The Course is intended for senior civil engineering and environmental health students who have previously completed an introductory course in environmental engineering.

The course goals/learning objectives are to make students aware that the much maligned septic tank is actually a marvel of simplicity and an energy free unit that provides the first and very important pretreatment of the wastewater in small scale wastewater treatment systems. To produce students who have a sound fundamental knowledge about the physical, chemical, and biological processes that take place within the septic tank. To inform them about the capability of the septic tank to renovate household wastewater and to inspire them to realize that it is the most important treatment unit in the small scale wastewater treatment system. The history, materials of construction, sizing, processes within the septic tank, sedimentation, theory, compartmentation, biological decomposition, aerobic decomposition, anaerobic decomposition, solid accumulation rate, septage pumping intervals, garbage grinders, buoyancy, effluent filters and screens, and additives.

The course presentation method will depend upon the instructor’s past experience and teaching method preference. Most likely the standard lecture method using audio-visual aids, such as overhead projector and Power Point.

MATERIALS

A. Instructors Guide

Module Perspective (Adobe Acrobat, 7 Kb) (Mar, 2004) Suggested Course Materials (Adobe Acrobat, 470 Kb) (Mar, 2005)

B. Text

Septic Tanks Text (Adobe Acrobat, 2.6 MB) (Mar, 2005)

C. Powerpoint Files

Course Overview PowerPoint (Adobe Acrobat, 3.3 MB) (Mar, 2005)

COMMENTS