Lecture 5 (Technical)

Question 1

Give a brief overview of the historical development of sanitation

Answer 1

Romans (600 BC):
-water supply system with collecting rain water.
-Also: Waste water was handled with by Privies, cesspools, open sewers in the street and single sewers.

19th century:
-Stench: canals were used as open sewers
- industrialization
- sanitarians: combat of epidemics
- change in location of cemetaries

End 19th century and begin of the 20th century: start of development larger sewer systems in cities.

20th century:
1970:
- Increased capacity sewerage system
- increase dischrage pumping stations
- disconnection of rain water
- sanitation countryside

Question 2

How was wastewater dealt with back in the day?

Answer 2

• Privies: manure, fertilizer for agriculture
  o Human waste
• Cesspools
  o Household waste.
  o Water would seap out of them. Solid material could be used as a fertilizer
• Open sewers in the streets: wastewater
  o Open sewage. Health revolution alongside industrial revolution
• Single sewer from dwelling to a canal.

Question 3

What was the cause of epidemics?

Answer 3

Cess pools were contaminating the soil with bacteria. These bacteria entered water pumps in the streets. This in turn lead to epidemics

Question 4

What was the thing with excrement and users?

Answer 4

urban planning became complexer. A distance between excrement and users emerged. It became a status thing. People in higher classes did not have to deal with body odours anymore. People couldn’t afford baths and showers. it was ‘cool’ to become cleaner and cleaner. in Reality this came down to the elite.

Question 5

What could be considered as the ‘sewage system problem’ in cities.

Answer 5

Cities are expanding more and more as a cause of urbanization. These cities are growing faster than planning for sewage systems can take.

Question 6

What are the two main categories of sewage systems

Answer 6

combined system: wastewater + rainwater in one system. Is present in the majority of Dutch households.

separate system: separate system for rainwater and wastewater.

Question 7

What are the different components of a sewage system?

Answer 7

manholes, tubes, catch basins - rainwater drainage, discharge into sewer
Overflow
pumping installation
storage settling tank: Infiltration tanks
wastewater treatment facility

Question 8

What would be important if you were to realize sustainable sewerage?

Answer 8

There are more heavy showers so:
* disconnect rain water from wastewater sewerage system
* increase the storage capacity in urban space.

Question 9

Name disadvantages of sustainable sewerage

Answer 9

Separate sewer systems are expensive to construct.
Subsurface becomes more complex
Rainwater is not clean

This causes infiltration in soil to clean it and transport it to surface water: to what extent is this contaminating the soil?

Question 10

What effects did a lack of sanitation have on health?

Answer 10

Short term: diarrhea (cholera), high infant mortality
Long term: cancer (food safety)