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CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Wastes are byproducts of activities of Human and other living
elements during
the act of generation of the essential energy, nourishment and
technological
know-how required to improve and maintain quality living
(Herron, 2007,
WAHEB, 1999).
Human waste removal is an important part of daily life, and it
is an important
factor in human health (Esrey et al, 2001). The goal of most
modern day
sanitation systems is to prevent exposure of humans to the
harmful pathogens
that are found in excrement. Most systems in the developed world
seek to carry
away waste, remove pathogens and pollutants in an
energy-intensive treatment
system, and then release the contents back into nature, often in
large volumes of
diluted waste that can cause eutrophication. In the developing
world, latrines are
often used in various ways that concentrate the excrement and
still pose a healthrisk (though this is better than excrement left
out in the open). In addition, when
sewer systems are used in the developing world, they often focus
more on
carrying away waste than adequately treating the waste,
discharging pathogens
that will contaminate the food and water of people downstream
(WHO, 2006).
Also, sewers may not be an appropriate technology in areas of
the world that are
water stressed (Fry et al, 2008).
Beyond these very real concerns, there is also a growing
awareness of the
valuable nutrients being lost in human waste streams. A new
paradigm is
forming in the water and wastewater management sector to focus
on the
resources that can be recovered from wastewater rather than the
constituents
that must be removed (Guest et al, 2009)
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Many sources assert that water, sanitation, and hygiene should
be approached
holistically, but few case studies point the way forward. The
condition of the
environment is a very important determinant of the state of
health of a populace.
In recognition of the importance, the United Nations seventh of
the eight
Millennium Development Goals is on the need to ensure
environmental
protection and to minimize degradation.
As mankind eventually adopted a more settled, non-nomadic way of
life, people
became increasingly involved in the technical aspects of water.
To a large
extent, the primary concerns in the beginning were utilization
and improvement
of existing water resources, together with protection against
the hazards and
potential harm associated with uncontrolled natural water. It
was only toward
the end of the nineteenth century that wastewater became an
issue in science,
technology, and legislation, specifically, its production and
treatment, in terms
of both municipal and industrial sources (Savkovic-Stevanoic,
J., 2013).
