13.1 Importance of Water

1. Essential for Life

   • Vital for all forms of life.
   • Crucial for drinking, cooking, cleaning, agriculture, and industrial processes.

2. Human Hygiene and Health

   • Necessary for maintaining hygiene.
   • Prevents water-related diseases and deaths.

Global Water Scarcity

3. Access Inequality

   • Over one billion people lack access to safe drinking water.
   • Leads to significant health issues.

4. Factors Contributing to Scarcity

   • Population growth.
   • Pollution.
   • Industrial development.
   • Mismanagement of resources.

International Efforts

5. United Nations Initiative
   • 2005-2015 declared the International Decade for Action on “Water for Life.”
   • Goal to halve the number of people without access to safe drinking water.
   • Progress made, but more work needed.

Uses of Clean Water

6. Daily Applications
   • Drinking.
   • Cooking.
   • Bathing.
   • Irrigation.

Education and Awareness

7. Mindmap Activity
   • Helps students understand the various applications of clean water.
   • Encourages awareness of water’s urgency.

Sustainability and Management

8. Preservation and Protection

   • Essential to realize the urgency of preserving water resources.
   • Responsible usage and management needed for sustainability.

9. Chapter Goals

   • Highlight the importance of water.
   • Address challenges in ensuring water availability.
   • Promote understanding of water’s role and encourage sustainable practices for future generations.

13.2 WHAT IS SEWAGE?

1. Definition of Sewage: Sewage is wastewater released by homes, industries, hospitals, offices, and other users. It includes everything from household waste to industrial effluents.

2. Composition of Sewage: Sewage is mostly water, with dissolved and suspended impurities. These impurities can be both organic and inorganic.

3. Sources of Sewage: It comes from various sources including sinks, showers, toilets, laundries, and rainwater that washes off roads and rooftops.

4. Rainwater Inclusion: Rainwater running down streets during storms carries harmful substances with it, adding to sewage content.

5. Types of Impurities:

   • Organic Impurities: Human faeces, animal waste, oil, urea (urine), pesticides, herbicides, fruit, and vegetable waste.
   • Inorganic Impurities: Nitrates, phosphates, metals.
   • Nutrients: Phosphorus and nitrogen.
   • Bacteria: Pathogens like Vibrio cholerae (causing cholera) and Salmonella typhi (causing typhoid).
   • Other Microbes: Protozoa causing diseases like dysentery.

6. Observation Activity: Students are encouraged to locate an open drain and inspect the water flowing through it, noting color, odor, and other characteristics.

7. Sewage as a Complex Mixture: Emphasizes the complexity of sewage, which contains a wide range of contaminants that need to be treated before the water can be safely released back into the environment.

8. Health Impacts: Untreated sewage can cause water and soil pollution, leading to serious health hazards and the spread of diseases.

9. Environmental Impact: Highlighting the importance of proper sewage treatment to prevent pollution and protect water bodies.

10. Discussion and Record: Encourages students to discuss their observations with peers and record their findings in a structured manner.

13.3 WATER FRESHENS UP — AN EVENTFUL JOURNEY

1. Dual Pipe System: In homes and public buildings, one set of pipes delivers clean water while another set carries away wastewater.

2. Underground Network: Sewage is transported through a network of pipes known as sewers, forming a system called sewerage.

3. Manholes: These are located every 50 to 60 meters in the sewerage system, at the junction of two or more sewers, or where there is a change in direction.

4. Activity – Sewerage Route Study:

   • Line Diagram: Students are encouraged to make a line diagram of the sewage route in their home or school.
   • Survey: They should survey the campus or street to find the number of manholes.
   • Observation: If possible, observe open drains and record the living organisms found in and around them.

5. No Sewerage System: In areas without a sewerage system, students should investigate and report how sewage is disposed of.

6. Wastewater Treatment Process:

   • Primary Treatment: Involves the physical removal of large particles and sediments through screening and settling processes.
   • Secondary Treatment: Biological processes where microorganisms break down organic matter.
   • Tertiary Treatment: Further cleaning of wastewater through chemical processes, removing additional contaminants and pathogens.

7. Role of Nature: Natural processes similar to those in treatment plants help clean water in rivers and other bodies of water.

8. Sewage Disposal: Proper sewage disposal is crucial for environmental health and preventing the spread of diseases.

9. Educational Insight: This section emphasizes the importance of understanding and managing the journey of wastewater from homes to treatment plants, ensuring students grasp the significance of each step in maintaining environmental and public health.

10. Real-life Applications: By engaging in activities and observations, students learn about the infrastructure and processes involved in wastewater management, fostering a sense of responsibility and awareness.

13.4 WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT (WWTP)

1. Overview of Treatment: Wastewater treatment involves physical, chemical, and biological processes to remove contaminants.

2. Stages of Treatment:

   • Bar Screens: Large objects like rags, sticks, cans, plastic packets, and napkins are removed.
   • Grit and Sand Removal: Water moves to a tank where the speed is reduced, allowing sand, grit, and pebbles to settle.
   • Settling Tank: Water is allowed to settle in a large tank; solids like feces sink to the bottom, forming sludge, while a skimmer removes floatable solids like oil and grease, resulting in clarified water.
   • Aeration Tank: Air is pumped into the clarified water to promote the growth of aerobic bacteria that consume organic waste.

3. Sludge Treatment:

   • Anaerobic Bacteria: Sludge is decomposed by anaerobic bacteria in a separate tank, producing biogas.
   • Biogas Utilization: Biogas can be used as fuel or to generate electricity.
   • Activated Sludge: Suspended microbes settle as activated sludge, which is about 97% water and can be dried to be used as manure.

4. Final Treatment:

   • Disinfection: The treated water might be disinfected with chemicals like chlorine or ozone before being released into a water body or the distribution system.
   • Release: The treated water, with low levels of organic material and suspended matter, is discharged into rivers, seas, or the ground.

5. By-Products:

   • Sludge: Used as manure, returning nutrients to the soil.
   • Biogas: Used for fuel or electricity production.

6. Role of Plants: Eucalyptus trees are suggested for planting around sewage ponds to absorb surplus wastewater and release pure water vapor.

7. Natural Cleaning: The natural processes in rivers and water bodies further clean the treated water, similar to the methods used in treatment plants.

8. Activity:

   • Simulation of Treatment Process: Students perform an activity simulating the treatment process using a large glass jar, organic matter, detergent, and ink.
   • Steps: The jar is aerated, filtered using a sand filter, and chlorinated, with observations recorded at each stage to understand changes in odor, appearance, and the effectiveness of each treatment step.

9. Educational Value: This section teaches the importance of wastewater treatment, the various processes involved, and the role of students as active participants in understanding and promoting environmental health.

10. Conclusion: Proper wastewater treatment is essential for preventing pollution, protecting public health, and ensuring the sustainability of water resources. Students are encouraged to learn about and advocate for effective wastewater management practices in their communities.

13.5 BETTER HOUSEKEEPING PRACTICES

1. Minimizing Waste at the Source: One of the most effective ways to reduce pollution is by limiting the amount and type of waste we release down the drain.

2. Avoid Disposing of Cooking Oils and Fats:

   • Clogging Hazard: Oils and fats can harden and block pipes, leading to clogs and sewer overflows.
   • Environmental Impact: In open drains, fats can clog soil pores, reducing the effectiveness of soil in filtering water.
   • Proper Disposal: Throw used oils and fats into the dustbin rather than pouring them down the drain.

3. Hazardous Chemicals:

   • Impact on Microbes: Chemicals like paints, solvents, insecticides, motor oil, and medicines can kill the beneficial microbes that purify water in treatment plants.
   • Proper Disposal: These chemicals should be disposed of according to local hazardous waste disposal guidelines, not down the drain.

4. Solid Waste Disposal:

   • Preventing Blockages: Items such as used tealeaves, food remains, soft toys, cotton, and sanitary towels can block drains.
   • Environmental and Health Hazards: Blocked drains hinder the degradation process and can lead to unsanitary conditions.
   • Proper Disposal: These items should be disposed of in dustbins to prevent clogs and maintain the efficiency of wastewater treatment systems.

5. Personal Responsibility: Every individual should be conscious of their waste disposal habits to prevent contributing to environmental pollution and health hazards.

6. Community Action: Active participation and cooperation from the community are essential in maintaining proper sanitation and effective waste management practices.

7. Educational Activities:

   • Raising Awareness: Educational activities and discussions can help in spreading awareness about better housekeeping practices.
   • School Projects: Students can engage in projects that analyze waste disposal practices and propose improvements.

8. Benefits of Proper Practices:

   • Reduced Blockages: Preventing clogs in the sewer system ensures smoother operation and less maintenance.
   • Healthier Environment: Proper disposal of waste reduces the risk of diseases and promotes a cleaner environment.
   • Sustainable Living: Adopting these practices contributes to sustainable living by protecting water resources and the environment.

9. Collective Responsibility: Ensuring that everyone follows these practices can significantly improve the efficiency of wastewater treatment systems and overall sanitation.

13.6 SANITATION AND DISEASE

1. Health Impact:

   • Waterborne Diseases: Poor sanitation is a major cause of waterborne diseases like cholera, typhoid, and dysentery. These diseases can spread rapidly in communities with inadequate sanitation facilities.
   • Preventable Illnesses: Improving sanitation can significantly reduce the incidence of these preventable illnesses, thereby improving public health.

2. Open Defecation:

   • Lack of Access: A large number of people lack access to proper toilets, leading to open defecation.
   • Contamination: Open defecation contaminates water sources, including rivers, lakes, and groundwater, increasing the risk of disease transmission.

3. Pollution:

   • Surface Water Pollution: Untreated human waste pollutes surface water bodies, making them unsafe for drinking, bathing, and other uses.
   • Groundwater Pollution: Contaminants from human waste seep into the ground, polluting groundwater, which is a vital source of drinking water for many communities.

4. Sanitation Systems:

   • Low-Cost Solutions: Promote the use of low-cost on-site sewage disposal systems, such as septic tanks, to manage human waste effectively.
   • Community Health: Implementing these systems can greatly improve community health and reduce the spread of diseases.

13.7 ALTERNATIVE ARRANGEMENT FOR SEWAGE DISPOSAL

1. On-Site Systems:

   • Septic Tanks: Suitable for areas without centralized sewerage systems. Septic tanks treat sewage on-site, reducing the need for extensive infrastructure.
   • Chemical Toilets: Portable toilets that use chemicals to disinfect and break down waste, ideal for temporary or remote locations.
   • Composting Pits: Convert human waste into compost, providing a sustainable waste management solution that also enriches soil.

2. Biogas Plants:

   • Waste to Energy: Human waste is converted into biogas, which can be used as a source of energy for cooking, heating, or generating electricity.
   • Environmental Benefits: Reduces waste and provides a renewable energy source, contributing to sustainable living practices.

3. Eco-Friendly Toilets:

   • Vermi-Processing Toilets: Utilize earthworms to convert human waste into compost. This process is hygienic and environmentally friendly, producing useful compost for agriculture.
   • Low Water Use: These toilets require minimal water, making them ideal for areas with water scarcity.

4. Sanitation Mission:

   • Government Initiatives: Programs like “Swachh Bharat” aim to improve sanitation facilities across the country, ensuring access to toilets for all and reducing open defecation.
   • Public Health: These initiatives aim to improve public health by providing cleaner, safer sanitation options.

13.8 SANITATION AT PUBLIC PLACES

1. Waste Management:

   • Proper Disposal: Effective management and disposal of waste at public places like fairs, railway stations, bus depots, airports, and hospitals are crucial to maintain hygiene.
   • Prevention of Disease: Proper waste management prevents the spread of diseases and maintains a healthy environment for the public.

2. Government Standards:

   • Sanitation Standards: There are established sanitation standards that need to be enforced to ensure cleanliness in public areas.
   • Enforcement Issues: Unfortunately, these standards are often not strictly enforced, leading to sanitation issues in many public places.

3. Public Responsibility:

   • Litter Disposal: Individuals should be responsible for disposing of their litter properly, even when no dustbins are immediately available.
   • Personal Initiative: Carrying litter home and disposing of it properly can significantly improve public sanitation.

4. Collective Action:

   • Community Efforts: Community participation is essential for maintaining cleanliness in public spaces and preventing disease outbreaks.
   • Role of Citizens: Active citizen involvement can make a substantial difference in improving and maintaining sanitation standards in public areas.