ACE 02 - ENGINEERING

UTILITIES 2

THE WASTE-

WATER SYSTEM
and
SEPTIC TANK
ALONA JANE M. CORPUZ | BSCE
 WASTEWATER SYSTEM
Wastewater system or treatment, also
called sewer system, the removal of
impurities from wastewater, or sewage,
before it reaches aquifers or natural
bodies of water such as rivers, lakes,
estuaries, and oceans. Since pure water is
not found in nature (i.e., outside chemical
laboratories), any distinction between
clean water and polluted water depends
on the type and concentration of
impurities found in the water as well as on
 MAIN TYPES OF SEWER
SYSTEM

A R Y STORMWATER COM
N I T SEW BI N
SA Y S T E M SEWER SYSTEM ER ED
E R S S YS
SE W TE M
SANITARY SEWER
SYSTEM
Sanitary sewers carry wastewater from homes and businesses
to wastewater treatment plants. They consist of pipes or
“laterals” that are attached to homes, businesses and other
buildings, main sewer lines that transport wastewater from the
laterals to wastewater treatment plants (sometimes called
water reclamation facilities), pump stations that help move the
sewage through the pipes where gravity doesn't do the trick,
manholes that provide access to the pipes, and finally, the
wastewater treatment facilities themselves, where wastewater
is cleaned before it is released it back into the environment.
STORMWATER
SEWER SYSTEM
their job is to safely move
stormwater (water from rain,
hail, snow, and other
precipitation) into a nearby
body of water in order to
prevent flooding. Stormwater
systems can include catch
basins, gutters, channels,
pipes and tunnels.
COMBINED SYSTEM
Combined systems do just what
they say — they combine sewer
and stormwater systems into
one. These are rarely used
anymore, as the excess
stormwater that enters sewage
treatment facilities is costly to
clean. Combined sewer systems
also have a harder time
handling wet weather events
and often result in a Combined
Sewer Overflow (something
similar to an SSO) that can
seriously pollute local
environments.
 A septic tank is an
underground, watertight
container designed to collect
and treat wastewater from
homes or buildings that are not
connected to a centralized
sewage system.

SEPTIC TANK
PARTS OF SEPTIC
TANK
DIGESTIVE CHAMBER 2/3 1/3 1/3
1 2

is where the wastewater FIRST LEACHING 3

enters and settles. The CHAMBER
solids, known as sludge,
settle to the bottom of the it allows for further SECOND LEACHING
tank, while the lighter breakdown of organic
matter through bacterial
CHAMBER
material, such as fats, oils,
and grease, float to the digestion. This process is a final settling chamber
surface. The liquid in the helps to reduce the where any remaining solids
middle layer, known as amount of solids in the settle to the bottom and
effluent, is discharged in effluenf and makes it more treated effluents is
the second chamber. suitable for release into the discharged into.
drain field.
DESIGN OF SEPTIC
TANK
 Aerobic Bacteria
The aerobic bacteria thrive at the top of the
tank where there is more oxygen. Also, the tank
has protozoa like amoebas, which eat bacteria,
control bacteria, and clear up wastewater

Anaerobic Bacteria
Anaerobic septic systems involve the use of
bacteria that don't require oxygen to live. In an
anaerobic system, you've got a septic tank with two
main pipes. One of these goes to the housse, and
the other heads out into your yard. That main pipe
splits into several pipes that sit just below the
surface of your lawn.
 SULFUR DIOXIDE

HYDROGEN
HYDROGEN SULFIDE

CARBON
MONOXIDE
CARBON DIOXIDE
METHANE GAS

GASES THAT ARE PRODUCED

INSIDE THE SEPTIC TANK
 Concrete
Steel
Type
s Fiberglass
of
Sept
ic Plastic
Tank
Aerobic
CONCRETE
SEPTIC TANK
These durable tanks will usually last
for several decades. Although, if the
concrete cracks this type of tank
can let waste seep out and allow
groundwater to seep inside. When
backups occur in a concrete septic
tank, the blockage could impact the
outflow of water.
STEEL
SEPTIC TANK
While steel is an inherently durable
material, septic tanks made of steel
usually only last 25 years before
they begin to rust. When corrosion
starts on the roof of a steel tank,
the tank could become too weak to
support the weight of the ground
above it. If this happens, an animal
or person could fall into the tank.
FIBERGLASS
SEPTIC TANK Septic tanks made of fiberglass
won’t crack like concrete or rust
like steel. Fiberglass tanks are also
significantly lighter than tanks
made of other materials – this
makes them easier to install but
also means they are more likely to
shift when the surrounding soil
becomes saturated.
PLASTIC
SEPTIC TANK
Plastic tanks are durable,
lightweight and relatively
inexpensive. Plastic septic
tanks won’t rust and are less
susceptible to cracking
compared to concrete. These
tanks are very light which
makes them easy to install.
AEROBIC
SEPTIC TANK
These tanks are powered by
electricity and are often installed
when other tanks on a property
have failed. Aerobic tanks are up
to three times more expensive
than other types of septic tanks,
but they are more effective and
require smaller drain fields which
can be a huge benefit on smaller
properties.
General conditions
in constructing a septic
1
tank
The concrete or masonry septic tank is usually constructed in a
rectangular form.

The minimum inside dimension of a septic tank is 90 centimeters wide

2 by 150 centimeters long.

For effective decomposition of the organic materials inside the septic

3
tank, a 120 centimeters depth of the liquid content is necessary.

The inlet and outlet inverts of the septic tank shall be long turn sanitary
4 tee. The inverts are installed in the wall of the tank at least 120
centimeters from its bottom floor equally spaced from both sides.
 The invert is extended down the liquid of the tank not more than 30
5 centimeters. This is to assure smooth delivery of the incoming sewage
below the scum line.

6 The bottom of the digestion chamber should be sloped to one low point.

The septic tank, should be provided with a manhole, extended a few

7 centimeters above the surface of the soil to overcome infiltration of
surface water.
Septic tank for large plumbing installations are provided with suspended
8 compartment attached to the ceiling slab of the tank. The baffle plate is
extended down the bottom of the tank about 40 centimeters below the
scum line. Each compartment of the tank separated by baffle plate is
provided with manhole.
The Septic Tank, should be constructed near the surface of the ground,
9 because the correction of the waste depends upon the extend of oxidation
and the existence of anaerobic bacteria.
 Pros ConICsTANK
OF SEPTIC TANK OF SEPT

Good for the Can be smelly

environment
Can be a health hazard
Cost Eff ective
Require a bit of space
Generally last a long time
You need to be careful
about what you're
Require little fl ushing into the tank
maintenance
Can be expensive to fi x
Can be used in remote
areas
Unsightly
 Size of a septic tank
For a family of 6 persons, the minimum tank capacity should be
1
approximately 1.3 cubic meters with a minimum size of 90 centimeters
wide by 150 centimeters long and 120 centimeters depth.

A very large tank is not advisable, because the bacterial activities would
2 be retarded. The size of the tank is proportionally based on the number
of persons expected to be served.

For residential installation, the practice is to allow 5 to 6 cubic feet of tank

volume per person. Thus, a septic tank that will serve a family of 12
3 persons must have a liquid capacity of 6 x 12 = 72 cubic feet or 538
gallons. (one cubic foot is 748 gallons).
FLOOR PLAN
with 2
bedrooms
2 WATER CLOSET
2 LAVATORY
2 SHOWER DRAIN
1 KITCHEN SINK
 TOTAL NUMBER
of fixtures
2 WATER CLOSET = 8 (4×2)
2 LAVATORY = 2DFU
(1×2)
=4 (2×2)
DFU
2 SHOWER DRAIN = DFU
2
DFU
1 KITCHEN SINK 16
DFU
CAPACITY OF SEPTIC TANK
DIMENSIONS OF
SEPTIC TANK
minimum width = 0.9m
maximum depth = 1.8m

VOLUME OF SEPTIC
TANK
V = l × w × depth of the water
3.785m = l × 0.9m × 1.8m
3

l= 2.336m
LENGTH OF DIGESTIVE CHAMBER
IDC = 2/3 (2.336m)
IDC = 1.558m
LENGTH OF LEACHING CHAMBER

ILC = 1/3 (2.336m)

ILC = 0.779
 Thank you
for listening
Don't hesitate to answer my
questions!