ASSESSMENT OF THE WASTEWATER GENERATED IN FUNAAB AND THE DESIGN OF A BIOLOGICAL TREATMENT PLANT

BY
OJO, Olukayode O. S.

Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State Nigeria

PG/12/0208

June, 2013

CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION

Wastes are byproducts of activities of Human and other living elements during the act of generation of the essential energy, nourishment and technological know-how required to improve and maintain quality living (Herron, 2007, WAHEB, 1999). Human waste removal is an important part of daily life, and it is an important factor in human health (Esrey et al, 2001). The goal of most modern day sanitation systems is to prevent exposure of humans to the harmful pathogens that are found in excrement. Most systems in the developed world seek to carry away waste, remove pathogens and pollutants in an energy-intensive treatment system, and then release the contents back into nature, often in large volumes of diluted waste that can cause eutrophication. In the developing world, latrines are often used in various ways that concentrate the excrement and still pose a health risk (though this is better than excrement left out in the open). In addition, when sewer systems are used in the developing world, they often focus more on carrying away waste than adequately treating the waste, discharging pathogens that will contaminate the food and water of people downstream (WHO, 2006). Also, sewers may not be an appropriate technology in areas of the world that are water stressed (Fry et al, 2008). Beyond these very real concerns, there is also a growing awareness of the valuable nutrients being lost in human waste streams. A new paradigm is forming in the water and wastewater management sector to focus on the resources that can be recovered from wastewater rather than the constituents that must be removed (Guest et al, 2009)

Many sources assert that water, sanitation, and hygiene should be approached holistically, but few case studies point the way forward. The condition of the environment is a very important determinant of the state of health of a populace. In recognition of the importance, the United Nations seventh of the eight Millennium Development Goals is on the need to ensure environmental protection and to minimize degradation. As mankind eventually adopted a more settled, non-nomadic way of life, people became increasingly involved in the technical aspects of water. To a large extent, the primary concerns in the beginning were utilization and improvement of existing water resources, together with protection against the hazards and potential harm associated with uncontrolled natural water. It was only toward the end of the nineteenth century that wastewater became an issue in science, technology, and legislation, specifically, its production and treatment, in terms of both municipal and industrial sources (Savkovic-Stevanoic, J., 2013).