Occurrence and fate of organic pollutants in combined sewer systems and possible impacts on receiving waters

2007 ◽  
Vol 56 (10) ◽  
pp. 141-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Welker

Selected organic pollutants are classified based on an intensive literature survey. Two wastewater parameters (COD and ammonium) and six selected organic pollutants (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), diethylhexylphthalate (DEHP), estradiol (E2), ethinylestradiol (EE2), ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) and nitrilo triaceticacid (NTA)) are specified. As a result, for the first time representative concentrations in dry weather flow, surface runoff and effluent of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in combined sewer systems (CSS) are stated. The second part of the paper presents a first estimation of main emission out of a combined sewer system and possible receiving water impacts in terms of (1) annual discharged loads calculated by pollution load simulations in a hypothetical catchment and (2) concentrations calculated in combined sewer overflows (CSO) discharges and resulting receiving water concentrations.

1984 ◽  
Vol 16 (8-9) ◽  
pp. 311-325 ◽  
Author(s):  
N B Johansen ◽  
P Harremoës ◽  
M Jensen

Overflow from combined systems constitute an increasing source of pollution of receiving waters, as compared to daily wastewater discharges which undergo treatment to a still higher extent. The receiving water problems from overflows are significant both in a long term scale (mean annual load) and in a short term scale (extreme event load). A method for computation of both annual and extreme load is presented. It is based on historical rain series and the use of a time-area model and simple pollutant mixing model in runoff calculation. Statistical calculations for both mean annual load and extreme events have been applied to the computed overflow series. Based on the computerized method simple manual calculations methods have been developed, resulting in graphs and tables for annual load and extreme load.


2013 ◽  
Vol 8 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 409-416
Author(s):  
J. Pollert

In 2005 one of major Czech manufacturers of glass reinforced plastic pipes asked the Department of Sanitary and Ecological Engineering to develop a new type of combined sewer overflows (CSO) chamber that could become a part of their manufacturing programme. The main requirements were economy of production, easy and fast installation on the field and increased protection of receiving waters. A simple object consisting of a pipe placed above another one was designed. The object begins with a stilling chamber formed by a conical expansion of the inlet pipe. It is separated from the overflow object itself by a downflow baffle designed to trap floating objects. The CSO chamber is equipped by a flow regulation device (e.g. vortex valve or throttle pipe) at the end. Excess water flows through a slit in the top of the bottom pipe into the upper pipe and from there to the receiving water. More than 15 prototypes were already installed in the Czech and Slovak Republics and more than 20 are planned to be built in Europe. We hope this type of CSO CHAMBER will help to decrease the cost of construction of new sewers and reconstruction of old ones. Its higher efficiency of separation of suspended particles might also contribute to the improvement of the quality of receiving water bodies according to Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC.


2019 ◽  
Vol 80 (11) ◽  
pp. 2179-2190
Author(s):  
Jan Philip Nickel ◽  
Stephan Fuchs

Abstract In an extensive monitoring programme, event mean concentrations of 12 heavy metals, 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), nine pesticides/biocides, three pharmaceuticals, three benzotriazoles, acesulfame, and DEHP (di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate) were measured at 10 combined sewer overflow (CSO) facilities throughout Bavaria, Germany, for more than 110 overflow events. A harmonised approach with large volume samplers was used to produce volume-proportional event composite samples. A wide range of event durations and volumes was covered successfully. All substances analysed were detected in CSO samples and the majority were quantified in more than 80% of the samples. Our results confirm that CSOs need to be considered in the debate on micropollutant emissions, and knowledge regarding their concentrations at a regional level needs to be solidified. Distinct substance-specific patterns can be observed in the variability between events and sites as well as in a correlation analysis of substance concentrations. These trends underline the need for differentiation of the substances by their predominant sources, pathways, and transport behaviours. Compared to wastewater treatment plants, CSOs are an important pollution source especially for ubiquitous, primarily stormwater-transported pollutants, including substances causing failure to achieve good chemical status of surface waters, such as the uPBT (ubiquitous, persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic) substances Hg and PAH.


2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 619-630 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grażyna Sakson ◽  
Marek Zawilski ◽  
Agnieszka Brzezińska

Abstract Combined sewer systems in cities are increasingly equipped with additional storage facilities or other installations necessary for keeping the wastewater treatment plants from overloading during wet weather and reducing combined sewer overflows into receiving waters. Effective methods for reducing such negative phenomena include the temporary storage of wet weather flow in an end-of-pipe separate tank or in a sewer system. In this paper, four scenarios of wastewater storage for the Group Wastewater Treatment Plant (GWWTP) in Lodz (Poland) have been analysed: a storage in a separate single tank located in GWWTP, a storage in the bypass channel in GWWTP, in-sewer storage, and a combination of the aforementioned variants, also with real time control (RTC) system introduced. The basic calculations were performed using the EPA’s SWMM software for the period of 5 years (2004-2008). The chosen solution - storage in a separate storage tank - has been verified based on the inflow dataset from the years 2009-2013. The specific volume of the separate storage tank should be at least 22 m3 per hectare of impervious catchment area, but it could be reduced if additional in-sewer storage with RTC were introduced. Both options allow the effective protection of receiving waters against discharge of untreated sewage during wet weather.


1990 ◽  
Vol 22 (10-11) ◽  
pp. 147-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. D. Willemsen ◽  
H. F. Gast ◽  
R. O. G. Franken ◽  
J. G. M. Cuppen

From 1985 to 1987, long-term and more or less permanent effects of discharges from combined or separate sewer systems on communities of sessile diatoms and macro-invertebrates in receiving waters have been studied. Sessile diatoms and/or macro-invertebrates have been investigated on 46 locations, spread all over The Netherlands. The results were related to the type of sewer system, the discharges, and the characteristics of the receiving water, and compared with results from sample(s) taken from a corresponding water not influenced by sewer overflows, the reference water. In general, communities of sessile diatoms and macro-invertebrates indicate a more severe organic pollution and disturbance of receiving waters compared with reference waters. In the immediate vicinity of the overflows these communities were more disturbed than at some distance. In small ditches, effects were more pronounced compared with large waterbodies and waters with a constant flow regime. Finally, effects of combined sewer overflows were more pronounced than effects of discharges from separate sewer systems, except for locations in industrial areas.


1995 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 95-103
Author(s):  
José A. Revilla ◽  
Kalin N. Koev ◽  
Rafael Díaz ◽  
César Álvarez ◽  
Antonio Roldán

One factor in determining the transport capacity of coastal interceptors in Combined Sewer Systems (CSS) is the reduction of Dissolved Oxygen (DO) in coastal waters originating from the overflows. The study of the evolution of DO in coastal zones is complex. The high computational cost of using mathematical models discriminates against the required probabilistic analysis being undertaken. Alternative methods, based on such mathematical modelling, employed in a limited number of cases, are therefore needed. In this paper two alternative methods are presented for the study of oxygen deficit resulting from overflows of CSS. In the first, statistical analyses focus on the causes of the deficit (the volume discharged). The second concentrates on the effects (the concentrations of oxygen in the sea). Both methods have been applied in a study of the coastal interceptor at Pasajes Estuary (Guipúzcoa, Spain) with similar results.


1992 ◽  
Vol 26 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 1295-1304 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Jefferies

Visible pollution discharged from two combined sewer overflows were studied using passive Trash Trap devices and the UK Water Research Centre Gross Solids Sampler. Relationships are presented for the number of visible solids and the mass of gross solids discharged during an event. The differences in the behaviour of the overflow types are reported on and they are categorised using the Trash Traps.


2009 ◽  
Vol 60 (7) ◽  
pp. 1875-1883 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Ahnert ◽  
J. Tränckner ◽  
N. Günther ◽  
S. Hoeft ◽  
P. Krebs

Two different approaches to increase the fraction of combined water treated in the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) which would otherwise contribute to combined sewer overflows (CSO) are presented and compared based on modelling results with regard to their efficiencies during various rain events. The first option is to generally increase the WWTP inflow according to its actual capacity rather than pre-setting a maximum that applies to worst case loading. In the second option the WWTP inflow is also increased, however, the extra inflow of combined water is bypassing the activated sludge tank and directly discharged to the secondary clarifier. Both approaches have their advantages. For the simulated time series with various rain events, the reduction of total COD load from CSOs and WWTP effluent discharged to the receiving water was up to 20% for both approaches. The total ammonia load reduction was between 6% for the bypass and 11% for inflow increase. A combination of both approaches minimises the adverse effects and the overall emission to the receiving water.


1984 ◽  
Vol 16 (8-9) ◽  
pp. 1-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
V Arnell ◽  
P Harremoës ◽  
M Jensen ◽  
N B Johansen ◽  
J Niemczynowicz

This review has been prepared for the international seminar: Rain fall as the basis for urban runoff design and analysis, held in Copenhagen, 24'26 Aug. 1983. The purpose of the review is to bring a state of the art within, 1) the statistical characterization of rain fall in time and space, 2) the development of synthetic design storms and, 3) the application of both synthetic design storms and historical storms to pipe design, flooding prediction, design of detention basins and calculation of the yearly or extreme pollutiona1 load on receiving waters from combined sewer overflows. The main conclusion, primarily related to item 3), is that more attention in this context should be put on statistical analysis of the detrimental effects: flooding and pollution. This analysis is best performed by applying historical rain records. Realistic flooding prediction is believed only to be possible with a fully dynamic flow model, whereas pollution may be studied by means of simpler models like the time area approach. The outstanding problem in the statistical prediction is the distribution in space of the historical rains.


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