Sewage collection and disposal systems are two of the services that sanitation departments must provide to their residents. As the population of a city increases, the amount of waste that is produced also increases. Since this refuse contains bacteriological organisms, it is important that it be disposed of properly in order to protect the public from avoidable disease outbreaks. There are many ways to dispose of sewage safely and efficiently.

Disease Potential

Everyone knows that any raw waste is a nuisance. It produces a nasty and unpleasant odor which is why people dispose of it in the most effective way possible. Besides the smell, there is another more important reason why it must be properly eliminated. Regardless of the type of sewage, whether agricultural, industrial or domestic, it could contain pathogenic organisms which could potentially cause disease in humans and animals.

Living organisms, as well as the entire ecosystem, can be negatively affected by contaminated waste if it is eliminated in natural bodies of water without first undergoing necessary treatment.

Treatment

Most sewage that is collected goes back into natural bodies of water; however, before it is returned it must first undergo processing at specified water treatment facilities.

Sewage processing involves various levels of purification depending upon the type of wastewater that is being treated; however, the objective remains the same: to remove contaminants such pathogenic organisms and sludge to allow sewage to be returned to the surrounding area without any negative impact. During treatment, liquid refuse is separated from contaminants to produce clean water and sludge. Clean water can be safely reused or eliminated by sending it back into natural waterways; while sludge is collected to be used as fertilizer.

In most developed countries, there are specific regulations for sewage collection and treatment. Sadly, , in third world countries where it is so desperately needed, wastewater often flows directly to streams and rivers without undergoing any type of treatment at all.

Vacuum Truck Role

In most areas, sewer pipes automatically collect household and commercial refuse. These pipes lead directly to treatment facilities; however, in some places where sewer pipes are not available, it is the job of vacuum trucks to collect and transport the liquid refuse from septic tanks or other holding devices to treatment facilities.

Vacuum trucks are basically truck-mounted vacuum machines with large holding tanks for storing collected wastewater. There are several reasons why vacuum trucks are ideal to perform this type of work. Operators do not have to have any contact with the fluid; only the suction hose comes in contact with these fluids. All that is required of the worker is to flip a switch to suction all the waste.

Vacuum trucks can also handle just about any type of fluid viscosity so it does not matter if the sewage is densely packed; the equipment is even capable of removing brick and other such solid debris. All liquid refuse collected is stored inside a large water-tight tank so there are no problems with spilling or annoying odors.

After collection of the sewage, the truck then transports it to the proper treatment facility. Sewage can be unloaded from the truck by reversing the suction hose or by opening the rear hatch of the tank and dumping it. Either way, the worker need not come in contact with the wastewater which avoids the potential for any human contamination.

Proper collection and disposal of raw sewage is crucial in order to prevent the outbreak of disease and keep a community clean. In areas where there are no sewage pipes, vacuum trucks are the best way to collect sewage and transport it cleanly and efficiently. For anyone who works in the area of municipal sanitation, this will hopefully have provided some useful options as to what is available for wastewater disposal!