Tech Univ of Darmstadt (Germany)
Univ of Alabama Tuscaloosa (USA)
Univ of Cape Town (South Africa)
University of Guelph (Canada)
U of Guelph website - course outline for 
UAT 491/691 Special problems in wet weather flow management 
UoG05661 Urban stormwater management 
UoG05662 Water pollution control planning

| Note copyright and disclaimer restrictions.© Wm James  2000-2002  |   Questions?  |  Updated 02/02/10 |
| Cite: "James, Wm. (2000). 05-661,05-662 Web site. U. of Guelph, Sch. of Eng'rg. www.eos.uoguelph.ca/ webfiles/james"  | 

05-661 Urban stormwater management is a graduate engineering course, comprising the six odd-numbered modules: 1.continuous stormwater management models and model structure (SWMM and PCSWMM); 3.GIS data management, model complexity, catchment discretization and process disaggregation (PCSWMMGIS); 5.routing in complex, looped, partially surcharged pipe/channel networks (SWMM-EXTRAN); 7.pollutant build-up, washoff and transport (SWMM-RUNOFF, -TRANS); 9.pollutant removal in sewer networks, storage facilities and treatment plants (DETPOND); 11.Sewer network designs for the future; appropriate technologies for wastewater in urban infrastructureMore info is provided in module 0.

05-662 Water pollution control planning (for UCT students, CIV530Z  is a programme of individual study on a specialized topic - examination by report/s and possibly an oral) is a graduate engineering course, comprising the six even-numbered modules below: 2. philosophy underlying public water pollution; 4. methods of developing area-wide pollution control plans and sustainable use plans in Ontario and elsewhere; 6. introduction to BMPs and the SLAMM model; 8.  introduction to the WASP model; 10. Urban litter in drainage systems;  12. examination of quantitative and non-quantitative information in the context of planning. No field trips are planned for Jan-Apr 2000. More info is provided in module 0.   

Current modules in this website are for January to April 2002.   

module 10

Urban litter in drainage systems

by Neil Armitage

contents

Introduction
Readings
Assignment A10
Additional resources


Introduction

We all, no doubt, recognise that urban litter in drainage systems is a problem, but what can be done about it?  This is the subject of this module.  The main reading for the module is in the form of a report to the Water Research Commission of South Africa by Neil Armitage, Albert Rooseboom, Christo Nel & Peter Townshend entitled “The removal of urban litter from stormwater conduits and streams”.  Before you read this report you should however be aware of a few issues:

1.                  Urban drainage systems fall into two categories: “separated” systems where stormwater and sewage is reticulated in separate reticulation systems; and “combined” systems where the same pipes are used for both.  The report deals exclusively with the urban litter problems associated with the stormwater conduits and streams in a country where the stormwater and sewage are always (theoretically at any rate) separated.  Where combined systems are used, much of the litter can be trapped and removed at the wastewater treatment works.  On the other hand, combined sewer overflows (CSOs), which generally occur as a result of heavy downpours, become a particular problem as both litter and effluent ends up in the rivers.  Combined sewers are something of an anathema to anyone from a water scarce region.  Why would anyone want to pollute a valuable resource - stormwater - with effluent?!

2.                  The report is looking at trying to solve the waterborne litter problems of South Africa.  South Africa is a middle income country (GDP per capita = US$2 500) with an unemployment rate in the order of 30%.  This severely limits the range of affordable technologies.  Inevitably, theft and vandalism are also major problems.

3.                  There are two different approaches to solving the problem of waterborne litter.  The first is to prevent littering - or at any rate prevent the litter from entering the drains.  The second is to remove the litter once it is in the drainage system.  One might say that the first is treating the cause of the problem, whilst the latter is treating the symptoms!  At first glance it would seem that prevention is better than cure, but there are other considerations.  Prevention means dealing with people, and some people are difficult to deal with (particularly if they are hungry!).  Removal is a technological problem - something that engineers are generally well trained to handle.  Prevention also means dealing with diffuse sources of pollution – something that is never easy.  Once in the drainage system, however, the litter tends to concentrate as it goes downstream (although some of it might be left on the banks along the way!).  This allows for economies of scale at the trapping structures.  The report deals with both the aspects of prevention as well as removal, but concentrates heavily on the latter.

Readings

You may now read the report.  It will be found at:

http://www.wrc.org.za/reports/tt95_98.htm

It will take you several hours to download the whole report.  I therefore suggest that you start off by downloading only Chapters 1, 2, 3, 10 & 11.  A summary of the entire document is contained in three papers:

http://www.wrc.org.za/wrcpublications/wrcwatersa/wsa-apr00.htm#quantities

http://www.wrc.org.za/wrcpublications/wrcwatersa/wsa-apr00.htm#studies

http://www.wrc.org.za/wrcpublications/wrcwatersa/wsa-apr00.htm#selecting

These download within seconds.

Optional additional readings may be found at the end of this module.  Many of these URLs are to do with litter prevention through education.  Note that education on its own cannot solve the littering problem.  Most polluters are aware that they are littering – they simply don’t care….  (P.S. if you find any new sites relevant to this topic, please let me know).

Assignment A10

Carry out a brief study on a densily populated urban catchment that you are familiar with (with an area of at least 1 km2).  In no more than five pages:

a)     describe the catchment (including land-use/s, population, income levels etc.);

b)     describe the drainage system;

c)     indicate the extent of the litter problem;

d)     describe the existing litter control methods;

e)     indicate how effective the existing litter control methods appear to be;

f)       give your recommendations for improvement (both litter prevention and the removal of litter from the drainage system); and

g)     suggest how you would finance your proposals.

Additional resources

URL

DESCRIPTION

http://www.fpi.org/Litter%20Reduction.htm

Foodservice & Packaging Institute, Inc

http://www.kab.org/

About Keep America Beautiful, Inc

http://www.erie.oh.us/ecswd/

Erie County Solid Waste District

http://www.keepmidlandbeautiful.org/

Keep Midland Beautiful

http://www.knb.org/

Keep Nebraska Beautiful

http://ceres.ca.gov/topic/env law/recyc/stat/

California Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Reduction Act:

http://www.doh.dot.state.nc.us/operations/dp chief eng/roadside/Beautification/highway/

North Carolina Department of Transportation Anti-Litter Efforts

http://wwwjonsoncitytn.com/clean/

Clean Team in Johnson City, Tn

http://www.queencity.com/hcepp/targets.htm

About Keep Cincinnati Beautiful

http://www.state.ga.us/Legis/1997  98/leg/fulltext/sb191.htm

Suggestion for a law about the “Beverage Container Recycling, Letter Reduction of the State of Georgia

http://es.epa.gov/program/regional/state/wa/wa-sucx1.html

The successful handling of waste reduction

http://www.dot.state.az.us/news/school/litter/litter.htm

Education on litter removal in America

http://www.shreveportgreen.org/checklist.html

Education on litter removal in America

http://www.colorado-springs.com/cityeng/Educate.htm

Education on litter removal in America

http://www.earthwater-stencils.com/

Education on litter removal in America

http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/enved/Rec Lessons/litter.htm

Education on litter removal in America

http://www.umweltdaten.de/jb97/00000043.htm

 

http://www.nre.vic.gov.au/coasts/coastkit/ch3/resdev.htm

 

http://www.abc.net.au/ra/elp/innovatn/inots647.htm

Bandalong Floating Litter Trap

http://www.cantebury.nsw.gov.au/environ/cookfact.htm

 

http://www.loc-focus.aus.net/1997/june/litter.htm

In-Line Litter Separator

http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/busquart/bq026/drainage.html

“Pollutec” Litter trap

http://www.nre.vic.gov.au/catchmnt/portphillip/yarra/discussion/water-mgt/discus10/four.htm

 

http://www.publish.csiro.au/cyberScience/helix/TH47/TH47A5.htm

“New ideas down the drain” - Pollutec litter trap)

http://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/stormwater/grants1.htm

Installation of innovative gross trap - provides a reference and a contact

 

http://bankstowncity.nsw.gov.au/enviro/water/quality

 

http://sciserv.ub.uni-bielefeld.de/elsevier/02731223/sz995976

A new litter trap for urban drainage systems

http://www.ncedr.org/guides/litter/media.htm

Decision-Makers Guide to Controlling Litter and Illegal Dumping.

http://www.pitch-in.ca

Waste management and cleanup cost reduction in Canada.

http://www.co.san-diego.ca.us/dpw/roads/adopt.htm

 

http://www.usmayors.org/uscm/news/press releases/tampa.htm

 

http://www.kmbpal.org/programs.htm

 

http://www.eos.uogeuelph.ca/webfiles/james/homepage/Teaching/661/wj661M10W00.html

 

http://www. http://www.ncedr.org/guides/litter/determine.htm

 

http://www.epa.gov/region5/dmpguide.htm

 

http://www.ci.nyc.ny.us/html/dos/html/idpgpgm.html

 

http://www.gould.edu.au/blw/blswintr.htm#wrong

 

http://www.strategis.ic.gc.ca/SSG/ea01751e.html

 

http://www.unep.or.jp/ietc/ESTdir/pub/MSW/RO/Latin A/Topic j.html

 

http://www.oes.uoguelph.ca/webfiles/siqueira/Environmental%20Education/environmental

 education

 

http://www.mailbase.ac.uk/lists/solid-waste-management-recycle/1998-05/0029.html

 

http://users.matrix.com.br/peixe/a.htm

 

http://www.ccrenaux.com.br/projeto/lixo/fotos1.html

 

http://www.web.net/greensav/water.htm

Watershed Infrastructure and ecology program in Toronto.

http://www.stopp.tripod.com/

 

http://www.earthwater-stencils.com

 

http://www.plasticresource.com/disposal/

 

http://www.ameriplas.org/apcorg/environment/environment.html

 

http://www.co.alachaua.fl.us/~stormwat/stormw3.htm

Storm Water Baffle Box for sediment and litter removal from storm water.

http://www.catchment.crc.org.au/research/urban/u1.html

 

http://madras.fnr.unmass.edu/wscourse/files/lecture3.4.html

 

http://www.environment.gov.au/epg/pubs/ stormwater.html

 

http://hermes.ecn.purdue.edu/cgi/convwqtest?wt-483-97.wi.ascii

Implications of urban litter in the stormwater system.

http://. Hermes.ecn.purdue.edu:8001/cgi/convwqtest?gwq-016.wi.ascii

 

http://www.epa.gov/owow/NPS/whatudo.html

 

http://www.unisa.edu.au/uwrc/POSTGRAD/Steve.htm

Impact of first flush tanks.

http://www2.plasticsresource.com/disposal/disposal backgrounder/improper.html

 

http://www.eng.ufl.edu/home/fcshwm/research.htm

 

http://www.insidecentraflorida.community/groups/waterways/Adopt a Shore.htm

 

http://www.korrnet.org/keepknox/neighbor.htm

 

http://www.cityofchicago.org/Environment/FlyDumping/

 

http://www.csrhydroconduit.com/stormceptor.html

CSR Hydro Conduit

http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/reduce/prevent.

EPA 2000 Waste Prevention

http://www.norfolk.va.us/publicwor

Litter: People create it

http://www.kab.org/old/prevention.html

Waste Prevention 2000