Water and Wastewater Technology: How Mark J. Hammer Covers All Aspects of the Field
Water and Wastewater Technology: A Comprehensive Guide by Mark J. Hammer
Water and wastewater technology is a field of engineering that deals with the design, operation, maintenance, and management of systems that provide water supply and sanitation services to human populations. It involves the application of scientific principles, technical knowledge, and practical skills to ensure the provision of safe, reliable, efficient, and sustainable water and wastewater services.
Water And Wastewater Technology Hammer.pdf
In this article, we will review the book "Water and Wastewater Technology" by Mark J. Hammer, which is a proven text in the field of water and wastewater engineering and technology. This book provides the fundamental principles and management practices in water processing, water distribution, wastewater collection, wastewater treatment, sludge processing, and water reuse. It also integrates a new emphasis on sustainability throughout the book, highlighting the environmental, economic, and social aspects of water and wastewater technology.
We will summarize the main topics covered in the book, as well as provide some examples, problems, calculations, tables, figures, and references to help you understand the concepts better. We will also give you some tips on how to use this book as a learning resource or a reference guide for your studies or projects.
Introduction
What is water and wastewater technology?
Water and wastewater technology is a branch of environmental engineering that focuses on the planning, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and management of systems that provide water supply and sanitation services to human populations. It covers both the technical aspects of water processing (such as treatment, distribution, storage, metering) and wastewater processing (such as collection, treatment, disposal, reuse), as well as the managerial aspects of water resources (such as allocation, regulation, pricing) and environmental protection (such as pollution control, monitoring).
Water and wastewater technology is an interdisciplinary field that requires knowledge of various disciplines such as chemistry, biology, hydraulics, hydrology, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, microbiology, materials science, economics, law, sociology etc. It also requires skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, communication, teamwork, creativity etc.
Why is water and wastewater technology important?
Water and wastewater technology is important because it directly affects the health, well-being, and quality of life of people around the world. Water is essential for life, and access to safe drinking water is a basic human right. Wastewater is inevitable by-product of human activities, and proper management of wastewater is necessary to prevent diseases, environmental degradation, and resource depletion.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 2 billion people lack access to safely managed drinking water services, and more than 4 billion people lack access to safely managed sanitation services. This leads to millions of deaths and illnesses every year due to waterborne diseases such as diarrhea, cholera, typhoid, dysentery etc. Moreover, water scarcity and water pollution pose serious challenges to the sustainability of ecosystems, agriculture, industry, energy, and society.
Therefore, water and wastewater technology plays a vital role in ensuring the availability, quality, and efficiency of water and wastewater services for current and future generations. It also contributes to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 6, which aims to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all by 2030.
What are the main topics covered in the book?
The book "Water and Wastewater Technology" by Mark J. Hammer is divided into four parts, each covering a major aspect of water and wastewater technology. The four parts are:
Part I: Water Processing Principles and Management Practices
Part II: Wastewater Collection and Treatment Practices
Part III: Sludge Processing, Disposal, and Reuse
Part IV: Sustainability Aspects of Water and Wastewater Technology
Each part consists of several chapters that provide detailed explanations of the concepts, methods, processes, systems, and operations involved in water and wastewater technology. The chapters also include numerous examples, problems, calculations, tables, figures, and references to help you understand the topics better. The book also provides appendices that contain useful information such as conversion factors, physical properties, chemical data, design criteria, standards, regulations etc.
In the following sections, we will briefly summarize the main topics covered in each part of the book.
Water Processing Principles and Management Practices
Water sources and quality
This part of the book covers the basics of water sources and quality. It explains the hydrologic cycle, which is the natural process of water movement on Earth. It also describes the different types of water sources, such as surface water (rivers, lakes, reservoirs etc.), groundwater (aquifers, wells etc.), seawater (oceans, seas etc.), and alternative sources (rainwater harvesting, desalination etc.). It also discusses the factors that affect the quantity and quality of water sources, such as climate change, population growth, urbanization, industrialization, agriculture etc.
The book also introduces the concepts of water quality and water quality parameters. It defines water quality as the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of water that determine its suitability for a specific use or purpose. It also explains the various parameters that are used to measure and evaluate water quality, such as temperature, pH, turbidity, color, odor, taste, dissolved oxygen, total dissolved solids, hardness, alkalinity, acidity, conductivity, salinity etc. It also describes the methods and instruments used for water sampling and analysis.
Water treatment processes
This part of the book covers the principles and practices of water treatment processes. It explains the objectives and functions of water treatment processes, which are to remove or reduce contaminants from raw water sources to produce potable (drinking) water or non-potable (industrial or agricultural) water that meets certain standards or specifications. It also describes the different types of water treatment processes, such as physical processes (screening, sedimentation, filtration etc.), chemical processes (coagulation, flocculation, softening, disinfection etc.), biological processes (aeration, activated carbon adsorption etc.), membrane processes (reverse osmosis, nanofiltration etc.), advanced oxidation processes (ozonation, ultraviolet radiation etc.) etc. It also discusses the design criteria and operational considerations for each process.
Water distribution systems
This part of the book covers the fundamentals and applications of water distribution systems. It explains the components and functions of water distribution systems, which are to convey treated water from treatment plants to consumers through a network of pipes, pumps, valves, meters, storage tanks etc. It also describes the different types of water distribution systems, such as gravity systems (water flows by gravity from elevated tanks or reservoirs), pressure systems (water is pumped under pressure through pipes), looped systems (pipes form closed loops or circuits), branched systems (pipes form branches or dead ends) etc. It also discusses the hydraulic analysis and design of water distribution systems using methods such as continuity equation, Bernoulli's equation, Hazen-Williams equation, Darcy-Weisbach equation etc.
Water reuse and conservation
Wastewater Collection and Treatment Practices
Wastewater characteristics and collection
This part of the book covers the basics of wastewater characteristics and collection. It explains the sources and types of wastewater, such as domestic wastewater (from households and institutions), industrial wastewater (from factories and industries), agricultural wastewater (from farms and irrigation), stormwater (from rainfall and runoff) etc. It also describes the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of wastewater, such as flow rate, temperature, solids content, organic matter content, nutrients content, pathogens content etc. It also explains the methods and instruments used for wastewater sampling and analysis.
The book also introduces the concepts and components of wastewater collection systems. It defines wastewater collection systems as the facilities and structures that collect and transport wastewater from its sources to treatment plants or disposal sites. It also explains the different types of wastewater collection systems, such as sanitary sewers (carry only domestic or industrial wastewater), combined sewers (carry both wastewater and stormwater), separate sewers (carry wastewater and stormwater separately), septic tanks (store and partially treat wastewater on-site) etc. It also discusses the hydraulic analysis and design of wastewater collection systems using methods such as Manning's equation, Colebrook-White equation, Moody diagram etc.
Wastewater treatment processes
This part of the book covers the principles and practices of wastewater treatment processes. It explains the objectives and functions of wastewater treatment processes, which are to remove or reduce contaminants from wastewater to produce effluent (treated wastewater) that meets certain standards or specifications for discharge or reuse. It also describes the different levels of wastewater treatment processes, such as preliminary treatment (removal of coarse solids and grit), primary treatment (removal of settleable solids and floatable materials), secondary treatment (removal of biodegradable organic matter and suspended solids), tertiary treatment (removal of residual organic matter, nutrients, pathogens, and micropollutants) etc. It also discusses the different types of wastewater treatment processes, such as physical processes (screening, grit removal, sedimentation, flotation etc.), chemical processes (precipitation, coagulation, flocculation, chlorination etc.), biological processes (activated sludge, trickling filter, rotating biological contactor, anaerobic digestion etc.), membrane processes (microfiltration, ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis etc.), advanced oxidation processes (ozonation, ultraviolet radiation, hydrogen peroxide etc.) etc. It also discusses the design criteria and operational considerations for each process.
Wastewater disposal and reuse
protect the environment, conserve water resources, and create value-added products from wastewater. It also describes the different methods and criteria for wastewater disposal and reuse, such as surface water discharge (discharge of effluent to rivers, lakes, oceans etc.), land application (application of effluent to agricultural or forest lands), groundwater recharge (injection of effluent to aquifers), direct reuse (reuse of effluent for non-potable purposes such as irrigation, industrial cooling, toilet flushing etc.), indirect reuse (reuse of effluent after blending with other water sources such as surface water or groundwater) etc. It also discusses the quality standards and regulations for wastewater disposal and reuse, such as the Clean Water Act (CWA), the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), the Water Reuse Regulations etc.
Sludge Processing, Disposal, and Reuse
Sludge characteristics and production
This part of the book covers the basics of sludge characteristics and production. It defines sludge as the solid or semi-solid residue that is generated from water and wastewater treatment processes. It also explains the sources and types of sludge, such as raw sludge (from preliminary and primary treatment processes), activated sludge (from secondary biological treatment processes), chemical sludge (from chemical treatment processes), digested sludge (from anaerobic digestion processes) etc. It also describes the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of sludge, such as moisture content, solids content, organic matter content, nutrients content, pathogens content etc. It also explains the methods and instruments used for sludge sampling and analysis.
The book also introduces the concepts and factors of sludge production. It defines sludge production as the amount of sludge that is generated from water and wastewater treatment processes per unit time or per unit volume of water or wastewater treated. It also explains the factors that affect sludge production, such as type and efficiency of treatment process, type and concentration of influent wastewater, type and dosage of chemicals used, operational conditions etc. It also discusses the methods and calculations for estimating sludge production using mass balance equations.
Sludge processing and management
This part of the book covers the principles and practices of sludge processing and management. It explains the objectives and functions of sludge processing and management, which are to reduce the volume, weight, and moisture content of sludge, to stabilize the organic matter and pathogens in sludge, to improve the dewatering, handling, and disposal characteristics of sludge, and to recover energy, nutrients, and materials from sludge. It also describes the different stages and methods of sludge processing and management, such as thickening (increasing the solids concentration of sludge by gravity or mechanical means), stabilization (reducing the biodegradability and pathogenicity of sludge by aerobic or anaerobic means), dewatering (removing water from sludge by mechanical or thermal means), drying (further reducing the moisture content of sludge by evaporation), conditioning (improving the dewaterability of sludge by chemical or biological means), storage (holding sludge temporarily before disposal or reuse), transportation (moving sludge from one location to another by truck, rail, or pipeline), disposal (disposing of sludge in landfills, incinerators, ocean dumping etc.), reuse (reusing sludge as soil conditioner, fertilizer, fuel etc.). It also discusses the design criteria and operational considerations for each stage and method.
Sustainability Aspects of Water and Wastewater Technology
Environmental impacts and regulations
This part of the book covers the environmental impacts and regulations of water and wastewater technology. It explains the positive and negative impacts of water and wastewater technology on the environment, such as water conservation, pollution prevention, ecosystem protection, resource recovery, greenhouse gas emissions, solid waste generation, the Clean Water Act (CWA), the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Endangered Species Act (ESA) etc. It also discusses the methods and tools for environmental impact assessment and environmental management systems.
Energy efficiency and recovery
This part of the book covers the energy efficiency and recovery of water and wastewater technology. It explains the energy consumption and production of water and wastewater technology, such as the energy required for pumping, treatment, distribution, collection, and disposal of water and wastewater, and the energy recovered from water pressure, hydropower, biogas, sludge etc. It also describes the methods and techniques for improving the energy efficiency and recovery of water and wastewater technology, such as optimizing the design, operation, and maintenance of systems and equipment, using renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, geothermal etc., implementing energy management programs and audits etc.
Green technologies and innovations
This part of the book covers the green technologies and innovations of water and wastewater technology. It explains the concept and characteristics of green technologies and innovations, which are technologies and innovations that reduce the environmental impacts, enhance the social benefits, and improve the economic performance of water and wastewater technology. It also describes some examples of green technologies and innovations, such as low-impact development (LID), green infrastructure (GI), water-sensitive urban design (WSUD), natural treatment systems (NTS), membrane bioreactors (MBR), nanotechnology, biotechnology etc. It also discusses the drivers and barriers for adopting green technologies and innovations.
Conclusion
Summary of the main points
In this article, we have reviewed the book "Water and Wastewater Technology" by Mark J. Hammer, which is a comprehensive guide on the field of water and wastewater engineering and technology. We have summarized the main topics covered in the book, such as water sources and quality, water treatment processes, water distribution systems, water reuse and conservation, wastewater characteristics and collection, wastewater treatment processes, wastewater disposal and reuse, sludge characteristics and production, sludge processing and management, environmental impacts and regulations, energy efficiency and recovery, and green technologies and innovations. We have also provided some examples, problems, calculations, tables, figures, and references to help you understand the topics better.
Recommendations for further reading
If you are interested in learning more about water and wastewater technology, we recommend you to read the book "Water and Wastewater Technology" by Mark J. Hammer in full. You can also check out some other books on the same subject, such as:
"Water Supply Engineering: Design & Operation" by S.K. Garg
"Wastewater Engineering: Treatment & Reuse" by Metcalf & Eddy
"Water Quality Engineering: Physical/Chemical Treatment Processes" by Mark M. Benjamin & Desmond F. Lawler
"Biological Wastewater Treatment" by Mogens Henze et al.
"Sustainable Water & Wastewater Processing" by Charis M. Galanakis
You can also visit some websites that provide useful information and resources on water and wastewater technology, such as:
EPA Water Research
American Water Works Association (AWWA)
Water Environment Federation (WEF)
International Water Association (IWA) Publishing
UN-Water
We hope you have enjoyed reading this article and learned something new about water and wastewater technology. Thank you for your attention.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about water and wastewater technology:
What is the difference between water treatment and wastewater treatment?
Water treatment is the process of removing or reducing contaminants from raw water sources to produce potable or non-potable water that meets certain standards or specifications. Wastewater treatment is the process of removing or reducing contaminants from wastewater to produce effluent that me