| Before choosing a site for the construction of an | | | | You can use the organic growth supported by the |
| effluent treatment plant, or laying a sewerage | | | | soil as an indicator of the quality of the soil at the |
| network, you would need to evaluate the site you | | | | site. Factors like these assume significance if methods |
| have chosen against certain factors that will help you | | | | like wastewater ponds or lagoons, land treatment or |
| in determining the suitability of the site. | | | | filtration through a granular medium are to be used at |
| Factors like land use, topography, climate, geology, | | | | the site. |
| soil characteristics and hydrology should be validated. | | | | There are some characteristics that can make a site |
| In this article, I discuss why these factors are | | | | hydrologically unfavorable for setting up a treatment |
| important: | | | | plant, such as, high water table, locations near or |
| Site characteristics like the depth at which the rocky | | | | beside a water recharge zone, reservoirs, or wells |
| layer exists and various other topographical features | | | | used to draw drinking water, or wetlands, or zones |
| of the soil are important factors to be considered | | | | where the water table fluctuates according to |
| before laying any sewage network. Any rocky layer | | | | seasons, or zones that are frequently submerged by |
| should be deep enough to enable laying sewerage | | | | floods. |
| pipe network over a considerable distance. The | | | | Climatic factors also play an important part in |
| wastewater should have easy passage to the | | | | determining the right location. Factors like rainfall or |
| treatment site. | | | | flood that increase the inflow rate in sewers are also |
| Even sloppy terrains could be alright to build STPs, if | | | | important. Sometimes, a Plant may be better built |
| the slope is favorable, though structural | | | | under the ground than over the ground, because you |
| considerations must be kept in mind. And STPs could | | | | can maintain a higher temperature underground, |
| also be built in multiple tiers, if land availability is | | | | without any additional insulation. |
| scarce. | | | | If the treatment involves evaporation, then an |
| Even wasted/ interstitial space between buildings/ | | | | unsuitable climate can affect the performance of the |
| other utility land could be used to build STPs. | | | | treatment plant. Transpiration rate can also affect |
| Since God stopped creating land long ago, it makes | | | | the treatment process, significantly. |
| better sense to minimize the land use. In this context | | | | Decentralized strategy will require less need for land, |
| technologies that use large areas of land (like | | | | and with intelligent design, even wasted space like |
| constructed wetlands) may have to make way for | | | | basement or space below the car park could be |
| newer technologies (apart from other reasons). | | | | considered. Additionally, Decentralized strategy will |
| You would also need to take into account factors like | | | | require less space for sewerage, yet permitting |
| the thickness of the soil, the amount of sand or clay, | | | | recycling of wastewater. |
| and the permeability of the soil, before setting up a | | | | Land available for the plant will depend on its use, and |
| treatment plant. The load bearing capacity of the soil | | | | the treatment method you use will, in turn, depend |
| keeping in view the kind of structures to be built for | | | | on the area available. |
| the Plant at full hydrological load should be considered. | | | | |