“Let’s talk about poop, baby” The day every five-year old boy dreams of…

Warm Up True/False. Shower, sink, and toilet water leave your home through the same pipe. Where does wastewater from your home go? ? ?

Not in here, buddy – show smithfield poop spraying! Developing world: human waste disposal similar to pre-modern times Waste Ditches and cesspools Outhouses 1596- John Harington designed the toilet; Thomas Crapper an early toilet maker in U.K. “The Great Stink” of 1858- London smelled so bad the government decided to construct an underground sewer for the city

Wastewater Treatment Wastewater- water that contains waste from homes or industry Goal of WWT- make water clean enough to return to a water source (river or lake) without damaging ecosystem

Primary Treatment Filtration- wastewater passed through large screen to remove solid objects First Settling Tank (sedimentation)- WW moved to large tank where solids settle and are later removed as sludge Settling Tank

Secondary Treatment Aeration Tank- WW mixed with oxygen and aerobic bacteria to break down waste biologically 2nd settling tank- bacteria and other solids are removed as sludge Chlorination- chlorine is added to disinfect water before being released to water body Question: What is the difference between aerobic and anaerobic?

Aeration Tanks

Question: Why would we want to remove nitrogen and phosphorus? Tertiary Treatment Goal- remove anything primary and secondary didn’t remove such as: Nutrients- Nitrogen and Phosphorus Odor and other pathogens UV light Ozone More chlorine Question: Why would we want to remove nitrogen and phosphorus?

Wastewater Treatment Process

What about the sludge? Sludge can contain toxic substances Heavy metals: Mercury, Lead, Cadmium Organic pollutants Pathogens Where does it go? Land: hauled to landfills Oceans: Europe still dumps 35-45% of total vol. Air: incinerated (burned); ash brought to landfill

Sludge Alternatives Fertilizers for crops Soil conditioner (like compost) Reclaiming a landfill for open space or park Recycled into different materials Bricks Biofuels But...the sludge needs to be treated first to remove heavy metals and other toxins- $$

Septic Systems A home WWTP for rural areas waste water treatment plant Residential wastewater flows into buried tank on property Solids settle in tank, liquids are distributed throughout pipe network in soil called the “drain field” Soil bacteria break down liquid waste, purifies water (natural) before it re-enters the aquifer Sludge gets removed periodically

Septic Systems

Septic Systems 1. Septic Tank 2. Drainfield 3. Sludge Removal 1 2 3

When it hits the fan…Issues Unmaintained septic systems E. Coli, fecal coliform bacteria in water Water-borne diseases: Cholera, Dysentary Dumping hazardous chemicals into toilet, sink

Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) In older towns and cities, storm water and wastewater sewers are connected- all goes to WWTP During heavy rainstorms, WWTP cannot handle the extra load of wastewater So…what do you think happens?!

Georgia flooding- 2009

Untreated Wastewater in River

What can you do at home? Do NOT pour hazardous materials down the drain, toilet, or shower Paint Paint Thinner Chemicals Do NOT pour excessive fats, grease, oils, or dead pets down the drain

Wrapping Up… Complete Poop Day recap before you leave today http://youtu.be/oaXth88i7rk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayGJ1YSfDXs