Journey down the funnel
After the dirty water has flowed into the drain, it enters the sewer system. First, to the brownie: there, in the collectors, the drains of different apartments are connected. Then the flow of sewage is enlarged, passes through a whole bunch of sewers, combining flows from different houses, microdistricts.
Water leaking into sink drain
Along the way, rivers of household wastewater flowing in main sewer pipes under sidewalks and roads are replenished with industrial wastewater, as well as rain and melt water flowing into storm sewers. In the end, everything ends up in the sewer pools, divided by districts. And then - to treatment facilities, depending on the size of the settlement - district or city. For example, the wastewater treatment system of St. Petersburg Vodokanal treats more than 2.1 billion m³ of wastewater daily at 3 treatment plants.
Tanks of the biological wastewater treatment plant
This is how the sewer system of any settlement is arranged. The main element in it is a sewage treatment plant.
Because wastewater disposal is half the battle, it is important to treat polluted waters to the extent of safe return to natural water basins.
Anyone who drinks water has a vested interest that it be clean and safe—free of dangerous chemicals and pathogens. The owner of the cottage must be aware that the quality of the water that his child pours into a glass from the tap in the kitchen depends on how he cleans what has leaked into the toilet.
Where does the sewer go?
It is unlikely that anyone wonders where the waste that we flush into sewer pipes goes. And they have a long journey ahead of them.
First of all, it must be said that enterprises use their own, individual cleaning system. That is, the waste of large factories is not connected with the city sewerage.
As a rule, such a system has a cycle: water is used for technical purposes, then it goes to treatment, and then it returns to the workshop for the next use.
Everything is clear here. What about the city sewer? As an example of interesting facts about cities, we decided to take Moscow.
Often in our time, one can hear indignation about the fact that the Moscow River will soon turn into a swamp due to the fact that millions of tons of sewage household waste from the city and even enterprises flow into it almost directly.
In fact, everything is not so simple. If this were true, then the Moskva River would long ago become a real sump, and everyone who swims there would become infected with various sores.
It must be emphasized right away that the waste of human life in liquid form flows into special treatment facilities that are available in every city. This is the key point.
Where does the sewer flow Interesting facts
Inquisitive minds often ask questions that not every layman will come up with. For example, where does the sewer flow? And it's really, really interesting.
There are various rumors about this. Someone says that all city sewage flows directly into the river, so swimming on city beaches is not recommended.
Others argue that liquid waste goes underground through special drains, and there it is absorbed into the bowels of the soil.
note
However, if you only imagine how many millions of cubic meters the inhabitants of Moscow emit every day, then there will not be enough soil to “suck” it into yourself.
We have prepared for you interesting facts and photos about what happens to the sewer after it leaves our house.
Where does the sewer go?
It is unlikely that anyone wonders where the waste that we flush into sewer pipes goes. And they have a long journey ahead of them.
First of all, it must be said that enterprises use their own, individual cleaning system. That is, the waste of large factories is not connected with the city sewerage.
Everything is clear here. What about the city sewer? As an example of interesting facts about cities, we decided to take Moscow.
Often in our time, one can hear indignation about the fact that the Moscow River will soon turn into a swamp due to the fact that millions of tons of sewage household waste from the city and even enterprises flow into it almost directly.
In fact, everything is not so simple. If this were true, then the Moskva River would long ago become a real sump, and everyone who swims there would become infected with various sores.
It must be emphasized right away that the waste of human life in liquid form flows into special treatment facilities that are available in every city. This is the key point.
What happens to the sewer in the end
In a nutshell, it can be described as follows. When liquid waste from the city sewer flows into the sewage treatment plant, it goes through the primary treatment stage, which precipitates sludge.
You will be surprised, but this is a really interesting fact: from this sludge they then make ... gas.
Schematically, the sewage treatment process is as follows:
So, at the very beginning, sewage enters the cleaning system through giant pipes. Traffic is approximately 2.5 million cubic meters per day:
Important
Next, the first stage of purification is filtration with special waste grates, which are larger than 10 mm:
Now the water enters the first settling tank, where it stays for exactly two hours. During this time, the settled organic matter is sent to the production of biogas, and the rest - further along the system:
This is the second sump:
In general, there is a constant analysis of water coming from the drains of the city, piped and purified:
And only after such a thorough purification, the water enters the Moscow River directly from this reservoir:
Now you know where all the Moscow sewerage flows and what happens to sewage and other sewage. Approximately the same principle of cleaning work all the cities of the world.
Otherwise, the very existence of megacities would be impossible.
By the way, read interesting facts about Russia - you will learn a lot of amazing things. We also recommend subscribing to InteresnyeFakty.org. It's always interesting with us!
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Where does purified water flow from septic tanks in a private house
Many are interested in the question of where the purified water flows from septic tanks in suburban areas.
There are several options for where to drain treated sewer water:
- Field for filtering. Such fields are a platform of sand and gravel, passing through it, the water undergoes final cleaning. On such fields, water from the septic tank is distilled through pipes using a pump or by gravity.
- Filtration well. It may be the third tank of the septic tank. Water is drained into it from the previous tank. At the bottom of such a structure lies a thick layer of sand and gravel, passing through it, the drains are additionally filtered.
- Artificial biological ponds. Already purified water is drained into them. Here it goes through additional filtering.
- Cassette filter systems are used infrequently, as they occupy a large area. In this case, special trenches are created with several layers of natural filter.
Artificial systems into which purified water is drained have a service life of no more than 10 years. After that, the filter layer will have to be completely replaced.
What is a septic tank and how does it differ from a metatank or aeration tank
Anaerobic treatment devices
The devices in which biochemical reactions occur with the participation of anaerobic bacteria include a septic tank. This is an element of treatment facilities, which is a sealed container made of plastics, concrete or metal.In the septic tank, the primary treatment of wastewater takes place, they are settled: what has a density greater than that of water precipitates at the bottom, lighter contaminants float on top, forming a crust.
Installation of an autonomous station for deep wastewater treatment
Depending on the design of the septic tank, its internal volume can be divided into 3 sections by partitions. After the effluents pass their way through the fan pipe, they enter the first chamber, where the settling process begins. The chamber is gradually filled with sewage, activated sludge and insoluble debris accumulate at the bottom, a crust forms on top, and the liquid flows into the next section, where the processes continue. Thus, in the first part of the septic tank, the largest particles of pollution fall out, closer to the exit, the activated sludge layer decreases, and the drains become more and more clarified.
At the outlet of the septic tank, wastewater pollution is about 65% of the original. Effluent with this degree of pollution is sent to soil post-treatment - in the fields of filtration, irrigation, biological ponds, filter wells or cassettes - depending on the specific design of the treatment plant.
Thus, a metatank is a septic tank: the processes in it go with the release of methane, which is discharged into the atmosphere through ventilation. In an artificial treatment plant of this type, natural conditions are simulated that occur at a depth underground or in swamps.
Aeration treatment facilities
If the activity of aerobic forms of microorganisms is used for wastewater treatment, then a constant supply of oxygen is required for their life.
Aeration treatment facilities. Photo from novostroi.spb.ru
Aerotanks are more complex devices, they require a constant connection to electricity for the compressor to work. This means that they are more expensive and capricious in operation. Aeration treatment plants are used if the volume of wastewater is large or a higher degree of water purification is required, for example, to discharge clarified wastewater into a reservoir - sanitary requirements in this case are more stringent. In aerotanks for bacteria, conditions similar to natural reservoirs are created.
Expert answers
Alexei:
In different regions in different ways. Somewhere, passing through the treatment facilities, it merges back to where it came from, somewhere it merges immediately, and in regions with a shortage of water, it settles in pools, undergoes cleaning with chemicals and bacteria, and is again sent to the water supply system or to water the fields.
Pavlik:
This is the water cycle in nature.
xoma:
Through sewage, it enters the local treatment plant, where it is treated with bleach and garbage is screened out, then again into the tap.
Artem:
It goes to settling tanks, where it is treated with chemicals, passes through filters and is again fed into the water supply system.
But it's not everywhere.
Oleg Avdeenko:
through sewers to water treatment plants. after mechanical and chemical cleaning, it gets back into the reservoir (for example, in my case - into the Volga). well, then through the water intakes and pumping stations back to the tap ....
Kirovpromventilation:
goes into the sewer, then goes through cleaning and merges. It does NOT become drinkable. Drinking water - intake in a reservoir (river) - purification - pumping into the water supply system
Magomed Tagirov:
We have such water immediately goes to the sea))
Timonok:
once I was at the sewage treatment plant, where sewage drains flow. Everywhere there were square pools of 3-4 meters of sedimentation tanks filled with thick, black, smelly slurry per kilometer. In general, they explained to me that this slurry settles, separates from the water and pours out into the river, I can’t say for sure it was a long time ago.
telemaster:
And what, here everyone drinks water from the sewer?? ? Here, for example, all our drinking water is artesian. The average depth of water intake from wells is 200 meters.
natalia kozykina:
and then through water intakes and pumping stations back to the tap ....
Zwanka:
As a result of everyday human activities in everyday life and at work, various kinds of waste, garbage, garbage, remnants of raw materials, products, food, etc. accumulate. Mixing with water, these pollutants form wastewater, which should be immediately removed from populated areas and industrial enterprises. Polluted rainwater from the territories of some industrial enterprises is subject to removal outside settlements.
Sewerage is a complex of engineering structures, equipment and sanitary measures that ensures the collection and disposal of polluted wastewater outside populated areas and industrial enterprises, as well as their treatment and neutralization before disposal or discharge into a reservoir. Wastewater is treated mechanically, chemically and biochemically (biologically) before being discharged into water bodies.
To neutralize and destroy pathogenic bacteria, purified water is disinfected before being discharged into a reservoir. The sludge collected at the treatment plant is dried naturally on sludge beds or dehydrated (in large volumes) artificially and used for fertilizer.
In some cases, specially prepared land plots - irrigation fields - are used after sewage treatment on them for growing crops, ornamental and fruit trees. If the fields are only used for wastewater treatment, they are called filtration fields.
Read more here
oracle:
Much closer!! ! In the nearest river, having previously been cleaned and filtered.
From your own home
Quite often, people begin to think about where polluted drains go when they buy their own house without amenities. The townspeople, accustomed to the toilet in the apartment, are racking their brains on how to drain the waste in accordance with all the rules and where to put the waste water?
There are several cleaning options for autonomous sewage, after which it is possible to discharge the treated liquid into nature. When installing the system, it is necessary to take into account the depth of underground sources, the nature of the soil on the site and other features.
Septic tanks
For the device of an autonomous system, you can use a septic tank, which is a large sealed container, and the drains are cleaned using bacteria.
The water entering the tank is settled, solid particles and waste products of bacteria settle to the bottom. Over time, it needs to be cleaned by pumping out solid sediment using a sewage machine.
Varieties:
- The aerotank, with the use of aerobes, needs the constant operation of a compressor that pumps air into the tank.
- Metatank, using anaerobes, it requires the removal of methane gas, which is formed as a result of the vital activity of anaerobic microorganisms.
The main disadvantages are its high cost and difficulty in installation. However, after installation, the service life is not limited.
Filter field
According to sanitary rules and regulations, it is strictly forbidden to drain sewage from a septic tank into the environment. If it flows into a nearby river, you may be fined by the sanitary and epidemiological station. It is possible to freely drain water into a ditch or pond only from storm ditches.
For additional purification, a filtration field, one or more, is used. The filtration field is a pipe through which the liquid flows from the tank and pours onto the surface or deep into the prepared soil filter. Such a filter is made from a large layer of sand and gravel, taking into account the absorption capacity of the soil and other features.
Well
For final filtration, you can use a vertical well, with walls lined with stone or brick. A filtration layer of sand and gravel is laid on its bottom and pipes are brought from the septic tank. In this case, it is necessary to take into account the volume of discharge and correctly calculate the size so that the well successfully copes with any incoming volumes. And also: the absorbing capacity of the soil, the level of groundwater, the depth of soil freezing and other features.
Instead of a well, you can use a deep filtering trench, which is arranged according to the same principle as a well.
Ponds
Such biological filter ponds are used if it is possible to take them a considerable distance from the house, since the smell of septic tank drains will not improve your relations with neighbors.
Plants are planted around the pond, vigorously consuming liquid. For example, young birches or other trees. This will speed up the filtering. In addition, special algae are cultivated in such ponds, which additionally purify the water from excess nitrogen and phosphorus (the waste products of bacteria in the septic tank).
Cassette Filtration
Filter cassettes are used if the soil is clayey and does not absorb moisture in the required volume. They are bulk filters into which liquid from the septic tank flows through pipes. Further, the water is collected in the drainage collection system. Filtered by the cassette method, it is used for irrigation of crops or for other technical needs.
Any artificial system after a while becomes unusable. The average service life is from 8 to 10 years. After that, it will be necessary to clean the walls and completely replace the filter layer. Or build a new building.
As a result, we can say that water from the sewer still ends up in nature. Therefore, every person who uses sewage must remember that the purity of drinking water depends on him as well. This is especially true for owners of their own homes, whose drains go to the local river, reservoir, lake.
How is wastewater treated
The city sewer network differs from the local sewerage of a private house only in its size. The local sewerage of a country house should also be equipped with treatment facilities. Let's take a look at how wastewater is treated.
In most cases, the process is based on the classical scheme, consisting of two stages:
- mechanical cleaning;
- biological treatment.
In some cases (for example, if the treated wastewater needs to be discharged directly into a reservoir), a physico-chemical method is also used, as well as water disinfection.
mechanical cleaning
The first stage of cleaning is mechanical
At this stage, with the help of conventional mechanical filters - gratings with different cells - garbage insoluble in water is caught: pebbles, broken glass, plastic parts from hairpins or toys, ring earrings - in general, everything that, through negligence, fell into the sink drain or toilet bowl
Mechanical filter
Mechanical cleaning systems also include grease traps - fat traps, which, although organic, are very poorly processed by bacteria or not processed at all. If there are not too many effluents, then the mechanical treatment step is usually neglected.
Biological treatment
The biological method of wastewater treatment was developed in 1913 in England. It is based on the vital activity of a whole army of microorganisms - various amoebas, ciliates, rotifers, zoogles and others. All this company makes up the so-called activated sludge in the treatment plant.
Microorganisms
What sewage is made of serves as food for these microorganisms. With the help of enzymes in their cells, they decompose organic substances, of which, in the main, household wastewater consists.
Biological processes of oxidation of organic matter in wastewater treatment plants can take place with the participation of aerobic forms of bacteria - those who need oxygen for breathing, and anaerobic - those that do not need oxygen for their life. Aerobic bacteria decompose the organic matter of wastewater into carbon dioxide (CO2) and water, and ammonium nitrogen and sulfates into the simplest substances, nitrogen and phosphorus. If there is no access to oxygen, then a community of anaerobic microorganisms develops, and biochemical processes proceed with the release of methane (CH4). All this biochemistry leads to the release of energy, which is used by bacteria for their existence and reproduction.
Similar processes involving the same company of microorganisms in nature go on continuously - aerobic microorganisms live in the upper layers of the soil and in water bodies, anaerobic bacteria live in the lower soil layers. The vital activity of plants is inextricably linked with the life of microorganisms found in the soil and natural reservoirs; thanks to them, humus and compost are formed. Therefore, the purification method is called biological.
Why we abandoned the local sewage system using a septic tank
Going through the options for arranging a toilet familiar to a city dweller in a village house, we refused a septic tank or another option for local sewerage. Why?
financial question
To do everything right, taking into account sanitary standards, a decent amount of money is required. Even if you try to save money by using three concrete rings, eurocubes or other containers instead of a ready-made septic tank, the amount of earthwork for arranging filtration fields is enormous. Especially given the peculiarities of the soil in our area - clay at the depth of a spade bayonet and the groundwater level half a meter from the surface.
To do everything right, taking into account sanitary standards, a decent amount of money is required
high groundwater level
This means that we are doomed to the construction of ground structures for soil filtration: we need to fill a hill with an area of at least 30 meters and a height of almost 2 m. And the water itself will not flow up - the septic tank is in the ground, which means that we need a pumping station . And this is more money and a constant dependence on electricity.
water supply
What do you think, what does most of the water in an ordinary apartment go to? Until I calculated it, I thought that most of the water is poured out in the shower. It turned out not: up to 45% of the total daily water consumption per person in a city apartment falls on the toilet.
Up to 45% of the total daily water consumption per person in a city apartment falls on the toilet
There is a lot of water in our area: a well can be dug almost without looking, anywhere. But the debit of such a well is small, and in summer it decreases even more. It turns out that if we want to install a flush toilet, we need to spend another N-th amount of money on the extraction of water, half of which is literally flushed down the toilet, so that later we can arrange complex and expensive structures for cleaning it.
septic needs to be cleaned
Regularly - depending on the volume - remove the accumulated sludge in the sump. If not removed, it will eventually fill the septic tank. And if removed irregularly, the degree of wastewater treatment will decrease. Up to the point that the concentration of contaminants at the outlet will be greater than at the inlet: water flowing through a silted septic tank will wash away the settled substances and become dirtier than it was. Aeration treatment plants need to be cleaned less frequently. But they also cost more.
The septic needs to be cleaned
filtration field life
The filtration field also has a shelf life of 8-10 years. Then the gravel-sand backfill of the drainage pipes silts up and stops cleaning the drains. The only way out is to make a new filtration field, this time excavating the second half of the site. Well, or in our case - to dig a hill, replace the filter backfill and pour the hill back.
adequacy of the event
And it’s not even about the lack of extra money, although this fact is also important: after moving from St. Petersburg to the village, I had to change my occupation (it’s unlikely that the neighbors - grandfather Anatoly or Aunt Dusya - need the services of an interior designer), which means changing the level of income . The point is adequacy: our entire hectare and 3 acres, a garden, a house and outbuildings are worth well, if a fifth of the estimate for a local sewage system. Looking for additional sources of income, working hard just to be able to habitually press the flush button after using the toilet? Why, then, did we leave the city and quit a decent job - there were no problems with the sewerage, and the toilet worked properly.
All things considered, we decided that local sewerage was not suitable for us.But this does not mean that we plan to use the yard toilet in a wooden booth in the garden. We want a completely civilized toilet. They just opted for another human waste disposal system - a composting toilet. I talk more about it in the publication Continuous Composting Toilet: device, principle of operation, advantages.
Determine the location of the blockage
A clogged sewer is not a problem, you just need to decide on the root cause. As a rule, these are errors during installation work in the house or an uncharacteristic slope of pipes, the appearance of a large amount of corrosion or icing and, as a result, a decrease in the effective diameter of pipes in winter. A harbinger of impending danger is a rather unpleasant smell that appears from communications. Therefore, if you feel an unpleasant odor, you should try to take all possible measures.
If the sewer is clogged, what should I do? It is necessary to try as early as possible to find out the scale and the cause that caused the blockage. The blockage usually occurs in the house, local communications, but sometimes there is a blockage of external pipes. To clean it, you need to disconnect the sewer communications pipe, which is included in a private house or apartment, for which you should do the following simple operations:
- We substitute any free container (basin or bucket) under the pipe;
- We disconnect the pipe with a special key, that is, you need to pull the inner pipe out of the outer sewer pipe. If there is a threaded connection, then first we knock out the seal;
- We collect all the garbage and the resulting sewage in a separate container;
- We open the mixer to supply water in the right place and visually observe whether water will flow from there or not;
- If the water does not pass, or the water pressure is much less than expected, then turn off the water and look for clogging locally. If there are no problems in this place, then it is necessary to look for clogging in external communications.
Moscow Central Sewage Pumping Station
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Best Answers
Len_Ka:
depending on which metropolis... in Europe everything is fair. settling tanks, treatment, clean water - into the river. the remains of poop - on the fields
andrej suzdaltsev:
to the nearest body of water. after cleaning.
Svetlana:
There are huge sewage treatment plants, that's where everything goes.
Ruslan Zakirov:
all roads lead to Rome
ashberry:
they go through multi-stage purification and end up in a sump, and from there they go into the river below the city
Oleg))):
A million-plus city on the Volga is a metropolis? If yes, then to the Volga. It is called spray cleaning. Wastewater treatment plants in most cities do not shovel or simply become. What did you think?
Tatiana Teplova:
into our water pipes! Do you think someone cares about our health to spend money on all sorts of water purification?
Evgenia Morozova:
To sewage treatment plants, then to rivers.
Natalya Balbutskaya:
We have an AERATION station in St. Petersburg where what is sifted out during cleaning by special methods is dried and pressed by vacuum and sent for fertilizer, they say that abroad pays good money for this.
List of documents
When deciding to independently draw up the legal side of the issue, it is necessary to prepare the following papers:
- Site plan prepared by a surveying company, with a house marked on it and a scheme for laying pipes for sewer communications.
- Proof of ownership of the house and land.
- Documentation specifying technical requirements is prepared by an organization specializing in sewer service.
- Plan of tie-in of a private pipeline to the central network, developed by a qualified designer.
- The plan consists of a longitudinal profile, a general plan and a master plan for networks.
- Permission for sewerage in a private house, agreed in accordance with the architectural design.
- Application to the executive company.
During the last stage, you should collect a package of necessary papers, you need to choose a company that will be entrusted with the installation of sewers in a private house to city communications.
Responsibility standards for draining sewage into a ditch or garden
SNiP clearly prescribes the rules for the collection, transportation and accumulation of human waste. In case of violation of the standards, citizens will be held accountable. In accordance with the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, fines are imposed. According to Art. 8.2 for illegal discharge of sewage water:
- individuals are fined up to 2000 rubles;
- officials up to 30,000 rubles;
- for individual entrepreneurs, fines are up to 250 thousand rubles;
- organizations pay not only fines, but can also stand without work for up to 90 days - the enterprise will simply be stopped until the management eliminates the violations.
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Where does everything that we flush down the toilet go?
When there were far fewer people on the globe than today, used water and waste was drained from homes and industries through sewers and dumped into large bodies of water.
Wastewater disposal in those days consisted of allowing the effluent to mix with salt or fresh water to dilute it.
Today, in our overpopulated, highly developed world, wastewater must undergo a process of purification in order not to poison the world's water supply.
During the decomposition (decay) of waste - under the action of bacteria - a large amount of oxygen is consumed, and if such decomposition took place in a river or lake, then the plants and animals living in them would lack the gases necessary for life - oxygen and carbon dioxide.
note
Some types of waste, such as human and animal excrement, also contain harmful bacteria. If such bacteria accumulate in large quantities and people come into contact with them, it can cause infectious diseases.
So when you flush a toilet or flush dirty water down the drain, the wastewater is sent to a wastewater treatment plant. This is done to protect you and the environment.
Wastewater is piped from your home into larger sewers underground, sometimes so large that the sewage flows like a river. (It happens that accumulated groundwater and storm water are also discharged into the sewer network.
) On the way to the treatment plant, wastewater from residential buildings and industrial enterprises of the settlement merge into one stream.
(In some communities, where homes and businesses are, or were once, far apart, and where sewerage systems are virtually unprofitable to maintain, sewage is often dumped into huge septic tanks—colossal reservoirs installed underground near each household. Most sewage decomposes in septic tanks under the influence of bacteria, but these tanks have to be emptied and cleaned quite often.)
When wastewater enters the treatment plant, it is filtered through a large metal grate. This grid separates large items that cannot be recycled. Small stones and sand are also filtered out. After cleaning and drying, these materials can be used in construction and road repair.
This decomposition produces methane gas. This gas is used as a fuel to produce steam, which powers the pumps in the wastewater treatment plant. The sludge resulting from these processes is rich in nutrients and can be used as fertilizer.
The liquid part of the wastewater after separating the sediment is fed to the filter loading, where it is cleaned. Here, cleaning takes place in this way: water seeps through a layer of loading - stones covered with bacteria, and the bacteria eat all the remaining waste.
The clean water that results from this whole process is dumped into rivers, lakes or seas.
