSTEM / surface water
5. 1. Dilution in Rivers and Oxygen Sag Curve

1) Disposal in rivers and streams
 WW effluent is discharged in to natural water bodies hence conc. Of
contaminants decrease by dilution
 When sewage of concentration Cww flows at a rate Qww in to a river
stream with concentration CR flowing at a rate QR, the concentration C of
the resulting mixture is given by:
 The limit depends on degree of dilution & self-purification capacity of

the receiving environment
 i.e., Should be diluted until the mix concentration is low enough that it
can be treated naturally to result in /lowest/ dissolved oxygen, large
enough to support aquatic life (4mg/l),
Natural purification /Dilution and Oxygen Sag Curve
i. Natural purification in rivers
 The amount of dissolved Oxygen (DO) in water is one of the most commonly
used indicators of a river health.
 i.e., Oxidation of the organic matter present in sewage effluents will start as
soon as the sewage outfalls into the river water containing dissolved oxygen
 Due to oxidation of organic matter discharged in the river DO depletion (de-
oxygenation) occurs.
 The process of oxidation will continue till the organic matter is completely
oxidized.
 The deficiency of oxygen so created, will be filled up by the atmospheric
oxygen (re-oxygenation).
 Due to
• Dissolution of O2 from atmosphere ,
• Algal photosynthesis and
• respiration.
 Therefore, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), i.e., dissolved oxygen (DO)
modeling/analysis has been an important aspect of any water quality
monitoring of receiving rivers /streams. 5
EFFLUENT
Natural DISPOSAL
purification SYSTEM
/Dilution and/Oxygen
surfaceSag
water
Curve
2. Oxygen Deficit /sag Curve
Figure of De-oxygenation curve

(rate of oxygen consumption in
river)
 DOr increases since solubility

rate depends on difference
between saturation concentration
and existing concentration of DO
 The amount of oxygen deficit can be obtained by algebraically adding the de-
oxygenation and re-oxygenation curves (see curve III-Figure above).
→ resultant curve is oxygen sag or the oxygen deficit curve.
 If de-oxygenation is more rapid than the re-oxygenation, an oxygen deficit will
increase.
 When both rates become equal, the critical point is reached
 Finally, when de-oxygenation rate falls below re-oxygenation, deficit goes on
decreasing till it becomes zero unless a new waste is discharged again 6
Zones of Pollution
in a River-Stream
ii. Mathematical model for DO:
 The entire analysis of super imposing the rate of de oxygenation and re

oxygenation have been carried out mathematically by Streeter – Phelp i.e.,
Rate of de-oxygenation: Proportional to the amount of organic matter

remaining to be oxidized at the given time (i.e., Lt)
dDODe /dt= -kdLt ,
Where; Lt = BOD remaining in the water at any time t

kd= first order degradation constant
Rate Re-oxygenation: Proportional to the oxygen deficit /from saturation

dDORe /dt = krDt
since Oxygen deficit, Dt = Saturation DO – Actual DO
Dt = DOs –DOt
dDORe /dt = kr(DOs – DOt)
9
dDO/dt = -kdLt + kr(DOs – DOt)
dD/dt = kdLt - kr(Dt)

Where; Lt = Loe-kdt
dD/dt = kd Loe-kdt - kr(Dt)
This is first order first degree differential equation and solution of this equation is as
under product rule
t
11
• Where, θ varies with the temperature, T; (ref back chapter 2 … BOD

modeling)
 1.056 in general or
 1.047 for 20oC to 30oC (> 20oC) temperature, and 1.135 for 4oC to 20oC (<
20oC)
• KD(20) = 0.1 to 0.3 for municipal sewage, base 10,
= 0.23 to 0.70 for base e
Base e / Base 10 = 2.303
• KR(20) = 0.15 to 0.20 for low velocity large stream (base 10)
= 0.20 to 0.30 for normal velocity large stream (base 10)
= 0.10 to 0.15 for lakes and sluggish stream (base 10)
= 0.345 to 0.46 for low velocity large stream (base e)
= 0.46 to 0.69 for normal velocity large stream (base e)
= 0.23 to 0.345 for lakes and sluggish stream (base e)
Peavy et al., 1985
• To find the critical time and deficit, differentiate the Streeter-Phelps

equation and set it equal to zero.
• If you divide through by e-ktr, bring the right hand term to the other side of
the equal sign, take the natural log of both sides, and solve for t = t c you
get:
……….5.5
13
 To solve for the critical deficit, Dc you could plug this expression for tc into
the Streeter-Phelps equation, but that would be massive
 It's easier to realize that at the bottom of the sag, dD/dt = 0. This allows
us to go back to the differential equation.
=0
dDt
Dc = (kd/kr)Loe-kd*tc
 The constant kr/kd is sometimes represented by f, called self purification

constant (0.5-5) . And the equations can be written as;
ln Lo
Lo
(e) …………..5.6
ln
15
 Inorder to maintain clean condition in a river stream, Dt must be nil,
 It is important that at any time the DO level must remain above 4mg/liter
to avoid fish mortality.
***
 Modifications on the Streeter-Phelps equations will be covered in higher
level (Environmental engineering specialization)
 Modifications are made because the above equation only take into account
carbonaceous oxygen demand and re-aeration through the water’s surface.
 There are several other processes that affect dissolved oxygen in rivers.
These include;
 nitrogenous oxygen demand, sediment oxygen demand, plant respiration
and background oxygen demand (increase de-oxygenation rate)
 photosynthesis (increase re-oxygenation rate).
Examples
1.The sewage of a town is to be discharged into a river stream. The quantity of
sewage produced per day is 8 million liters, and its BOD is 250mg/l. If the
discharge in the river is 200l/s and its BOD is 6mg/l, find out the BOD of the
diluted water.
Qww = 8Ml/d = 92.6l/sec
Cww = 250mg/l
QR = 200l/s
CR = 6mg/l
= 83.2mg/l
17
2) A waste water effluent of 560 l/s with a BOD = 50mg/l, DO = 3.0 mg/l and
temperature of 23°c enters a river where the flow is 28m3/sec, and BOD = 4.0
mg/l, DO = 8.2mg/l, and temperature of 17°c.
Determine the following after mixing of waste water with the river water:
Soln:
 Combined discharge = Qr + Qe = 28+0.56 = 28.56m3/s
 BOD = (560*50)+(28,000*4) / (560+28,000) = 4.9mg/l
 DO = (560*3) + (28,000*8.2) / (560+28,000) = 8.1mg/l
 Temperature = (560*23) + (28,000*17) / (560+28,000) = 17.11oC
18
Examples
3)A city discharges 100m3/sec of sewage in to a river, Which is fully saturated
with oxygen and flowing at the rate of 1500m3/sec with a velocity of 0.1m/s. The
5-day BOD of sewage at the given temperature is 280mg/l.
Find when and where the critical DO deficit will occur in the downstream
portion of the river, and what is its amount if the velocity of water in the river
downstream is 0.18m/s.
Assume coefficient of purification of the stream (f) as 4.0 and coefficient of
de-oxygenation (KD=0.1)
Solution:
Qww =100m3/sec QR = 1500m3/s
BOD5ww = 280mg/l BOD5R = 0mg/l
KD = 0.23/day f = 4.0
19
• Using
= ((100*280) + (0*1500))/ (100+1500)

= 17.5mg/L mix BOD5
Critical time tc;
But Lo is; BOD5=Lo*(1 - e-kdt)

17.5 = Lo*(1-e(-0.23*5)) = 25.6mg/l
Therefore tc;
ln =2days
0.23 (4 - 1)
20
• Where;
Distance=velocity of flow in river * tc
= 0.18m/s * (2*24*60*60)sec
= 20.7km
• Amount;
= 25.6mg/l/4 (2.72)-0.23*2d
= 4 mg/l
21
Exercise
4)A city discharges 1500l/s of sewage into a stream whose minimum rate of flow is 6000l/s. The
temperature of sewage as well as water is 20°c. The 5 day BOD at 20°c for sewage is 200mg/l and that
of river water is 1mg/l.
The DO content of sewage is zero, and that of the stream is at saturation DO content of 9mg/l.
If the minimum DO to be maintained in the stream is 4.0 mg/l, find out the degree of sewage
treatment, required.
Assume the de-oxygenation coefficient as 0.1 and re-oxygenation coefficient as 0.3.
Solution:
Qww =1.5m3/sec QR = 6m3/s
Tww = 20oC TR = 20oC
BOD5ww = 200mg/l BOD5R = 1mg/l
DOww = 0 DOR = 9mg/l = DS
KD = 0.23/day (to base e) f = 4.0
allowable Dc = DOS – 4.0mg/L = 5mg/l , KR = 0.3
Therefore; Lo
Lo
DOmix = (1500*0)+(6000*9)/(1500+6000) = 7.2mg/l

Initial deficit Do= 9-7.2=1.8mg/l
Lo
Lo = (Lo/(5*4))(4-1) = 4*(1-(4-1)*1.8/Lo)
By trial and error ultimate BOD of mix which results in Dc of 5 from Do of 1.8 , Lo ≈ 27.4mg/l
BOD5of mix = Lo[1 - e-Kdt)
= 27.4*[1 - e-0.23*5) = 18.74mg/l BOD5 of mix
18.74 = (1500*BOD5ww) + (6000*0)/(1500+6000)
=93.7mg/l BOD5ww
Degree of treatment required = 200-93.7 = 106.3mg/l

or 106.3/200*100 = 53.1%
Natural purification in sea
5.3. Dilution in sea

•Water quality management in lakes in entirely different from that in rivers.
•It is infact phosphorous, which seriously affects the water quality of lakes;
•and is hence considered as the prime lake pollutant.
•Oxygen demanding wastes may be the other important lake pollutants
Purification
•the oxygen content of sea water is less than that of fresh water, and also, its re-
aeration is slower.
•However, since the sea contains too large volume of water, most of these deficiencies
are removed, provided the sewage is taken deep into the sea and away from the coast
line.
•temperature of sea water is lower than that of sewage, the lighter and the warmer
sewage will rise up to the surface
•To prevent the backing up and spreading of sewage on the sea shore, the sewage
should be disposed of only during low tides.
Natural purification in sea
• In order to mix the sewage properly with sea water, the sewage should
be released at a minimum depth of 3 to 5 meters below the water level,
and
• by taking it sufficiently inside (about 1.5km) from the shore line
• sea currents, wind direction, velocity, etc. should be thoroughly studied.
• The point of disposal should be such that the sewage is taken away from
the shore by the-winds, and not brought back near the shore
5.4.Disposal by Land Application /Land
 In this method, the sewage effluent is generally disposed off by applying it on

land.
1. SUBSURFACE SYSTEMS
Used in single dwellings and small clusters of dwellings (usually
originally treated by means of septic tank)
2. LAND SURFACE DISPOSAL SYSTEMS

spreading for infiltration (high or slow rate) or overland flow, Used for
pretreated municipal effluents
26
Disposal by Land Application /Subsurface
Disposal by Land Application /Surface
 Surface disposal systems are used to dispose off pretreated municipal

effluents
 Not widely used due to

 large land requirements,
 code-required setbacks (often including buffer areas and fencing)
 requirement of significant pretreatment before application
Three main land disposal systems used for pretreated municipal effluents:
i. Slow-Rate Systems (SR)
ii. Rapid Infiltration Systems (RI)
iii. Overland Flow (OF)
Comparison of site characteristics for land treatment processes (EPA, 1981).

Slow Rate (SR) Rapid Infiltration (RI) Overland Flow (OF)
Grade <20% on cultivated land; Not critical; excessive Finish slopes 2-8%
a
<40% on noncultivated grades require much

land earthwork
Soil permeability Moderately slow to Rapid (sands, sandy Slow (clays, silts, and
moderately rapid loams) soils with
impermeable barriers)
Depth to ground water 0.6-1m (minimum)

b b
1 m during flood cycle ,
c
Not critical
1.5-3 m during drying
cycle
Climatic restriction Storage often needed for None (possibly modify Storage usually
cold weather and during operation in cold needed for cold
heavy precipitation weather) weather
a
Steeper grades might be feasible at reduced hydraulic loadings
b
Underdrains can be used to maintain this level at sites with high ground water table
c
Impact on ground water should be considered for more permeable soils
i. Slow rate systems

 Used to further treat wastewater effluent via contact with the soil-vegetation
system
 Organics are removed mainly within the first 1 - 2cm by, adsorption filtration
and then biological oxidation
 Particulate material is filtered through the soil matrix
 Nitrogen is removed by:
• Vegetation uptake (varies with type of plant grown)
• Retention within soil matrix
• Biological de-nitrification
• Ammonia volatilization
 Phosphorus removal via crop uptake and fixation processes in the soil matrix.
 Used in agricultural, turf (e.g., golf courses, parks), and forest systems
 Used when stringent requirements are placed on pathogens,
 HLR is based on the fact that runoff of applied water should be zero /soil
permeability/ or based on N limit
*based on soil permeability
LW(P)
*Based on Nitrogen limit
0.15-0.25
ii. Rapid infiltration rate systems

• Much of the applied wastewater percolates through the soil and is treated
through downward flow
• Vegetation is NOT a part of the treatment
• BOD, SS, FC are almost completely removed by filtering & straining action
• On appropriate hydraulic loading cycles N removal (de-nitrification) can

meet discharge standards (G.W.)
• P-removal by fixation processes in the soil matrix. (depend on td, travel
distance in soil…)
• Application is not continuous, instead, application periods are alternated

with drying periods to result in alternating aerobic & anaerobic soil
conditions for significant N removal.
• Hydraulic loading rate is …………..
iii.Overland flow systems

 Applying of previously treated wastewater effluents to a vegetation-
covered, graded land which flows down to runoff collection ditch
 Applied via grated pipes or nozzles at top of slope or by sprinkler systems
within the site
 Best suited for sites with relatively impermeable soils
 Removal mechanisms same as SR
 P removal 40-60% …. Due to limited contact of ww with soil matrix
Perennial grasses used for:
 Erosion control
 Slope stability
 Effluent treatment
• Based on empirical procedures
Example
A town having a population of 40,000 disposes sewage by land treatment. It
gets a per capita assured water supply from water works at a rate of
130l/d. Assuming that the land used for sewage disposal can absorb 80m3
of sewage per hectare per day, determine the land area required.
Solution
Total water supplied per day = 40,000*130l/d = 5,200m3/d
Assuming 80% of the water appears as sewage,
Quantity of sewage produced per day = 0.8 * 5,200m3/d = 4,160m3/d
Therefore the total area of land required for disposing sewage,
Provide 50% reserve area for resting the land

Therefore total land area = 1.5 * 52 =78ha 42
Exercise
2.A town disposes sewage by land treatment. It has a sewage farm of area
150 ha. The area included an extra provision of 50% for rest and rotation.
The population of the town being 50,000 and rate of water supply 140 l/c/d.
If 75% of the water is converted into sewage, determine the consuming
capacity of the soil.
43

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Chapter-5

 Surface water bodies (Streams, rivers, lakes and oceans)

 Other disposal methods include

 Sub surface (pits, percolation trenches)

 This automatic purification of polluted /relatively polluted/ water, in due

5. 1. Dilution in Rivers and Oxygen Sag Curve

 The limit depends on degree of dilution & self-purification capacity of

Figure of De-oxygenation curve

 DOr increases since solubility

 The entire analysis of super imposing the rate of de oxygenation and re

Rate of de-oxygenation: Proportional to the amount of organic matter

Where; Lt = BOD remaining in the water at any time t

Rate Re-oxygenation: Proportional to the oxygen deficit /from saturation

dD/dt = kdLt - kr(Dt)

• Where, θ varies with the temperature, T; (ref back chapter 2 … BOD

• To find the critical time and deficit, differentiate the Streeter-Phelps

 The constant kr/kd is sometimes represented by f, called self purification

 Inorder to maintain clean condition in a river stream, Dt must be nil,

= ((100*280) + (0*1500))/ (100+1500)

But Lo is; BOD5=Lo*(1 - e-kdt)

DOmix = (1500*0)+(6000*9)/(1500+6000) = 7.2mg/l

Degree of treatment required = 200-93.7 = 106.3mg/l

5.3. Dilution in sea

• sea currents, wind direction, velocity, etc. should be thoroughly studied.

 In this method, the sewage effluent is generally disposed off by applying it on

2. LAND SURFACE DISPOSAL SYSTEMS

 Surface disposal systems are used to dispose off pretreated municipal

 Not widely used due to

Comparison of site characteristics for land treatment processes (EPA, 1981).

<40% on noncultivated grades require much

Depth to ground water 0.6-1m (minimum)

i. Slow rate systems

*Based on Nitrogen limit

ii. Rapid infiltration rate systems

• On appropriate hydraulic loading cycles N removal (de-nitrification) can

• Application is not continuous, instead, application periods are alternated

iii.Overland flow systems

Provide 50% reserve area for resting the land

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= ((100280) + (01500))/ (100+1500)

DOmix = (15000)+(60009)/(1500+6000) = 7.2mg/l