As you probably already aware, waste disposal methods had been found from ancient time. Sewers were found in the prehistoric cities of Crete and ancient Assyrian areas. Sewers built by the Romans, although at the first were mainly for carrying storm water, but in practice sewers were used to carry organic matter because of dumping refuse by the Romans, and this organic was carried along with the rainwater runoff. There are various pictures you might like about Roman’s disposal system in Lynn Wastewater treatment plant world history.
Development of waste treatment keep continuing until 19th century, when it was found that disposing human waste into the storm water may aids in waste removal, this in effect improve public health. While developing of municipal water-supply brought newer concept and more modern sewer systems, in 1910, at least 25,000 miles of sewer pipes had been lining through United States.
As few local officers and industries began to recognize health problems due to direct discharge of waste to streams, construction of sewage-treatment plant had begun. The same time when septic tank was also introduced.
Continuing previous post about sewer and sewerage, wastes are supposed to be carried to wastewater treatment plant. First wastewater treatment plant built was only consisted with physical process, screening. As you most already know, screening was mainly to scrub and filter debris, floatable garbage, so that their presence will not damage sewage pumps. The dirts attached on the screener, were then manually cleaned. Wastes were then treated in two ways, either buried or incinerated.
Mechanical screening was first installed in Sacramento, CA in 1915 continued in 1915, first mechanical comminutor was employed in Durham, NC. At this time, few cities and industries has realized the importance of wastewater treatment plant, but because of the abundance of diluting water and the presence of social and economic problems, only few of them equipped with wastewater treatment plant.
During 1950s and 1960s as raw sewage was dumped into surface water and even public parks streams in US, thie led to the first federal water pollution control legislation in 1957, and secondary sewage treatment was not required at all before 1972 Clean Water Act. In December 1970, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was established to bring under one roof all of the pollution-control programs related to air, water and solid wastes. Concern about clean water has emerged professions for public health.
“Sewage Disposal,” Microsoft(R) Encarta(R) 97 Encyclopedia. (c) 1993-1996 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.