Alternatives to the Sewer Systems for Human Waste Disposal Name Institution Instructor Course Date Alternatives to the Sewer Systems for Human Waste Disposal The sewer system involves the collection of liquid waste from household activities
Alternatives to the Sewer Systems for Human Waste Disposal
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Alternatives to the Sewer Systems for Human Waste Disposal
The sewer system involves the collection of liquid waste from household activities, which may include the toilet, laundry, the bathroom, and the sink to an underground septic tank (Friis, 2012). This type of waste disposal has been used for the longest time in households. However, with the increase in urbanization and the population in total, there have been several developments as alternatives to sewer systems for disposal of human waste (Friis, 2012). One of the alternatives to sewer systems for disposal of human waste is onsite sanitation, which involves addressing the waste on location, which is different from using sewer lines and septic tanks. This can be done by using chemical toilets, which are mostly used in boats but can also be used at homes (Friis, 2012).
This involves a low cost method of handling human waste through pumping and disposing the waste according to the local legal guidelines. Chemical toilets are not connected to any sewage system but have a compartment, which allows waste to be treated using chemicals, and later disposed safely (Friis, 2012). Pit latrines are also alternatives to the sewer system. This involves an outdoor toilet, which collects human waste through a hole dug on the ground (Friis, 2012). This does not use any piping or water, which makes it one of the most affordable waste management facility. These alternatives can replace the municipal sewer systems as they are cheap compared to the cost involved in connecting waste disposal to the municipal sewer systems (Friis, 2012).
Due to the high demand of water in the urban areas, these alternatives are best suited in addressing the issue of preserving water, which will enable many people to use these systems instead of the municipal sewer systems (Scungio, 2013). Due to the increase in population, the municipal sewer system is becoming unable in serving the high supply of human waste, which has enabled individuals to implement the alternatives in their homesteads. An advantage of using these alternatives to the sewer systems for human waste disposal is that they are cheaper as they do not require continuous maintenance like the municipal sewer system (Scungio, 2013).
These systems are also safe for the environment, as waste does not infiltrate other water systems on the ground. A cracked pipe in a manhole can contaminate other sources of clean water, which may have a negative effect on the environment as well as human health (Scungio, 2013). A disadvantage of using these waste management alternatives is that it may be difficult to construct these facilities such as the pit latrine in urban areas due to the layout of the location (Scungio, 2013). The chemical toilet may be subject to inspection and maintenance, which may increase the costs of maintaining the toilet. These toilets also require qualified personnel due to the technology and skill requirement involved in setting up these facilities (Scungio, 2013).
References
Friis, R. H. (2012). Essentials of environmental health. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Scungio, D. (2013). Eco-friendly waste management: MLO. Medical Laboratory Observer. 45(6), 32-33.
