1. Historical Development of Sewage and Water Treatment
Professor Nick Gray
Centre for the Environment
Trinity College
University of Dublin
© Tigroney Press

2. Water and Wastewater Treatment: The start
13-14th centuries
1291 R. Fleet and the White Friars of Sherbourne (Shitebourne)Lane
Edward III Sanitary Ordinaces
Shyte (n) shite (v)

3. Water and Wastewater Treatment: The start
15th Century
Garderobe
French Garder: to robe (wardrobe)

4. Water and Wastewater Treatment: The start
16th Century
Close stools, cesspits and gongfermors
Chamber pots ‘gardez l’eau’

5. Water and Wastewater Treatment: The start
1592
Sir John Harrington
Metamorphosis of Ajax
TCD founded

6. Water and Wastewater Treatment: The start
19th century
Land Reform Acts; industrialization and rapid city growth
1838 Chlorea arrives
,000 die
Chadwick Report: destitution and disease linked

7. Water and Wastewater Treatment: The start
1848 Snow links cholera to water contamination

8. Water and Wastewater Treatment: The start

9. Water and Wastewater Treatment: The start
1852 Illegal to draw water from Thames within City
1848 Public Health Act: compulsory to drain houses to sewers
1858 Great Stink
1865/68 Royal Commission on River Pollution Reports

10. Water and Wastewater Treatment: The start
1870’s London’s Intercepting sewers completed. Death rate falls.
Sir Joseph Bazalgette

11. Water and Wastewater Treatment: The start
Construction was a massive undertaking 83 miles in length
Requiring pumping stations
Outfall pumping stations
Creation of embankments by reclaiming marshes to hide sections of sewer

12. Water and Wastewater Treatment: The start
1876 River Pollution Prevention Act: ‘Wastewater to be free from all excrementations or other foul or noxious matter’
Problems:
Only land treatment available at time
Industry had no incentive to treat wastewater
Rivers no longer used for drinking
Rivers traditionally provided cheap disposal

13. Water and Wastewater Treatment: The start
1865 Land treatment used (sewage farms). (0.05 m3m-2d-1 or 1000 people per acre).
1900 Birmingham 2,800 acres and growing by 1.5 acres per week.

14. Water and Wastewater Treatment: The start
1880s Role of bacteria identified
1894 Percolating filters Salford
1914 Activated sludge Manchester
2007 In UK 9,260 WWTWs treat 20 x 106 m3 wastewater each day
2008 London’s sewers are now being replaced by new deep 7m diameter super sewers to deal with surface water

15. Further reading: