B.3.

Dilution in Rivers and Self Purification of Natural Streams

When sewage is discharged into a natural body of water, the receiving water
gets polluted due to waste products, present in sewage efluents/ But the
conditions do notremain for so because the natural forces of
ever, purification,
such as dilution, sedtmentation, ozidation-reduction in sunlight, etc., go on
acting upgn the pollution elements, and bring back thewaterinto its original
condition This automatic purification of polluted water, in due course, is
called.the self-purification phenomenonHowever, if the self-purifiction is
not achieved successfully either due to too much of pollution discharged into it
or due to other
causes, the river water itself will get polluted, which, in turn,
may also pollute the sea where the river outfalls.)
The various natural forces of
purification-which help in effecting self-
purification process are summarised below
1. Physical forces are:
(i) Dilution and dispersion,
(ii) Sedimentation, and
(iii) Sunlight (acting through bio-chemical reactions).
2. Chemical forces aided
by biological forces (called bio-chemical forces)
are:
(iv) Oxidation (Bio),
() Reduçtion.
These forces are described
belaw:
 AIR POLLUTION E
194 SEWAGE

When
DISPOSAL AND

the putrescible organic

ENGINEERINM
and Dispersion. in the river-strotte
0) Dilution volume of
water contained m, it ge
discharge
pidlygeddispersed and diluted.
into a large The action, thus, results in diminie:
nuisan
rapidly dispersed and
on and thus reduces
reduces the
the potentual nsi
potential
concentration of organic matter, and nuisane
sewage.
flows at a rate s in to a river
When sewage of concentration tCa rate Qp the concentration c strear
with concentration C, flowing the
resulting mixture is given by
Cs+C =CQs+eg
C Css+Czen
or
es +R 8.1
This equation is concentrations of diffen
applicable separately to

mpurities, such as, oxygen content, BOD, suspended sediments, and o other
characteristic contents of sewage.
() Sedimentation. The settleable solids, if present in sewage efluen
will settle down into the bed of the river, near the outtall of sewage, tha
helping in the self purification process.
(in)Sunlight. The sun light has a bleaching and stabilising effect
bacteria. It also helps certain micro-organisms to derive energy from it, and
convert themselves into food for other forms of life, thus absorbing carbn
dioxide and releasing oxygen by a process known as
photosynthesis. Te
evolution of oxygen in river water due to sunlight will help in achieving sels
purification through oxidation, as given below
(iv) Oxidation. The oxidation of the organic matter present in sewage
effluent, will start as soon as the
sewage outfalls into the river wata
containing dissolved oxygen. The deficiency of oxygen so created, will filled
up by the atmospheric oxygen. The process of oxidation will continuebetill the
organic matter has been completely oxidised. This is the most
action responsible for importat
affecting self purification of rivers.
(u) Reduction. Reduction occurs
settled at the bottom either chemicallydue to hydrolysis of organic mater
or
biologically. Anaerobic bacteria w
help in splitting the complex organic constituents
and thus of sewage into liquids an
gases, paving the way for their ultimate stabilization
The various by oxidation
factors on which these
natural forces of purification depen
are: (a)
temperature; (6) turbulence; (c)
surface expanse of the river-stream ; (d)hydrography such as the
available dissolved velocity
and
present, (e) rate of reaeration, etc. u
amount and type of organic matter oxygen,
Besides affecting the dilution and
'also affects the rate of biological and sedimentation rates, the temperu
ture

at higher temperatures chemical activities, which are anced

and depressed at lower ennad

oxygen ontent of water, which is temperatures. The diss
and erobic conditions (s0 as to very essential for maintaining
avoid the anaerobic aquau
subsequent nuisance caused by the eruption of foul decomposi0nced
by temperature. At higher temperatures, the odours) is also infiue
tion is
concentratio low; while the rate
of capacity ain the.
to maintatr
high, causing thereb rapid
depletion of
biological and chemical activinbi a
conditions, when the pollution due to D.0. This is likely to lead to anaero
putrescible organic le
ic 1matter is heavy.
 195
OF THE SEWAGE EFFLUENTS
DISPOSING
The turbulence in the body of water helps in breaking the surface of the
it
in rapid re-aeration from the atmosphere. Thus,
stream or lake, and helps
and in keeping it
helps in maintaining aerobic conditions in the river stream, scours the
cleanl Too much of turbulence, however, is not desirable, because it
bottom sediment, increases the turbidity, and retards algae growth, which is
useful in reaeration process. Wind and undercurrents in lakes and óceans
cause turbulences which affect their self-purification.
The Hydrography affects the velocity and surface expanse of the river
stream. High velocities cause turbulence and rapid reaeration, while large
surface expanse (for the same cubic contents) will also have the same effects.
The larger the amount of dissolved oxygen present in water, the better and
earlier the self-purification will occur.
The amount and the ype of organic matter and biological growth present in
water will also affect the rate of self-purification. Algae which absorbs carbon
dioxide and gives out oxygen, is thus, very helpful in the self-purification process.
The rate of reaeration i.e. the rate at which the D.O. deficiency is
replenished, will considerably govern the self-purification process. The
greater is this rate, the quicker will be the self-purification, and there will be
nochances of development of anaerobic conditions.
s.3.1. Zones of Pollution in a River-Stream. A polluted stream undergoing self
purification can be divided into the following four zones:
() Zone of degradation;
ii) Zone of active decomposition;
(ii) Zone of recovery; and
(iv) Zone of cleaner water.
These zones are discussed below:
(i) Zone of degradation or Zone of pollution. This zone is found for a certain
length just below the point wheresewage is discharged into the river-stream.
This zone is characterised by water
of sludge deposits at the bottom.
becoming dark and turbid with formation
D.O. is reduced to about 40% of the
saturation value*. There is an increase in carbon dioxide
content;
reoxygenation (i.e. re-aeration) occurs but is slower than de-oxygenation.
These conditions are unfavourable to the
development of aquatic life; and
assuch, algae dies out, but fish life may be present feeding on fresh
matter. Moreover, certain typical bottom worms such as organic
Limondrilus and
Tubifex appear with sewage fungi, such as sphaerotilusnatans.
(i) Zone of active decomposition. This zone is marked by heavy pollution. It
ls characterised by water becoming greyish and darker than in the previous
zone.D.O. concentration falls down to zero, and anaerobic conditions may set in
with the evolution of gases like methane, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulphide,
etc., bubbling to the surface, with
at
masses
of sludge forming ugly
an scum
layer
the surface. As the organic decomposition slackens due to stabilisation of
organic matter, the re-aeration sets in and D.O. again rises to the original level
e. about 40%).

aturation value at 30°C = 7.63 mg/, (PI, see Appendix Tåbles A-3 given at the end of the
book).
196 SEWAGE DISPOSAL AND AIR
POLLUTION ENGIN
In this zone, bacteria flora will flourish. At the upper end, aAn
bacteria will replace aerobic bacteria; while at its lower end, the positrobi
2ereversed. Protozoa and fungi will first disappear and then tion wil
life will be absent. reappeaT
Algae and Tubifex will also mostly be absent. TPia
maggots and psychoda (sewage fly) will, however, be present in
most septic sewage. all ho

(ii) Zone of recovery. In this zone, the river stream tries to recover fro-
degraded condition to its former appearance. The water becomes
SO the algae reappears while fungi decreases. B.O.D. falls down clearer. ita
and
content rises above 40%
of the saturation value protoz0a, ra D.0
crustaceans and large plants like sponges, bryozons,
etc. also reappear. rotifer
Bot
organisms will include: tubifex, mussels, snails, etc.
be mineralised to form The organic material
nitrates, sulphates, phosphates, carbonates, etc.
Zones of pollution-
Clear Zone of | Zone of active Zone of
water Zone of
degradation decompositionl recoveryy clearer water
Saturation level
D.O. = 100%

Dissolved D.O.
40%
oxygen C DO. = 40%
sag curve
D.O Zero% 1
40%
Physical Clear water, | Floating Darker and Turbid with Clear water
Indices no bottom
solids; bottomgreyish colour, |bottom with no
sludge, no sludge evolution of
colour present, gases like
sludge bottom
colour getting| CH, cO sludge
turbid HS, etc. A lot
of sludge
coming to the
surface forming|
an ugly scum
layer at top
Fish Ordinary fish Tolerant No fish Tolerant fish Ordinary fish
presence like game, fishes like present like carp, buff like game,
pan, food & carp, buffalo,
| forage etc. alo, etc. are pan, food,
gary, etc. present and forage
present present etc, present
Bottom
Animals

Algae &
Protozoa
etc. called
plankton

Fig. 8.1. Showing Zones of Pollution along a River stream.

 SPOSING OF THE SEWAGE EFFLUENTS 197

(ip) Zone of cleaner water. In this zone, the river attains its original
onditions with D.O. rising upto the saturation value. Water
ve in appearance, and Game fish (which requires atleast 4 to 5becomes
con
attractive mg/l of
nO.) and usual aquatic life prevails. Some pathogenic organisms may still,
hwever, survive and remain present, which confirms the fact that "when once
river water has been polluted, it will not be safe to drink it, unless it is
properly treated."

8.2, Indices of Self-Purification.

The stage of self-purification
ean be determined by the physical, chemical and biological analysisprocess
of the
water. Colour and turbidity are the physical indices, while BOD
suspended solids (SS) are the chemical indices which can markD0,the stagesand
of
nurification. Moreover, the biological growth present in water can also
indicate the stage of purification process, as different types of micro and macro
organisms will exist in polluted water under different conditions, as discussed
in the previous sub article.
The different zones of pollution (i.e. various stages in the
self-purification
process) and the physical, chemical and biological indices, characteristics of
each zone, are shown in Fig. 8.1.
8:3.3. The Oxygen Deficit of a Polluted River-Stream. The oxygen deficit
VD at any time in a polluted river-stream is the difference between the actual
D.O. content of water at that time and the saturation D.O. content* at the
water temperature ; i.e.

Oxygen deficit (D) =Saturation D.O. - Actual D.O.

.(8.2)
In order to maintain clean conditions in a river-stream, the oxygen deficit
must be nil, and this can be found out by
knowing the rates of de-oxygenation
and re-oxygenation.
De-oxygenation Curve. In a polluted stream, the D.O. content goes on
reducing due to decomposition of volatile organic matter. The rate of de
oxygenation depends upon the amount of the organic matter remaining to be
Oxidised at the given time (i.e. L,) as well as on the temperature of reaction
G.e. t). Hence, at a given temperature, the curve showing depletion of D.O. with
ime,ie deoxygenation curve (Refer curve 1 of Fig. 8.2) is similar to the first
stage B.O.D.curve (Refer Fig. 7.3). It can also be expressed mathematically as
per Eq. (7.12).
e-oxygenation Curve. In order to counter-balance the consumption of D.O.
aue to
de-oxygenation, atmosphere supplies oxygen to the water, and the
process is called re-oxygenation. The rate at which the oxygen is supplied by
he
atmosphere to the polluted water depends upon:
0 the depth of the receiving water (rate is more in a shallow depth);
) the condition of the
body of water (rate is more in a running stream than
in a
quiescent pond);
It
n s the amount of D.O. which will be present in water if it is fully saturated
with
7 gen. The normal saturation D.O. value for fresh water varies between 146 mg/l to
10 temperature varying between 0°C to 30°C. (Pl. see Appendix Table A-3)
 D.O.(Percent saturation)

----.

Min. oxygen
balance

-Re oxygenation-
Re oxygenation-
DISPOSINa OF THE SEWAGE EFFLUENTS 199
The entire analysis of super-imposing the rates of de-oxygenation and re-
OXYgenation have been carried out mathematically, and the obtained results
avDressed in the form of famous Streeter-Phelps equation; ie.,

D, [(10K-(10 K+D x(10

DKR-Kp D, where the D.O. deficit in mgl after t days.
8.3)
L Ultimate first stage B.O.D. of the mix at the
point of waste discharge in mgl.
D, Initial oxygen deficit of the mix at the mixing
point in mg/l.
Kp = De-oxygenation coefficient for the
wastewater, which can be considered as
equal to the BOD rate constant* deter
mined in the laboratory, through BOD
tests performed at different times on
BOD bottles, as discussed in article 7.4.1.9.
Also, Kp varies with temp. as per Eq.
(7.18), as:
1T-20
Kp-Kpao) 1047 ..e. Eq. 7.18)

The typical values of Kp20) vary between 0.1

to 0.2, generally taken as 0.1.
K** = Re-oxygenation coefficient for the stream.
It be determined by the field tests by
can
using eqn.
3.9/u
KR(20) y5 (8.4)
where u = Av. stream velocity in m/s
y Av. stream depth in m.
K varies with temperature as per the eqn.
T-20
KnrKRao) 1016 .(8.5)

whereKRn is the K value at TC and KR20) is the K

value at 20°C.
Typical values of KR90) are given in Table 8.4.

Deoxygenation coefficient for a river is, infact, a little more than the BOD rate constant,
Since BOD is exerted more rapidly in a river than that in a BOD bottle due to terbulent
ixing in a river. However, for practical purposes, this value is taken to be the same, as
determined in the laboratory.
Certain authors use K, as the symbol for this constant.