Stochastic modeling of total suspended solids (TSS) in urban areas during rain events

The load of total suspended solids (TSS) is one of the most important parameters for evaluating wet-weather pollution in urban sanitation systems. In fact, pollutants such as heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), phosphorous and organic compounds are adsorbed onto these particles so that a high TSS load indicates the potential impact on the receiving waters. In this paper, a stochastic model is proposed to estimate the TSS load and its dynamics during rain events. Information on the various simulated processes was extracted from different studies of TSS in urban areas. The model thus predicts the probability of TSS loads arising from combined sewer overflows (CSOs) in combined sewer systems as well as from stormwater in separate sewer systems in addition to the amount of TSS retained in treatment devices in both sewer systems. The results of this TSS model illustrate the potential of the stochastic modeling approach for assessing environmental problems.     

基于管道沉积物控制的CSOs污染负荷削减分析

管道沉积物是合流制排水系统溢流(CSOs)污染的重要来源,因此控制沉积物对于削减CSOs污染具有重要意义。在合流制排水系统截流泵站的上游管道中安装穿孔管,给穿孔管提供高压水产生7.5 m/s以上的射流以冲洗管道,同时在截流泵站内设置旋流分离系统来去除冲洗水中的沉积物。对于水层较浅、管径为DN400、管长为40 m、沉积层厚度为3 cm的管道,可使管道流中的SS从冲洗前的75～170 mg/L增加到2 500～3 000 mg/L,且在2～3 min内冲洗干净。旋流分离器对冲洗水中SS的去除率达到55.6%。两周一次的管道例行清洗维护,可使CSOs中污染物降低25%左右,减轻了受纳水体的污染负荷。     

Quantifying costs and lengths of urban drainage systems with a simple static sewer infrastructure model

A generic model is introduced that is capable of quantitatively representing the combined sewer infrastructure of a settlement. It consists of a catchment area module, which calculates the length and size distribution of the needed sewer pipes on the basis of rain, housing densities and area size. These results are fed into the sewer construction costs module in order to estimate the combined sewer costs of the entire catchment area.

The model could be successfully fitted to existing Swiss sewer systems, indicating that it can emulate their principal characteristics. It could also identify fundamental differences in sewer designs in cities with historic roots. The results confirm that there are economies of scale for combined sewer systems in Switzerland. The modelling approach proved to be an effective tool for understanding the factors underlying the cost structure for water network infrastructures.     

Potential of tipping flush gate for sedimentation management in open stormwater sewer

This paper presents the design of a tipping flush gate and its potential use in servicing open storm sewers in terms of sedimentation management. The tipping flush gate was installed in a section of open concrete storm sewer located in a commercial area in Taman Pekaka, Nibong Tebal, Penang, Malaysia. Monitoring of the gate operation and performance was done from 14^th November 2012 to 15^th March 2013 covering the beginning and end of the wet season. The sediment profile inside the sewer was measured after each operation of the gate or rainfall event. Results showed that the gate was effective in reducing naturally accumulated sediment in the chosen sewer section. However, proper litter management is needed if the gate is to be implemented in open storm sewer systems. A design guideline for the usage of a tipping flush gate for open storm sewers is also presented in this paper.     

Cosmoss: conceptual simplified model for sewer system simulation: A new model for urban runoff quality

In order to minimise storm water impact on receiving waters, mathematical models to simulate processes occurring in sewer systems are needed. The aim of this study is to propose a simple and reliable conceptual model for simulating suspended solids discharge during storm events. The model has been tested using experimental data acquired in Parco d'Orleans catchment, Palermo, in Fossolo catchment, Bologna, and in Milijakovac catchment, Belgrade. Results obtained show the need to extend the experimental investigations in order to obtain more reliable information about the washoff rate.     

Characteristics of combined sewer overflows in Shanghai and selection of drainage systems

The overflow frequencies of combined sewer systems (CSSs) along Suzhou Creek in Shanghai are definitely lower compared with low interception ratio and design expectation. This noteworthy phenomenon was analysed and the results indicate that large sewer storage capacity due to a dense interconnection between sewer systems, flat pipe slope and pump drainage pattern, as well as the spatial–temporal difference of rainfall on a large catchment that is integrated by the connected network, lead to the overflow frequencies of combined sewer overflows (CSOs) along Suzhou Creek that are much less than those of designed and of Japanese counterparts. The drainage hydraulic model was used to simulate the performance of typical CSSs in Shanghai centre area to further explain the phenomenon. Meanwhile, as separate systems have serious illicit connections and are subject to heavy wet weather pollution in Shanghai, separate systems did not show the expected advantage in nonpoint pollution control. Thus, keeping old CSSs in the Shanghai downtown area seems to be of great value with respect to the control of urban non-point pollution.     

Improved understanding of combined sewer systems using the Illinois Conveyance Analysis Program (ICAP)

Understanding the conveyance of sewer networks is vital, especially in cases of great variability in flow rates, such as in combined sanitary and storm sewer systems. Conventional conveyance studies in sewer systems often have extended computation times due to complexity of the solution, or alternatively make assumptions that ignore the water-surface profile within a pipe. In previous research, the hydraulic performance graph (HPG) was successfully used for open-channel capacity determination. The HPG summarizes the results of many backwater calculations for a reach so that these calculations do not need to be repeated. This article describes algorithms utilized by the Illinois Conveyance Analysis Program that uses the HPGs to describe the conveyance of a system, identify bottlenecks for varying conditions, conserve mass by tracking outflow and overflows under stepwise steady flow conditions. The software is freely available at https://github.com/obergshavefun/icap/wiki.     

基于SWMM模型的截流倍数环境效应分析

由于对改造建设的重视程度、时序安排、经济条件、改造难度等许多主观和客观因素的限制,许多城市老城区的合流制排水系统保留至今。采用SWMM水力水质模型,对城市合流区的污染物削减情况进行模拟评价,以期为合流制排水系统的截流倍数取值及建设方向提供参考。结果表明,当截流倍数n≥2时,合流制排水系统即可达到分流制排水系统的污染物截流效果;但只有当截流倍数n≥5时,合流制排水系统才能达到分流制排水系统的污染物削减效果。城市合流区需尽快进行合改分建设,或加大末端处理设施的建设。     

Innovative modeling framework for combined sewer overflows prediction

Combined sewer overflows (CSOs) and street flooding are undesirable consequences of insufficient capacity of sewer networks and wastewater systems. These conditions degrade the water quality of the receiving waters, potentially damage infrastructure, and threaten public health. Significant efforts to prevent CSOs and alleviate flooding have been undertaken in Chicago, with the construction of the tunnel and reservoir plan (TARP). This study analyses the hydraulic response of the first tunnel built in Chicago “The Lawrence Avenue Tunnel” through a framework of hydrological and hydraulic models. This framework proved effective in CSO's volume, frequency and duration predictions as it yields simulation results of existing conditions that match well with available records. The findings also provide insights into the importance of system operation on CSOs occurrence and magnitude. Adaptive management of the tunnel during storm events is recommended to minimize the impact of CSOs.     

Hydrological assessment of flow dynamic changes by storm sewer overflows and combined sewer overflows on an event-scale in an urban river

In addition to assessing the impacts of water quality changes in urban rivers caused by storm water sewer overflows (SWO) and combined sewer overflows (CSO), the extent to which flow dynamics are changed by these structures must be understood in order to define hydrological assessment criteria to guide sustainable water management strategies as required by the European Community (EC) Water Framework Directive. In this study, the quantitative impacts of SWOs and CSOs on the flow dynamics of an urban river and their variability are investigated. For four single runoff events, hydrological measurements were accomplished in the River Dreisam, upstream and downstream of the city of Freiburg, in southwest Germany. As the catchment is widely free of urban areas upstream of the city, comparison with downstream locations allowed quantification of Freiburg's effects on the changes in the hydrograph on an event scale. The proposed hydrological parameter—flow acceleration, peak discharge, and discharge dosage—were shown to be appropriate to assess the impacts of SWOs and CSOs on flood hydrographs in urban rivers.     

Prediction models for sewer infrastructure utilizing rule-based simulation

Management of infrastructure projects is becoming increasingly challenging due to inherent uncertainties. The most effeective way to deal with uncertainty is to collect supplementary information and knowledge. When expensive or infeasible, quantification of uncertainty may be performed using analytical or simulation techniques. The City of Edmonton, Canada has approximately 4600 km of sewer pipes in the combined, sanitary, and storm sewer local systems with uncertainty issues related to deterioration. The City has taken a proactive approach with respect to sewer rehabilitation, as it is more cost-effeective to repair a defective pipe prior to failure rather than after a collapse. This article demonstrates an approach for predicting the condition of a sewer pipe and the related cost of rehabilitation, given the limited data. Three models are described in this article that are developed to assist the City of Edmonton to effeectively plan maintenance expenditure. Each model uses a combination of rule-based simulation and probability analysis to assist in the planning of future expenditures for sewer maintenance, thereby producing an invaluable planning tool.     

Exfiltration in sanitary sewer systems in the US

Many municipalities throughout the US have sewer systems (separate and combined) that may experience exfiltration of untreated wastewater. A study was conducted by the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to focus on estimating the magnitude of leakage of sanitary and industrial wastewater from sewer pipes on a national basis. The method for estimating exfiltration amounts utilized groundwater table information to identify areas of the country where the hydraulic gradients of the wastewater are typically positive, i.e. the wastewater flow surface (within pipelines) is above the groundwater table. An examination of groundwater table elevations on a national basis reveals that the contiguous US comprises groundwater regions (established by the US Geological Survey) that are markedly different. Many parts of the northeastern, southeastern, and midwestern US have groundwater tables that are higher than the wastewater flow surface, resulting in inflow or infiltration. Conversely, the combination of a relatively low groundwater table and shallow sewer systems creates the potential for widespread exfiltration, a situation more commonly found in communities located in the western US.     

Illicit intrusion characterization in sewer systems

A very important aspect in sewer systems management is represented by the detection of illicit intrusions, which recently supported the development of online sensors for wastewater quality monitoring. The present paper proposes a new methodology for characterizing an illicit intrusion in a sanitary or combined sewer system, using on-line pollutant concentration measurements. The source identification is formulated as an optimization problem, solved combining the hydraulic and quality simulation tool storm water management model (SWMM) with the GALib code. The methodology, which includes a pre-screening procedure useful for complex and large systems, is applied to a literature scheme and a real test-case, showing promising results. An uncertainty analysis is also performed for checking its robustness with respect to inflow uncertainty and in the presence of measurement errors.     

Source apportionment of pollutants and flows of combined sewer wastewater

To reduce the combined sewer overflows (CSOs) and improve surface water quality in the Greater Milwaukee area, construction of a 19.5-mile (31.4 km) inline storage system (ISS) was completed in 1994 to capture and convey sanitary sewage and stormwater for treatment. However, one to six overflows per year still occur. Chemical mass balance (CMB) and positive matrix factorization (PMF) modeling was done in order to find origins of flows and pollutants in CSOs. Based on overflow events from 2000 to 2006 (CMB) and 2004 to 2006 (PMF), we found that between 27% and 56% of the total overflow is from sanitary sewage and most of the remaining from stormwater with possible minor contribution (< or = 8%) from groundwater. Most total suspended solids and metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Ni, Hg, and Zn) are from stormwater, while sanitary sewage carries large contributions (> or = 28%) of BOD5, NH3, and total phosphorus. The fraction of NH3 is especially high, i.e., > or = 58%. Implications for a possible future sewer separation in combined sewer areas into separate sanitary and storm sewers are discussed.     

Biodegradability of organic matter associated with sewer sediments during first flush

The high pollution load in wastewater at the beginning of a rain event is commonly known to originate from the erosion of sewer sediments due to the increased flow rate under storm weather conditions. It is essential to characterize the biodegradability of organic matter during a storm event in order to quantify the effect it can have further downstream to the receiving water via discharges from Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO). The approach is to characterize the pollutograph during first flush. The pollutograph shows the variation in COD and TSS during a first flush event. These parameters measure the quantity of organic matter present. However these parameters do not indicate detailed information on the biodegradability of the organic matter. Such detailed knowledge can be obtained by dividing the total COD into fractions with different microbial properties. To do so oxygen uptake rate (OUR) measurements on batches of wastewater have shown itself to be a versatile technique. Together with a conceptual understanding of the microbial transformation taking place, OUR measurements lead to the desired fractionation of the COD. OUR results indicated that the highest biodegradability is associated with the initial part of a storm event. The information on physical and biological processes in the sewer can be used to better manage sediment in sewers which can otherwise result in depletion of dissolved oxygen in receiving waters via discharges from CSOs.     

An investigation of the factors influencing sewer structural deterioration

In this paper, the influence of sewer physical properties on the structural deterioration of the Leuven (Belgium) sewers was investigated using logistic regression. The analysis revealed that out of the 10 variables considered, only three significantly affected the deterioration process, namely, age, material and length. Comparing the results of this study with similar studies revealed that no single set of factors can explain sewer deterioration, i.e. the process is a localised phenomenon. This study contributes to the widening and ascertaining of the limited – and often conflicting – knowledge with regard to the relationship between sewer properties and sewer deterioration.     

Multiobjective optimisation algorithm for sewer network rehabilitation

Understanding of deterioration mechanisms in sewers helps asset managers in developing prediction models for estimating whether or not sewer collapse is likely. Effective utilisation of deterioration prediction models along with the development and use of life cycle maintenance cost analysis contribute to reducing operation and maintenance costs in sewer systems. This article presents a model for life-cycle maintenance planning of deteriorating sewer network as a multi-objective optimisation problem that treats the sewer network condition and service life as well as life-cycle maintenance cost (LCMC) as separate objective functions. The developed model utilises Markov chain model for the prediction of the deterioration of the network. A multi-objective genetic algorithm is used to automatically locate an appropriate maintenance scenario that exhibits an optimised tradeoff among conflicting objectives. Monte Carlo simulation is used to account for LCMC uncertainties. The optimisation algorithm provides an improved opportunity for asset managers to actively select near-optimum maintenance scenario that balances life-cycle maintenance cost, condition and service life of deteriorating sewer network. A case study is used to demonstrate the practical features of developed methodology.     

Organic matter transport and degradation in the river Seine (France) after a combined sewer overflow

The impact of a combined sewer overflow (CSO) upon receiving waters has been studied in the river Seine during Summers 1995 and 1996. Three main events have been monitored with special attention paid to the computation of oxygen, carbon and suspended solids budgets. Bacterial biomass and bacterial production rates have been measured to provide a more accurate understanding of the carbon cycle of the river Seine. Oxygen consumption inside the polluted water masses was totally due to the activity of large bacteria discharged into the river by the CSO, the activity of native small bacteria did not significantly increase after CSOs. Suspended solids issued from the CSO very quickly settles in this deep, slowly flowing river. However, discharged dissolved organic carbon (DOC) cannot account for the observed oxygen depletions, the additional carbon source could be phytoplankton or deflocculated/degraded particulate organic matter.     

Estimation of sewer leakage to urban groundwater using depth-specific hydrochemistry

The contribution of sewer leakage to urban groundwater recharge remains poorly characterised. There has been a tendency to focus on estimating leakage from pipe network characteristics rather than its impact on the receiving environment. Indeed, pipeline leakage simulation models are frequently used to analyse sewage systems and optimise maintenance efforts. Here a mass balance approach employing groundwater geochemistry is presented to estimate sewer leakage rates; this is done using depth-specific groundwater quality measurements from multilevel monitoring piezometers, specially installed in the Sherwood Sandstone aquifer underlying Doncaster (UK). The results show that leakage rates from the foul sewage system are up to 10% of flow per annum (30–40% of urban recharge) and highlight the utility of groundwater quality monitoring (in particular depth-specific sampling) as an alternative means to assess sewage ingress to urban groundwater.     

Measuring surplus capacity for multiobjective optimal design of foul sewer systems

ABSTRACT

This paper proposes a new performance index of foul sewer systems, i.e. sewer conveyance capacity (SCC) index, to quantify the surplus capacity for multi-objective optimization design problems. The use of the new SCC index is demonstrated using a hypothetical network and a real-world foul sewer network. Results obtained show clear trade-offs between SCC and the other two objectives considered, i.e., capital and operational costs and greenhouse gas emissions. The results show that the upstream sewers in the system often have a relatively large surplus capacity, while the sewer mains operate close to the design capacity. Moreover, SCC is compared with three common indicators at both individual sewer and system-wide levels. Strong correlations between SCC and other indicators are revealed, implying that SCC is a good representation of system performance and can provide a more comprehensive picture of the foul sewer system performance.