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Prepared By: Manoj Bhatta 1

CHAPTER
9
Disposal of Sewage
from Isolated
Buildings

26 January 2025

Contents
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1. Necessity
2. On site sanitation - Definition and types
3. Pit privy - purpose and construction
4. Ventilated Improved Pit (VIP) latrine - purpose, construction, design criteria, types (single
pit, double pits and multiple pits), advantages and disadvantages
5. Pour flush latrine - purpose, construction and design criteria
6. Septic tank - purpose, construction, design criteria, working and maintenance
7. Septic tank effluent disposal methods
1. Drain field - purpose, construction and design criteria
2. Soak pit - purpose, construction and design criteria
3. Evapotranspiration mound - purpose and construction
4. Leaching cesspool - purpose and construction
8. Numericals on design of ViP latrine, Pour flush latrine, Septic tank, Drain field and Soak pit

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9.1 Introduction and Necessity

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 In isolated areas and scattered households, may not be technically

and economically feasible to lay sewer network
 In such areas wastewater disposal is done on site
 Generally in rural and sub urban areas

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9.2 Offsite and Onsite Sanitation

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Sanitation
On site sanitation
types based
on disposal
Off site Sanitation

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i)On Site Sewage Disposal

• Sewage is collected and disposed off at the generation site.

ii) Off Site Sewage Disposal

• Sewage is collected, conveyed using water carriage system then

treated in massive amount and disposed far from the source.

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• Off site method not possible in unsewered towns, villages and cities
due to high cost and difficulty in construction.

• In such isolated built up area and unsewered area sewage is not

transported but disposed in the site of generation.

• In rural area construction of bathroom and latrins are neglected.

• So different method is necessary to disposed off sewage in such

areas.
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On site Sanitation Includes

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a. Privies

i. Pit Privy

ii. VIP ( Ventilated Improved Pit)

iii. Pour flush latrine

b. Septic Tank and Soak Pit ( also other effluent disposal units)
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9.3 Privies
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 Underground chamber or pit used for collection and disposal of human

excreta
 May be masonry or pit with or without superstructure
 In Nepal, following privies are more common
i. Pit Privy
ii. VIP ( Ventilated Improved Pit)
iii. Pour flush latrine

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i. Pit Privy
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• Privies are the underground chamber or pit used for the

collection and disposal of human excreta.
• This method is widely used in developing country.

PURPOSE

• To collect and safe on site disposal of human excreta.

CONSTRUCTION

• It consists of 90 to 120 cm in diameter and 2-3 meter deep

with plan of 1*1 meter.
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• It may be lined or unlined but pit is covered by squatting slap with hole and hole is
covered.
• Temporary structure is made to protect from rain and maintain privacy.

• Faeces are stored where as urine is seepage in soil.

• When digested sludge reaches to the 50 cm below the top it is covered by earth soil.

• Storage period may be 2-3 yrs with average serving capacity is 1.5 m

• The filled pit can be used after 2 years.

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1 2 3
When digested Super structure and The filled pit can be
sludge reaches to the squatting plate is re used after 2 years
level 50 cm below shifted to the next
the top, pit is filled position (i.e. next pit).
with a 50 – 75 mm
thick earth layer

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VIP (Ventilated Improved Pit) latrine

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 Pit privy: unhygienic and dangerous for

children
 Improvement over pit privy by a vent pipe is
called VIP latrine
 Slightly offset superstructure
 Purpose: To collect and dispose of human
excreta for maintaining hygienic conditions

Prepared By: Manoj Bhatta 26 January 2025

Construction:
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 12 – 15 m away from the buildings

 A lined or unlined 1.2 m diameter and 1.5 m deep pit
 Liquid absorption by the surrounding soils
 A concrete or timber squatting plate (pan) with a hole with two footrests
and a cover.
 A 90 mm diameter vent pipe to escape foul gases
 Top of vent pipe with wire net or cowl to prevent flies and other insect
 Vent pipe painted black and more height than building at the locality.
 Superstructure for maintaining privacy and to protect from rain.
 Use of local materials (brick, stone masonry, straw and bamboo etc.

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Advantages Disadvantages

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 Little odour
 Less chances for transmission of excreta related disease  Technical support required when
than lid or cover latrine
 Good for environment
installed as proper construction
 Can be used as fertilizer after one year of composting is crucial
 Suitable for water scarce area, no need for water  Risk of groundwater and
except occasional cleaning of the squat plate
 Affordable and Suitable for communities using dry surface water contamination
cleansing materials
 Once filled the latrine has to be
 Can be built with local materials
 Construction and maintenance are easy
moved to another location
 Can be upgraded to pour flush latrine by installing  Odour nuisance is not fully
water seal pan
 Suitable for less densely populated area where space is
controlled.
available for relocating the latrine when it is full
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DESIGN CRITERIA
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• The time period is generally 2 years for 1 pit.

• Two pit can be constructed so that they can be used for alternatives.
• Ground water table should be 2 meter below the bottom of the pit.
• Pit volume is calculated by V= NRT,
where,
N= Number of users
R= Digested sludge accumulation rate ( 0.04-0.05 𝑚 /person/year)
T= Designed period in years ( minimum 2 years )
Its depth should be 1 to 2.5 meters .
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 Example : Design a VIP latrine for users of 10 persons.

Assume necessary data.

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Solution:
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 Number of users (N)= 10

Assume, digested sludge accumulation rate (R)= 0.05𝑚 /person/ year
 Desludging period (T) = 2 years

Now, Pit volume (V)= NRT

= 10*0.05*2
 =1𝑚

 Assume depth (d) = 1 m (1-2.5)

Area of the tank (A)= V/d
= 1/1
=1𝑚
Prepared By: Manoj Bhatta 26 January 2025

= 1.12m
Provide freeboard (FB) = 0.5 m
Overall depth (D) = d + FB = 1+0.5 =1.50 meter
Adopt 2 pit of 1.12 meter dia ( for alternative use) with depth
1.50 meter

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Classwork
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 Design a VIP latrine for 15 users. Assume suitable data if necessary

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Classwork
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 Design a VIP latrine for a family of 8 users. Assume necessary data .

 Solutions:
 V= NRT
 = 0.80 𝑚
 Assume R = 0.05 𝑚 /person/year
 Assume desludging time 2 years

 Assume effective depth : 1 m

 Plan area A = V/d = 0.80 𝑚
 Diameter = 1 m
 Assume Free board = 0.50 m
 Overall depth D = 1+0.50 = 1.50 m
 Provide Circular Pit of 1 m dia. And Overall depth of 1.5 m

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POUR FLUSH LATRINE

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 built inside the house.

 water dependent latrine

 The human excreta is cleaned by pouring 1 to 2 litre of

water so it is called pour flush latrine.
 Some water always remains at the bottom of the pan
after it has been used.
 This water seal latrine eliminates the entry of odour
and prevents rodents to the latrine room from pit
through the pan.
PURPOSE
• collect and disposal of human excreta for hygienic
condition.
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CONSTRUCTION
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• A water seal plan is kept inside the house.

• Two pit is dug of size 1.5 meter dia.
• One pit is open and when that is filled or blockage happens, alternative one is used.
• It is covered by RCC slab and pit boundary may be lined or unlined.
• A junction block is made up of brick or concrete.
• Pipe should be in gradient of (1:5 to 1:15).
• It doesnot required ventilation pipe.
• The minimum size of pipe used in the latrine is 100mm.
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If one pit filled, then next

pipe is opened for another
pit
After three years, old pit
can be reused
A brick or stone masonry
superstructure is constructed
inside or outside house for
privacy and rain

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Design criteria

Same as VIP Requires no vent Minimum

latrine pipe diameter of
pipe is 100 mm

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9.4 SEPTIC TANK ( sedimentation cum digestion tank)

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• combined sedimentation and digestion tank which is rectangular in shape with water
tight chamber to collect the human excreta where the water supply facilities is available.
PURPOSE

• Sedimentation to remove maximum suspended solid from the sewage.

• Digestion of settle sludge result the reduced in volume of the dense, digested sludge.

• Storage of sludge and disposed effluent in the safe way.

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CONSTRUCTION
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• may be constructed of stone masonry, brick masonry or

concrete with water tight cover, ventilation pipe with 2
meter above from surrounding environment.
• Depth = 1 to 2.5 m and freeboard = 0.25 to 0.5 m.
• Inlet and outlet are located at two ends of septic tank.
• Baffles are generally provided with both inlet and outlet
and placed 25 to 30 cm from the inlet pipe and remain
15 cm above and 30 cm below the liquid level.
• The floor of tank should be cement concrete and slope
towards sludge outlet.
• Vent pipe of dia 7.5 to 10 cm is provided to remove foul
gases and top are provided with cowls.
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Working and Maintenance

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WORKING
i. Anaerobic digestion
ii. Settling
iii. Floating of lighter materials
iv. Gas escape from vent pipe
v. Effluent proper disposal
MAINTANANCE
i. Digested sludge is removed from 6 months to 3 years depending upon the septic tank filled.
ii. Water should not be allowed in the septic tank.
Prepared By: Manoj Bhatta 26 January 2025

Design Criteria
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1. Sewage flow: Dry sludge = 70gram/day/person

2. Tank dimension.
DESIGN
• Length width ratio (L:B) = 2-4
PARAMETER OF (Bmin ) = 0.75 m
• Minimum width
•SEPTIC TANK
Detention time (t) = 1 to 3 days
• Freeboard (FB) = 0.3 to 0.5 m
• Effective depth (d ) = 1 to 2.5m (1.2-1.7 m recommended)
• Volume of settling of sewage (V1 )= Q* t
• Volume of sludge digestion (V2 ) = 0.0425*N
• Volume for storage of digested sludge( V3 )= Cds * N: Where Cds =
digested sludge rate which depends on cleaning Period
• Effective volume (V) = V1 + V2 + V3
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Digested Sludge Rate (Cds ) for different Cleaning Period (T)

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Prepared By: Manoj Bhatta 26 January 2025

Design a septic tank in Nepalese perspective in semi

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urban areas for 8 users
Assuming in semi urban areas rate of water supply as 65 lpcd and assuming 100% of water supply contributes for sewage, we get
average flow. Assume detention period t= 1 day : Sludge digestion volume rate= 0.0425 m^3/person: Cds depends on desludging
period” Cds= 0.085 𝑚 /person
 Q= 100%*qw/s*N= 1*65*8=0.52 𝑚 /d
 Volume for settling of sewage (V1)= Qxt =0.52*1= 0.52 𝑚
 Volume for sludge digestion (V2)= 0.0425*N= 0.0425*8 = 0.34 𝑚
 Volume for storage of digested sludge( V3 )= Cds * N=0.085*8= 0.68 𝑚
 Total effective volume (V)= V1+V2+v3=1.54 𝑚
 Assume effective depth d= 1m
 Top area of tank (A)= V/d= 1.54/1= 1.54 𝑚
 Taking length width ratio L/B= 2
 A= LxB= 2B*B=2𝐵 , 𝐵 = 0.877 = 0.90 𝑚 > 0.75 𝑚 𝑂𝐾
 Length = 2B= 2*0.90=1.80 m
 Assuming free board FB =0.40 m
 Overall depth D=d+FB= 1+0.40=1.40 m Prepared By: Manoj Bhatta 26 January 2025
 Provide septic tank with internal dimension of 1.8 m x 0.90 m x1.40 m

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9.5 Septic tank effluent disposal methods

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Effluent: septic and malodorous containing

organic matters and pathogens
Nuisance and hazard on public health

Properly disposed off by:

a) Drain field

b) Soak pit

c) Evapo-transpiration mound

d) Leaching cesspool
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a) Drain field/ Dispersion trench/Soakage Pit

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 A trench constructed on the land and field with

coarse materials.
Purpose
• remove the impurities from the liquid that emerges
from the septic tank.
Construction
 consists of shallow and narrow long trenches of
length 15 to 30 m and width 0.5 to 1 m
 Earth cover over aggregate should not exceed 12
inch.
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Construction
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 Shallow and narrow but long trenches in the ground

 15 to 30 m long, 30 cm to 1m wide and effective depth of 1m with 0.25%
slope
 80 to 100 mm diameter earthenware or concrete perforated pipes are laid over
15 to 25 cm gravel
 Then trench is filled with gravel and soil,
 Turfing and finishing is done to protect from rain.
 more dispersion trenches may be used according quantity of effluent.
 If more than one trench is used it is called drain field.
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Design criteria
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 base of trench is responsible for infiltration

 Minimum depth of 1 m is provided,
 Length =15 to 30 m ,
 Width =30 cm to 1m
 Soil infiltration capacity ( I) = ( l/𝑚 /𝑑𝑎𝑦)
 Where Tr= Percolation rate : If the value of Tr is not given, Take Tr = 25
min/cm
𝑸
 Length of the trench (L) =
𝑩𝑰
 Spacing between two dispersion trenches should be 2 times the depth or 2
m whichever is greater
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b) Soak pit/ Seepage Pit

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 circular in shape
 preferred only when water table is low
 available land is less
 The circular (more common) pit preferred to
disposed effluent by soaking in the
surrounding soil.
 It is economical, stable and high efficient if soil is
porous

Purpose
• dispose septic tank effluent by absorption in surrounding
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Construction
 It may be lined or unlined.
 Its top surface is covered off to make safe from flooding.

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Design criteria
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• Diameter varies from (0.9 to 3.5 )meter.

• Depth depends upon the ground water table. ( Assume GWT lies at least 2 m below the bottom of the soak
pit)
 Design based on the absorption capacity or infiltration capacity ‘I’ of surrounding soil (not bottom soil)

 Clear distance between pits ≥3 times diameter of largest pit

 No ground water source within the radius of 60 m.

Design Formula:
 Area required for infiltration ( A) =
Where I = infiltration capacity/ absorption :
(I) = ( l/𝑚 /𝑑𝑎𝑦): 𝑻𝒓 = 𝑷𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒐𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 (𝟐𝟓 𝒎𝒊𝒏/𝒄𝒎)
 Area of soak pit = 𝐴 = 𝜋ɸ𝑑 𝑓𝑜𝑟 1 𝑠𝑜𝑎𝑘 𝑃𝑖𝑡 For n soak pit:

area A = n𝜋ɸ𝑑 where ɸ is the diameter of soak pit ( 0.9m-3.5 m)

 Overall Depth = 1.2-2.5 m
 Free board = 0.3-0.5 m
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Infiltration capacity based on Type of Soil

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Advantages and Disadvantages of Soak Pit

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Advantages Disadvantages
 Simple and can be built with  Not efficient in impermeable

local materials soil

 Cheaper on  Liable to pollute soil and

operation/maintenance ground water

 Lesser land  Not suitable for cold climates

 Reduces risk of flooding, help in and high rate of effluent

ground water recharge

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c) Evapotranspiration Mound
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 very high ground water table and

 rocky areas
 absorption capacity of soil is low
 Digging is complicated
 Specially prepared natural
depressions
Purpose
 Disposal of waste water by
evaporation, transpiration of plant
and through percolation of soil.
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Construction
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 15 cm thick gravel over top soil depression

 Open joint perforated pipes in 3 m spacing over it
 60 cm of gravel over pipe
 10 cm moist soil over it
 Coarse sand over it (20-40 cm thick for 10-20 days storage)
 Topmost layer:10-15 cm soil with location vegetation
 Overall Depth= 2 to 5 m. (High depth for higher BOD effluent)
 Effluent entry: From main and distribution pipes
 Gravel/sand: acts as a filter media
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 Water/nutrients: absorbed by plants and evapotranspiration
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d) Leaching Cesspool
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• circular or rectangular underground chamber or tank in which

top surface act as a absorption field and bottom surface
act as a septic tank.
Purpose
• collect and disposed sewage effluent by settlement of heavier
particles where as the liquid is absorbed by surrounding soil.

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Construction
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• Tank with dia 1 m and water tight at the

bottom if cesspool is above the ground
water table.
Construction
• surface made from cement concrete.

• The portion just below inlet is provided by

dry brick work of 15 cm of coarse
aggregate and 30 cm of outer casing of
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Q1. Design a septic tank for a house having 8 persons. The rate of
sewage is 100 lpcd. Assume sludge is cleaned from ST once in 3 years. If
percolation rate is 25 min/cm, design the drain field to dispose the
effluent. If soak pit is used, what will be the dimension of soak pit. Given
that GWT is 4.5 m below ground surface.
Given
Number of users ( N)=8 persons
Rate of sewage flow (q) = 100 lpcd
Infiltration rate ( I) = 25 min/cm
GWT = 4.5 m below Ground level
Dimension of Septic tank= ?
Dimension of Drain field= ?
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Dimension of Soak Pit= ?

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