CITY SANITATION PLAN - Ministry of Urban Development

CITY SANITATION PLAN BAREILLY
technology if the introduced technology cannot be sustained in the socio-economic, personal or
cultural environment. The users are often blamed for the failure but the reality is that failure occurs
because the technology is inappropriate to the circumstances.
Regardless of the technology selected, making sanitation improvements in any community requires
careful planning and concerted investment efforts between households and government. Lacking
proper coordination, some investments can become very wasteful and redundant. For instance, the
disposal of contaminated wastewater in densely populated areas is both expensive and technically
challenging, while the prospects for charging for this service are limited. Thus, if water services are
introduced in an area without a proper drainage and sewerage system, there will be no way to take
away the volumes of wastewater.
Sanitation systems can be divided into ‘onsite’ and ‘offsite’ technologies. Onsite sanitation systems
aim to contain human excreta at the point of generation (the household level). Onsite sanitation can
be classified into two main categories: ‘wet’ which require water for flushing; and ‘dry’ which do not
require any water for flushing. This type of infrastructure comprises of (improved) latrines, septic
tanks and other household level technologies that do not involve sewerage.
Offsite sanitation systems transport human excreta to another location for treatment, disposal or
use. Offsite sanitation can be classified into two main categories: ‘decentralized’ and ‘centralized’.
Decentralized systems include systems where groups of two or more houses are linked to a network
leading to a communal treatment system. Wastewater systems serving one or several communities
are termed centralized systems.
Technology Option for On-site sanitation systems
Septic Tank with soak pits
Application Level- Household, Apartments, Institutions
Septic tanks consist of a chamber or series of chambers into which wastewater is discharged and
contained. Sediment and solids settle at the bottom of the tank and organic wastes are decomposed
by the action of bacteria. The effluent from septic tanks may contain pathogens and should be
discharged into a soak away. In practice, many septic tanks in India discharge effluent to the nearest
open drain.
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF COLLEGE OF INDIA, HYDERABAD Page 147