AN IMPROVEMENT OF INTEGRATED GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION SYSTEM IN MANAGING SEWERAGE TREATMENT PLANT

In Malaysia, the Geographical Information System (GIS) is widely used by various organizations in both government and private sectors because of its various capabilities. The rapid development process in the large city in Peninsular Malaysia and new area has caused an increasing number of the sewerage treatment plant (STP) maintained by Indah Water Konsortium Sdn Bhd (IWK) every year. Nowadays, with the big services areas and limited staffs the IWK had faced many issues related to the sewerage such as a public complaint on blockage, overflow and others. Thus, based on the powerful function of this GIS, the IWK also has used the GIS application known as Integrated Geographical Information System (IGIS) in their daily routine works. However, due to the weaknesses of this existing system, it cannot be optimally utilized in managing and maintaining the sewerage system more efficient. The main objective of this research focuses on analyzing user requirements to improve IGIS based on the current issues faced by them. The method used in this study is qualitative method using a face-to-face interview with IGIS users in getting any feedback from them on the existing data with an examining what is the main attribute data required. Then a content analysis was used to analyze it by updating all the data required and removing unnecessary data from the IGIS. As a result, the newly updated attribute data into IGIS will help the users to conduct proper planning in controlling the increasing number of STP every year and to manage the sewerage system more efficiently.

Sustainable Energy Management Benchmark at Wastewater Treatment Plant

Urban wastewater effluents bring large amounts of nutrients, organic matter, and organic microcontaminants into freshwater ecosystems. Ensuring the quality of wastewater treatment (WWT) is one of the main challenges facing the management of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). However, achievement of high-quality standards leads towards significant energy consumption: usually the more intensive WWT process requires additional energies. Energy efficiency at WWTP is actual mainstream on the current sustainable development agenda. The WWTP processes and methods can be considered from the standpoint of material and energy flows according to circular economy paradigm, which offers great possibilities to reuse waste originating from WWT in order to receive renewable energy. The correlation between energy and quality issues to evaluate WWTP efficiency is of a great scientific and practical interest. The main goal of the paper is to check the dependency between these two main issues in WWTP management—WWT quality and energy efficiency—and to determine possible limits of such relation. The municipal sewerage system of Ekaterinburg, Russia was studied within this paper. The total length of centralized sewerage system in Ekaterinburg is over 1500 km of pipes within two main sewerage basins: northern and southern. The methodological framework for the current research consisted of three steps: (i) WWT quality evaluation, (ii) energy efficiency evaluation, and (iii) WWTP Quality/Energy (Q/E) efficiency dependency matrix. For the purpose of research, authors investigated the 2015–2018 period. The results showed that the outputs correlate with the technical conditions of WWTPs and the implementation of the best available techniques (BATs): most of the northern WWTP values are referred to the green zone (good rank), while the southern WWTP values are situated generally in the orange zone (unsatisfactory rank). The proposed methodological approach for Q/E dependency of WWT process creates a strong but simple tool for managers to evaluate the current success of the operation of WWTP and progress towards circular economy practices implementation.

Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in the sewerage system in Tunisia: a promising tool to confront COVID-19 pandemic

Aim: The current study undertaken in Tunisia examines the use of wastewaters to monitor SARS-CoV-2 circulation. Materials & methods: Viral genetic materials collected in wastewaters during two different periods (September–October 2020 and February–April 2021) were concentrated using the adsorption-elution method. SARS-CoV-2 genes were researched by real-time PCR. Results: During the first period of the study, viral RNA was detected in 61.11% of the analyzed samples collected from Monastir city with a rate of 88.88% for raw wastewaters and 33.33% for treated wastewaters. Then, during the second period of the study, the quantitative analysis of wastewaters collected from seven governorates showed the presence of viral RNA among around 25% of them with variable RNA loads. The increased amounts of viral RNA detected in wastewaters were accompanied by an increase in the number of COVID-19 patients in Tunisia. Conclusion: Our results emphasize the importance of sewage survey in SARS-CoV-2 tracking.

The Impact of Atmospheric Precipitation on Wastewater Volume Flowing into the Wastewater Treatment Plant in Nowy Targ (Poland) in Terms of Treatment Costs

This study determined the influence of precipitation occurring in the sewerage catchment basin in Nowy Targ (Poland) on the amount of wastewater inflow to the wastewater treatment plant, and determined the costs resulting from the treatment of accidental (rain) water entering the analyzed sewerage system. The research was conducted from 2016 to 2019, for which daily precipitation and average daily wastewater inflows in the so-called dry, normal, and very wet periods were analyzed. The research period was divided into six characteristic intervals in terms of precipitation. It was found that, on days with different precipitation intensity, the amount of accidental water as a proportion of the total amount of wastewater flowing into the plant ranges from 9.6% to 34.1%. The annual costs incurred by the operator resulting from the environmental fee are 1625.8 EUR/year. Alternatively, the costs resulting from financial expenditures for wastewater treatment processes amount to 337,651 EUR/year. The results of the research provide important information for sewage network operators to take effective actions to eliminate illegal connections of roof gutters and/or yard inlets to the sanitary collectors, and to replace the combined sewage system in Nowy Targ with a distributed sewerage system. This would reduce the costs of wastewater treatment and the irregularity of wastewater inflow.

Scenario Analysis of Sluice Gate Operations for Evaluating Inland Flood Damage

Typhoon Hagibis, which hit Japan directly on October 12, 2019, caused great damage, including the flooding of rivers, across various parts of Japan. The Tama River, which flows north of Kawasaki City, also experienced flooding which exceeded the designed high water level; although it did not cause fluvial flooding, river water flowed into the urban areas through the sewerage system, causing unprecedented inundation damage. This damage was reproduced with the inland flood simulation model. Furthermore, we performed simulations in which the water level, precipitation, and sluice gate operation of the Tama River differed from actual conditions, and compared them with the actual damage. Based on these results, we examined methods for reducing inundation damage, such as improving the operation method of sluice gates, and confirmed their effects.

The Trend in Measures Against Urban Inundation in Japan

All over Japan, damage has occurred from flood from inland waters. Because the measures against urban inundation should be promoted swiftly and economically, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has implemented policies to push forward efficient and effective mitigation measures. Such comprehensive policies combine tangible and intangible measures and select prioritized areas for implementation. In June 2020, forecasting methods for probable maximum rainfall were announced, taking heavy rain and climate change into consideration. Furthermore, because a sewer system itself can be damaged from heavy rain, measures have been adopted to make a water-resistant sewerage system. In this manner, various policies in Japan address measures against urban inundation.

Sanitary and Epidemiological Portrait of the Medieval City

The work shows that the medieval Western European city was characterized by an extremely low sanitary condition, manifested in the absence of a sewerage system and water supply, in the absence of street paving, unsanitary conditions of houses and streets. The extremely low level of personal hygiene of the inhabitants of the medieval city, a high level of infant mortality, widespread alcoholism, and low life expectancy are shown. It was found that one of the leading reasons for the low sanitary state of medieval cities and the level of personal hygiene was the unbiblical teaching of the medieval church about the immortality of the soul, according to which the flesh needed constant mortification and neglect, and caring for it and the comfort of dwellings was considered a mortal sin.