Sludge accumulation rates in septic tanks used as part of the on-site treatment of domestic wastewater in a northern maritime temperate climate

Mahon, Joanne Mac; Knappe, Jan; Gill, Laurence

doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.114199

Cited by 16 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…In this study, the highest accumulation rates were all from recently emptied (<1 year) containments, which were also emptied frequently (i.e., emptying interval of emptied monthly up to <1 year). High emptying frequency is clearly tied to high accumulation rates, and has also been observed in other studies (Koottatep et al, 2012;Mills et al, 2014;Strande et al, 2018;Andriessen et al, 2020;Mac Mahon et al, 2022). Median accumulation rates in this study also correspond to ranges reported by others, including 50-280 L/cap•year for septic tanks (Strande et al, 2018;Mac Mahon et al, 2022), and 14-270 L/cap•year for pit latrines (Mills et al, 2014;Lugali et al, 2016;Strande et al, 2018).…”

Section: Quantities: Accumulation Ratessupporting

confidence: 89%

“…High emptying frequency is clearly tied to high accumulation rates, and has also been observed in other studies (Koottatep et al, 2012;Mills et al, 2014;Strande et al, 2018;Andriessen et al, 2020;Mac Mahon et al, 2022). Median accumulation rates in this study also correspond to ranges reported by others, including 50-280 L/cap•year for septic tanks (Strande et al, 2018;Mac Mahon et al, 2022), and 14-270 L/cap•year for pit latrines (Mills et al, 2014;Lugali et al, 2016;Strande et al, 2018). Across all types of DET data, the strongest predictor of accumulation rate was containment type.…”

Section: Quantities: Accumulation Ratessupporting

confidence: 78%

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Quantities and qualities of fecal sludge: Experiences from field implementation with a Volaser in 7 countries during a pandemic

et al. 2023

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Reasonable estimates for quantities and qualities (Q&Q) of fecal sludge that accumulate in onsite sanitation containments are fundamental for the design of appropriate management and treatment solutions, from community to city-scale. There are increasing attempts to improve Q&Q estimates, but current approaches are still at a conceptual level, and are not yet standardized with confirmed statistical relationships. To reach this level, we will need consistent approaches for planning, measuring, and global collaborations. Hence, the objectives of this study were: (1) to assess and compare Q&Q of fecal sludge from seven cities and communities, and explore statistical relationships that could be used to increase accuracy of Q&Q estimations; (2) to test and launch the Volaser device for measuring in situ volumes of fecal sludge; and (3) to capture lessons learned from field implementation with collaborators in seven countries during a global pandemic when no international travel was possible. The study took place in Ghana, India, Lebanon, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Uganda, and Zambia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Q&Qs were measured in 204 containments with a Volaser, laboratory analysis, and questionnaire. Results indicate that there are differences in Total Solids (TS) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) in fecal sludge based on containment type, toilet type, source, and whether there is a water connection on the premises. Based on the results of this study, together with previously published open-source data, an empirical relationship for Volatile Solids (VS) and TS of 0.49 (R2 = 0.88) was established using 1,206 data points. For COD/TS, no significant relationship was observed. Developing such empirical relationships will be useful for planning and modeling approaches. An external evaluation was conducted to evaluate overall project management, Volaser technology transfer, and effects of collaborating during the COVID-19 pandemic. Success factors for collaborating with new and existing partners without face-to-face meetings included laboratory capacity and experience with analytical methods, study objectives that were relevant for the partner and locality, and a strong quality assurance plan to ensure comparability of results. The lessons learned can be taken forward as ways to reduce carbon footprint, and contribute to resilient, inclusive development research projects.

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Section: Quantities: Accumulation Ratessupporting

confidence: 89%

Section: Quantities: Accumulation Ratessupporting

confidence: 78%

Quantities and qualities of fecal sludge: Experiences from field implementation with a Volaser in 7 countries during a pandemic

et al. 2023

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“…42−44 Possible explanations for the functionality of SS removal might be that (1) an extremely high SS concentration in the influent might allow the effective removal of a significant part of SS in septic tanks, and (2) the well-functioning second or third compartments of the tanks could help prevent solids from being carried over into the effluent. 20 However, despite a high SS removal efficiency, it is not sufficient for septic tanks with long emptying intervals to discharge effluent with SS concentrations below the national regulation of 100 g/m 3 . 45 Additionally, there was very strong evidence for the relationships between the emptying interval and effluent SS (R = 0.948, p < 0.001) and SS removal efficiency (R = −0.822, p < 0.001) as illustrated in Figure 2A,B, respectively.…”

Section: Pollutant Removal Efficiencies Against Emptying Intervals 33...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Challenges to Accurate Estimation of Methane Emission from Septic Tanks with Long Emptying Intervals

Moonkawin,

Huynh,

Schneider

et al. 2023

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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Septic tanks in low- and middle-income countries are often not emptied for a long time, potentially resulting in poor pollutant removal efficiency and increased greenhouse gas emissions, including methane (CH4). We examined the impact of long emptying intervals (4.0–23 years) on the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) removal efficiency of 15 blackwater septic tanks and the CH4 emission rates of 23 blackwater septic tanks in Hanoi. The average BOD removal efficiency was 37% (−2–65%), and the average CH4 emission rate was 10.9 (2.2–26.8) g/(cap·d). The emptying intervals were strongly negatively correlated with BOD removal efficiency (R = −0.676, p = 0.006) and positively correlated with CH4 emission rates (R = 0.614, p = 0.001). CH4 emission rates were positively correlated with sludge depth (R = 0.596, p = 0.002), but against expectation, negatively correlated with BOD removal efficiency (R = −0.219, p = 0.451). These results suggest that shortening the emptying interval improves the BOD removal efficiency and reduces the CH4 emission rate. Moreover, the CH4 emission estimation of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which is a positive conversion of BOD removal, might be inaccurate for septic tanks with long emptying intervals. Our findings suggest that emptying intervals, sludge depth, and per-capita emission factors reflecting long emptying intervals are potential parameters for accurately estimating CH4 emissions from septic tanks.

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“…Sehingga, dengan diketahuinya kebutuhan sanitasi yang sesuai dapat digunakan sebagai upaya perbaikan kualitas sanitasi bagi masyarakat pesisir laut. [14][15]…”

Section: A R T I C L E I N F O Abstract Article Historyunclassified

“…Penyaringan ini dilakukan dengan menggunakan media sel dan bakteri. Bakteri ini memiliki sifat mengurai limbah menjadi cairan dengan menggunakan metode biofilter [14]…”

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Upaya Peningkatan Kualitas Sanitasi Masyarakat Pesisir Laut di Pulau Belakang Padang Menggunakan Communal Septic Tank

Pakpahan

Savitri

2022

JURMATEKS

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Sanitation issues are important to pay attention to because they have a negative impact on various aspects of life. Development of sanitation facilities and infrastructure really needs efforts related to environmental aspects and public health. The problem that occurs in Kampung Tengah is about the quality of sanitation. The purpose of this research is to analyze sanitation problems that occur in Kampung Tengah village. From these data results will be obtained which will be used to improve and propose solutions for infrastructure development to improve sanitation conditions according to local conditions. Data collection used field observation methods by distributing data questionnaires. Then the data was tested using SPSS software, to ensure the validity and reliability of the data collected. The results showed that the sanitation quality of Kampung Tengah was classified as poor. Residents do not have a septic tank, the environment around the house is dirty and slum due to the absence of high tide. So it is necessary to improve the quality of sanitation by building a septic tank. The communal septic tank is a solution for the residents of Kampung Tengah who have limited land and cannot afford to build their own septic tank. In addition, to adapt to the socio-economic conditions of the residents, biofilter septic tank technology is needed. To meet the needs of the residents of Kampung Tengah, so sanitation can be improved.

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Sludge accumulation rates in septic tanks used as part of the on-site treatment of domestic wastewater in a northern maritime temperate climate

Cited by 16 publications

References 15 publications

Quantities and qualities of fecal sludge: Experiences from field implementation with a Volaser in 7 countries during a pandemic

Quantities and qualities of fecal sludge: Experiences from field implementation with a Volaser in 7 countries during a pandemic

Challenges to Accurate Estimation of Methane Emission from Septic Tanks with Long Emptying Intervals

Upaya Peningkatan Kualitas Sanitasi Masyarakat Pesisir Laut di Pulau Belakang Padang Menggunakan Communal Septic Tank

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