SANITARY SEWAGE SYSTEM RECOVERY ASSESSMENT

File: 011696_129_15_029.txt
Page: 029
Total Pages: 71








                 XXX. ODOR COAVTROL ATITHWATIVES.


                       1. Causes and effects of odor. According to the Kuwaiti
                 Sanitary Master Plan, the odors in the sewage system were
                 severe prior to'the war; The problem was not confined to the
                 sewage treatment plant     alone, but was also in the trunk
                 sewers and the primary and-secondary pumping stations. High
                 wastewater temperature and high sulfur content in the sewage
                 combined with the'particular features of the sewage system
                 resulted in especially serious odor problems. Potential for
                 sewage related odors continuing to be a post war problem is as
                 vast as the combination of odorous compounds in wastewater
                 resulting from future Kuwait City residential, commercial, and
                 industrial applications.
                       The extent and magnitude of tie effects of odor on     the'
                 returning Kuwait'city'population and visitors may be as simple
                 as a foul smelling nuisance or as complex as a threat to life.'
                 Refer to attachment 1. (MPW warning to the public regarding
                 the danger of sewer generated gaiqes.)

                       Fresh wastewater has- a distinct somewhat disagreeable
                 odor. However, the odors usually associated. with domestic
                 wastewater are primarily the result of gases produced by the'
                 decomposition of organic matter by anaerobic microorganisms.
                 A by-product of this decomposition is hydrogen sulfide gas as
                 the sulfate in the wastewater is reduced to sulfide.

                       According to Metcalf and Eddy', the control of odor 'has
                 become a major consideration in the design and operation of
                 wastewater collection, treatment, and disposal facilities,'
ecially with respect to the public acceptance of these
                 facilities. '  In fact,, odor problems was one of the major
                 reasons the 1989 Kuwait Sanitary Master Plan was commissioned
                 by MPW Sanitary Engineering Department. It is not surprising
                 that odor control enjoyed a high priority during the emergency
                 restoration operations, albeit at the expense of other more
                 critical public health issues.
                       Metcalf and Eddy presents an -excellent discussion on the
                 effects of odor on the general public:

                       "The importance of odors at low concentrations in
                       human   terms is     related   primarily to      the
                       psychological stress they produce rather than to
                       the harm they do to the body. offensive odors can
                       cause poor appetite for food, lowered water
                       consumption,  impaired respiration, nausea and


                   Wastewater' Engineering, Third Edition
                                                23                               29
Box ID = BX000000
Unit = CONST ENG LABS  
Parent Organization = CORPS OF ENGS   
Folder Title = SANITARY SEWAGE SYSTEM RECOVERY ASSESSMENT                                                      
Subject = SANITARY SEWAGE SYSTEM RECOVERY ASSESSMENT
Document Number =        129
Image file name = 00000030.tif