‘ Solar septic tank ’: evaluation of innovative decentralized treatment of blackwater in developing countries

An innovative decentralized wastewater treatment system, namely the ‘Solar Septic Tank (SST)’, was constructed and tested at the household scale in a community in central Thailand. This study aimed to investigate the long-term performance of the SST in treating blackwater subject to year-round varia...

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Published inJournal of water, sanitation, and hygiene for development Vol. 10; no. 4; pp. 828 - 840
Main Authors Koottatep, Thammarat, Connelly, Stephanie, Pussayanavin, Tatchai, Khamyai, Sopida, Sangchun, Wattanapong, Sloan, William, Polprasert, Chongrak
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published London IWA Publishing 01.12.2020
Subjects
Biochemical oxygen demand
Blackwater
Chemical oxygen demand
Developing countries
Discharge
E coli
Effluents
Field study
Health risks
Inactivation
LDCs
Oxygen
Pathogens
Public health
Removal
Sanitation
Sea surface
Septic tanks
Surface temperature
Total oxygen demand
Wastewater treatment
Water pollution
Water treatment
Thailand
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Summary:An innovative decentralized wastewater treatment system, namely the ‘Solar Septic Tank (SST)’, was constructed and tested at the household scale in a community in central Thailand. This study aimed to investigate the long-term performance of the SST in treating blackwater subject to year-round variation. Results of the 3-year continuous operation and monitoring showed significant improvement in the SST effluent quality with the potential to minimize environmental problems and public health risks. The SST achieved significantly higher total chemical oxygen demand, soluble chemical oxygen demand, total biochemical oxygen demand (TBOD), soluble biochemical oxygen demand, total kjeldahl nitrogen, total solid and total volatile solid removal efficiencies than a conventional septic tank (CST). The average TBOD concentration of the SST effluent was 150 ± 75 mg/L, meeting the Thai discharge standard (less than 200 mg/L of TBOD), while the average TBOD concentration of the CST was 240 ± 140 mg/L, higher than the Thai discharge standard. The Escherichia coli inactivation in the SST was 1–2 log reduction more than that in the CST. The removal efficiencies of TBOD and pathogens exhibited positive correlation with the ratios of the SST temperature.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-1
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ISSN:2043-9083
2408-9362
DOI:10.2166/washdev.2020.168