Soak Pits Research Articles

Examining geographic variation in the prevalence of household drainage types across India in 2019-2021

The proportion of Indian households with access to a toilet has grown considerably over the past decade. Many of these toilets rely on on-site containment, either in the form of a septic tank or soak pit. If the waste from these containers is not removed using some type of mechanized method, it can overflow into drains before flowing into treatment facilities or being discharged into water bodies. Therefore, drains are a critical part of the sanitation chain. What remains unknown, however, is what types of drains are available to households in India. Understanding this is critical given that people are at a greater risk of ingesting contaminated water and making dermal contact with pathogens if waste flows in open drains. For the first time, India’s National Family Health Survey from 2019–2021 contains data on the type of drainage available to households. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to estimate the prevalence of households relying on no drainage, open drainage, drains to soak pits, and closed drainage. We also estimate these prevalence values for each of India’s 720 districts and by urban/rural communities to understand the geographic clustering of drainage types throughout India. Overall, we found that the most common drainage type was open drains (37.5% | 95% CI: 37.3–37.6), followed by closed drains (33.9% | 95% CI: 33.7–34.0). The household prevalence of open drainage was above 42% in more than half of India’s 720 districts. Similarly, the household prevalence of closed drainage was below 24% in more than half of India’s 720 districts. We also found that open drains were more common in rural communities, while closed drains were more common in urban communities. We also found a socioeconomic gradient in terms of drainage types, with those lower on the socioeconomic spectrum more likely to have open drains or no drainage. Our results underscore the need to both geographically and socioeconomically target interventions that ensure households have access to adequate drainage. Doing so is vital to remove contamination from the environment as a means of preventing morbidity.

Comprehensive Assessment of Pharmaceutical Waste Disposal Practices in Ishaka-Bushenyi Municipality: Implications for Public Health and Environmental Sustainability

Proper management of pharmaceutical waste is crucial for safeguarding public health and the environment. This study aimed to comprehensively assess pharmaceutical waste management practices in hospitals, pharmacies, and households within Bushenyi-Ishaka Municipality, Uganda. The study employed a qualitative case study design, gathering data through observations, interviews, and questionnaires administered to five pharmacies, two hospitals, and 100 households. The results revealed that the mean amount of pharmaceutical waste generated by pharmacies and hospitals in Ishaka was 40.5 kg ± 32.39 kg per month, of which 26.83 kg ± 29.10 kg were disposed of safely. However, 60% of the waste was categorized as hazardous. The study found that while most facilities used labeled or color-coded containers for waste segregation, the practice of segregation was inconsistent, with 71.43% of the facilities not segregating their waste. Incineration (42.86%) and dilution followed by flushing in protected soak pits (42.86%) were the primary disposal methods employed by the facilities. Concerningly, only 4% of households returned unused or expired medications to pharmacies, with the majority disposing of them in dustbins (46%) or flushing them down toilets (41%). The findings also highlighted gaps in awareness and training, with 50% of pharmacy staff not receiving any training on proper pharmaceutical waste disposal, and only 14.29% of the facilities having established waste management guidelines. These deficiencies in knowledge and practices contribute to the suboptimal management of pharmaceutical waste, posing significant risks to public health and the environment. The study underscores the urgent need for comprehensive policies, targeted training programs, and community-based initiatives to enhance pharmaceutical waste management practices in Bushenyi-Ishaka Municipality and similar settings. Addressing these challenges is crucial for mitigating the adverse impacts of improper pharmaceutical waste disposal and promoting sustainable healthcare waste management. Keywords: Pharmaceutical waste, Waste management, Disposal practices, Awareness, Hazardous waste.

Emerging organic compounds as markers of the degradation of groundwater qualitative and quantitative equilibrium in a context of rapid urban expansion

With the neo-metamorphosis of the residential landscape worldwide and sluggish sanitation strategies in urban environments, rudimentary on-site sanitation systems remain commonly used, especially in developing countries, despite the risks of groundwater contamination. The effective management of such water resources relies on assessment of the sensitivity of anthropized aquifers to man-made impact, including groundwater behavioural alteration, in terms of both quality and quantity. Associated with tracking of changes in land use, this study proposes an approach involving emerging organic contaminants (EOCs) as indicators of the alteration of groundwater balance due the exposure of shallow aquifers to the risks of infiltration of untreated wastewater from soak pits. This methodology was applied to the shallow aquifer beneath the urban agglomeration of Grand-Sfax (Tunisia). Combined with an updated follow-up of groundwater piezometric fluctuations in relation with inputs from surface contamination sources, the spatialisation of contamination levels by EOCs provided a clear delineation of the most impacted aquifer zones. This approach revealed a significant link between the continuous rise in piezometric levels by contributions from untreated inputs and the accumulation of high levels of contamination in groundwater. The understanding of EOC underground pathways allowed the determination of the fates and processes responsible for the diffusion of contamination throughout the studied aquifer. The ability of groundwater to reflect population life style and the use patterns of such organic molecules was also assessed. Besides revealing the legacy of persistent contamination, this approach involving EOCs as tracers with different levels of persistence provided a spatial observation of the aquifer exposure to continuous contamination processes. This approach made it possible to develop a conceptual presentation of aquifer vulnerability to urban pressures and to predict the effects of subsequent expansion of unplanned urbanisation on groundwater quality.

Analysis of February 2023 Thatri Landslide in Doda, Jammu and Kashmir: Insights from Field Observations, Geotechnical Parameters, and GPR Survey

Abstract The present study deals with the field observations and results obtained from the Geotechnical investigations and Ground Penetrating Radar survey carried out on Thatri landslide. Thatri township is situated on the left bank of the Chenab River along NH-244, 43 km from district headquarter Doda, Jammu and Kashmir. The landslide occurred on 2nd February, 2023 damaged 21 buildings, affected about 150 people and created situation like Joshimath tragedy. Detailed field investigations on lithology, sub-surface structure determined by GPR investigations and geotechnical parameters of the soil revealed that the leading edge of the slide caused most damage due to cracks developed in the slope wash deposits followed by subsidence and down slope movement of a portion of the township (Nai Basti). The study revealed that percolation of water from soak pits, sewerage, and rain water into the terrace deposits comprising of clays, silt, sand and gravels was the major triggering factors.

Water Management Program in Telkom University: Planning and Best Practice

This paper discusses the water management conducted by Telkom University, including the fundamental considerations to be taken into account, the implementing organization, the design methods for rainwater systems, and practical experiences in constructing Rainwater Harvesting systems. The management is aware of the conditions and situations related to clean water users, estimates of clean water requirements, potential water sources, and the campus environmental situation. Based on various studies and supported by rainfall data from the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency, a simple calculation was used to derive the design of the Rainwater Harvesting system, which was subsequently implemented. There are several lessons learned from this implementation, including the need for improvements in the foundation structure of soak pits, recommending the construction of ground tanks during the dry season, and the flexibility of ground tank size depending on the availability of funds The abstract should state briefly the purpose of the research, the principal results and major conclusions.

Study on Effectiveness of Intervention of a Vertical Flow Constructed Wetland in between Septic Tank and Soak Pit for the Treatment of Septic Tank Effluent

Septage comprises the solid and liquid constituents of any primary treatment system, including a Septic Tank. In this study, the wastewater collected from a septic tank is passed through a partially converted anaerobic filter, and a vertical flow constructed wetland (VFCW) before being sent to a soak pit. The main objective of this case study was to check the effectiveness of incorporating a VFCW between a septic tank and a soak pit to bring down the consequences created due to effluent seepage from soak pits to the groundwater. Conventionally, the effluent gets directly passed to soak pits after primary onsite treatment in the septic tank. The soak pit walls made of porous materials allow the gradual seepage of final effluent into the ground, polluting the groundwater reserves. We analyzed the septic tank effluent from 60 households wherein the effluent was let off into the soak pits. The various parameters analyzed with their averages were 393.83 ± 293.41 mg.L-1 for COD, 151.48 ± 94.37 mg.L-1 for BOD, 30.81 ± 13.05 mg.L-1 for NO3-, 23.35 ± 13.54 mg.L-1 for PO43-, 7.35 ± 0.31 for pH, 184.05 ± 163.20 mg.L-1 for TSS, 3.05 x 107± 2.04 x 108 CFU.100mL-1 for TC. Therefore, it is certain that the final effluent being sent into soak pits after primary treatment does not meet the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) discharge standards. In this case study, we were able to obtain final effluent values after VFCW treatment as 55.72 mg.L-1 for COD, 12.12 mg.L-1 for BOD, 10.2 mg.L-1 for NO3-, 3.74 mg.L-1 for PO43-, 7.41 for pH, 8.37 mg.L-1 for TSS, 379.27 mg.L-1 for TS and 51.9 CFU.100mL-1 for TC. With this case study, we were able to resolve this impediment by bringing down the values of all the parameters considered while analyzing under the limits of discharge standards set by CPCB. The removal efficiency of COD, BOD, NO3-, PO43-, pH, TSS, and TC after wetland was found to be 89.46%, 88.051, 63.484, 44.37%, 3.41%, 98.47%, 97.71%, 97.19% respectively. The study has proven that with the introduction of another decentralized treatment system between a septic tank and soak pit, it is safe to dispose of the effluent into soak pits, thereby reducing the chances of groundwater pollution considerably.

Impact of land use/land cover on groundwater resources in tropical unconfined aquifers of south-western India

Groundwater quality assessment is essential to understand land use impacts and implement water management plans. The present study aims to assess the impact of land use/land cover (LULC) on the groundwater table, and its quality in the tropical unconfined aquifers. Two hundred groundwater samples were collected from 100 sampling wells during monsoon and post-monsoon seasons. The drinking water quality index and irrigation quality indices were estimated based on the various parameters obtained from the laboratory analysis. Human health risk concerning nitrate contamination was evaluated based on the USEPA method. The land-use/land-cover map prepared using ArcGIS showed that the study area consists dominantly of croplands. Drinking water quality index results suggested that the groundwater samples were excellent to moderately suitable for drinking purposes. Only one sample was unsuitable for drinking. The different irrigation quality indices revealed various degrees of groundwater suitability for irrigation purposes. The spatial distribution of the corrosivity ratio suggests avoiding the metal pipe, for transportation of groundwater supply in the northern part of the study area. Fertilizers used in agriculture and soak pit leakages have contributed to high nitrate concentration in a few parts of the study area. Human health risk assessment showed that infants are vulnerable to non-carcinogenic health risks. The impact of the LULC assessment revealed that groundwater quality was moderately suitable for drinking in urban land. The study suggests implementing proper sewage treatment measures to avoid groundwater contamination. Overall, the findings are important in adopting site-specific, groundwater management strategies in the study area. Polluted and unpolluted areas demarcated in the study are beneficial for decision-makers to develop suitable groundwater management plans. The study recommends informed LULC development in the study area to improve groundwater quality and reduce human health risks.

Development of arsenic removal unit with electrocoagulation and activated alumina sorption: Field trial at rural West Bengal, India

In the present study, electrocoagulation (EC) with iron electrodes along with adsorption by activated alumina has been evaluated as a treatment process for arsenic removal from groundwater. Batch scale experiments were performed with iron electrodes to assess the removal efficiency of electrocoagulation. The effects of inter-electrode distance and electro-charge loading (ECL) were evaluated on arsenic removal. EC was able to decrease the arsenic concentration in the aqueous phase below 10 ppb at ECL of 60 coulomb/L with 1 cm inter-electrode distance. The optimal condition was obtained by Response Surface Methodology (RSM) with the help of central composite design (CCD). The regression equation and analysis of variance were originated using Design-Expert software and F value (131.56), p-value (<0.05), and desirability value of 1 were obtained for the optimized model. Activated alumina adsorption has also been shown to be a promising arsenic removal technology (As5+) with 15 min of equilibrium time. An arsenic removal system was designed with EC unit, sand filter, and activated alumina column in series for field application. The field unit was able to deliver safe water to the local community. During the operation, the electrodes were passivated, and calcium-based deposition was found on the cathodes. Periodic electrode reversal was able to minimise the passivation. Due to the accumulation of ferric hydroxide flocs, the pores of the filter bed become clogged and they must be cleaned by backwashing. The Backwash system should be continued until the water runs clear. An arrangement of a suitable soak pit is made to contain the backwash water avoiding any environmental contamination. EC could be able to deliver safe water locally in rural areas at affordable prices due to its high efficiency and low operation and maintenance costs.

Simplified Procedures for Managing Insecticidal Waste: A Case Report of KCMUCo-PAMVERC Vector Control Product Testing Facility in North-Eastern Tanzania

Insecticide testing facilities that evaluate a variety of vector control products may generate a large number of hazardous wastes from routine operations. These wastes originate from degraded technical grade materials, sprayed substrates with Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS), and redundant stock or working insecticidal solutions. The washing of Long-Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs) during preparation for laboratory and experimental hut trials also contribute to wastewater with insecticide content. Human and environmental exposure to insecticidal waste can occur during transport, categorization, storage, and disposal, resulting in environmental pollution and potential health effects. Various national and international guidelines have been devised for safe disposal and should be strictly followed to avoid adverse effects on humans or environment. To facilitate proper insecticidal waste management, this paper outlines simple but safe practices derived from international and national guidelines that can be adopted by other similar facilities. National and international policies related to chemical management were reviewed and translated into Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), training pathways, and manuals. National Environmental Management Council (NEMC) assessed the test facility and recommended disposal procedures. NEMC recommendations were followed to construct the soak pits for liquid waste disposal while chemical transporters and incinerators were contracted for solid waste disposal. An environmental expert was contracted for environmental audit and annual monitoring. Studies and activities at the facility were evaluated for their waste generation index. Safety manual and SOPs on risk assessment, waste management and disposal, handling hazardous materials, health and safety procedures, and chemical usage were written. At KCMUCo-PAMVERC, an annual average of 0.02 and 24.9 cubic meters of liquid waste, which mainly includes a mixture of water, insecticides, and solvents, were generated from laboratory experiments (phase I) and semi-field LLIN experiments (phase II), respectively, while the IRS semi-field experiments generated an annual average of 88 L of liquid waste and 6.3 tons of solid waste. An annual average of 0.18 cubic meters of liquid waste results from other sources, including expired laboratory reagents. Well-translated national and international policies/regulations may be adopted by insecticide test facilities for proper and effective waste disposal.

On-site domestic wastewater treatment system using shredded waste plastic bottles as biofilter media: Pilot-scale study on effluent standards in Bhutan

In this study, a 1000 L/d capacity one-off on-site wastewater treatment system was operated for over a year as a pilot alternative to the conventional on-site treatment as currently used in urban Bhutan. An up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) was used for blackwater treatment (to replace “septic tank followed by an anaerobic biofilter (ABF) (to replace soak pits) for the treatment of a mixture of greywater and UASB effluent. Shredded waste plastic bottles were used as the novel biofilter media in the ABF. During a yearlong operation, the pilot system produced a final treated effluent from ABF with average BOD5 28 mg/L, COD 38 mg/L, TSS 85 mg/L and 5 log units of Escherichia coli. These effluents met three out of four of the national effluent discharge limits of Bhutan, but unsuccessful to meet the Escherichia coli standard over a yearlong operation. Further, process optimisation may enable more significant Escherichia coli removal. An economic analysis indicates that the total unit cost (capital and operating expenditures) of this alternative wastewater treatment system for more than 50 users range between USD 0.27–0.37/person/month comparable to USD 0.29–0.42/person/month for the current predominant on-site system, i.e., “septic tanks”. This pilot study, therefore, indicates that this wastewater treatment system using shredded waste plastic biofilter media has high potential to replace the current conventional treatment, i.e., “septic tanks”, which are often overloaded with greywater and discharging effluents which does not meet the national standards.

Pharmaceutical Contaminants in Shallow Groundwater and Their Implication for Poor Sanitation Facilities in Low-Income Countries.

Rudimentary on-site sanitation systems (OSSs) are extensively used in low-income countries despite the risk of groundwater contamination. The present study investigated the potential impact of community soak pits on sandy shallow aquifers in a rural area in Sri Lanka. Thirty-two groundwater samples were collected and measured for the traditional indicators fecal bacteria Escherichia coli, total coliforms, nitrate, and chloride; 7 pharmaceuticals were added as wastewater indicators. Analysis showed that the local groundwater is infected by fecal bacteria, but it was unable to determine whether the source of fecal bacteria is the OSSs. Similarly, nitrate and chloride provided unclear evidence. Conversely, detection of 3 pharmaceuticals at trace levels in groundwater evidenced wastewater impact from OSSs. Caffeine was detected in 89% of the sample at a maximum concentration 7.9 ng/L, indicating fecal pollution. Carbamazepine was detected in 42% of the samples with a concentration of up to 6.9 ng/L, whereas sulfamethoxazole was detected in only 2 samples. The presence of carbamazepine and sulfamethoxazole was also consistent with recorded drug use of the residents. Escherichia coli showed a moderate positive correlation with caffeine concentration (Kendall's τ = 0.38, p = 0.017), indicating concurring short-lifetime fecal bacteria and labile wastewater organic compounds. Nitrate showed a significant correlation with carbamazepine concentration (τ = 0.39, p = 0.016). Fecal bacteria and nitrate can be used in screening for micropollutants in domestic wells impacted by OSSs. The present case study emphasizes the potential impact of poor sanitation on groundwater resources and the necessity of sanitation improvement in achieving Sustainable Development Goals in developing countries. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022;41:266-274. © 2021 SETAC.

Studies on properties of Flowable Earth Mix concrete for monolithic load bearing walls

The paper presents the results of experimental studies carried out on the properties of Flowable Earth Mix (FEM) Concrete. The FEM concrete can be used for the construction of monolithic load bearing walls in buildings. Smaller structures such as sanitary units, soak pits, water storage tanks etc. can also be built with single casting. Compared to the formwork and compaction energy used in monolithic rammed earth wall constructions, casting FEM concrete requires simpler formwork (minimising the cost of formwork) and minimum compaction energy for casting. The properties of FEM Concrete such as workability, compressive strength, flexural strength, drying shrinkage and moisture movements are discussed. The variables considered included type of soil, clay content of the mix and cement content. The results indicate the feasibility of producing monolithic FEM Concrete walls for load bearing buildings. It is easy to achieve required workability and strength of FEM Concrete through the mix design.

A study on ground water problems, artificial recharge techniques in Musunuru

Artificial groundwater recharge is a process of induced replenishment of the groundwater via the assist of human activities. It is far the planned, human activity of increasing the quantity of groundwater available via works designed to grow the natural replacement or percolation of surface water into the groundwater aquifers, resulting in a corresponding increase in the amount of groundwater available for the concept. In an area like Musunuru Mandal in Andhra Pradesh, there is a need for recharge of groundwater identified by Jal Shakti Abhiyan. This study explains the demand and consumption of water and estimates the water budget in Musunuru village. In this study, the major source of water for agriculture is rainfall or borewells (tube wells). To identify the water demand in the village and suggesting the best practice approach to reduce the risk of Musunuru with an experimental study on groundwater recharge techniques. Among all the recharge techniques this study chooses the low budget soak pit method with materials like a reused plastic drum and locally available construction materials in Musunuru. By using this proposed low budget soak pit method 85% of groundwater recharge contributes.

Performance of Square and Trapezoidal photoreactors for solar hydrogen recovery from various industrial sulphide wastewater using CNT/Ce3+ doped TiO2

CNT/Ce3+ doped TiO2 powder was synthesized using a sol-gel method and characterized by X-ray Diffraction, UV–vis Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy, FTIR, EDX, Raman, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), BET and PL. Direct sunlight illumination was used to check the photocatalytic activity of CNT/Ce3+ doped TiO2 for hydrogen production from sulphide wastewater. Sulphide wastewater collected from various industries viz., STP (Sewage Treatment Plant), Refinery (Amine solution) and Tannery (soak pit) were used to test the photocatalytic hydrogen recovery. The suitable industrial wastewater which generates maximum hydrogen was used to check the effect of various operating parameters viz., sulphide ion concentrations, sulphite ion concentrations and catalyst dosage. The maximum hydrogen recovery achieved was found to be 14,500 μmol/h.

Household Willingness to Pay for Wastewater Treatment and Water Supply System Improvement in a Ger Area in Ulaanbaatar City, Mongolia

This study aimed to investigate the willingness of residents of ger (traditional nomadic house) areas to pay for improvements in the water supply and wastewater treatment system in terms of capital costs and operation and management (O&amp;M) costs by contingent valuation (CV) method and payment card format. The problems in the ger area are a lack of a drainage system, the use of unimproved sanitation technology, and an unsafe water supply, in addition to the direct discharging of wastewater into pit latrines, soak pits, yards, and streets. The contribution of this study is the application of this method in a previously unstudied area to enhance the participation of ger communities that are absent in the development plan of Ulaanbaatar city. A field survey was conducted in one of the ger areas, the Damba planning unit, and 298 samples were collected from residents. Data were analyzed and compared using ordinary least squares (OLS) and Tobit regression models. Model results showed that the average total willingness to pay for the water supply and wastewater treatment facility installation was 1000 thousand Mongolian tugrik (MNT), and the average total willingness to pay for the operation and management costs was a maximum of 3000 MNT per month. The important factors affecting the residents’ willingness to pay (WTP) for installation were the housing type, current monthly payment for water supply, income level, and education, in order of significance. People living in their own detached house and educated greater than high school were more willing to pay for the installation of water supply and wastewater treatment facilities. Those who were paying higher for their monthly water supply were more willing to pay for the installation cost. With respect to the WTP for O&amp;M cost, the WTP was associated with the family size, income level, housing, time for water access, and education, in order of significance. Families a larger number of members were more willing to pay, and low-income people were less willing to pay for O&amp;M. Education showed a positive influence on the WTP for O&amp;M. Water access time also affected the WTP of those who could not access water within 30 min, as they indicated low WTP values.

Nexus between sanitation and groundwater quality: case study from a hard rock region in India

Abstract Groundwater quality in the towns of Namakkal and Erumaipatti in India was studied to understand the nexus between surface sanitation and groundwater quality in hard rock regions. In total, 32 wells, both shallow open and deep bore wells, were monitored over a two-year period. The presence of fecal coliforms (FCs) up to 600 CFU/100 mL in wells as deep as 100 m showed that bacteriological contamination had reached deep aquifers through fractures and fissures. Statistical analyses showed that bore wells located in Namakkal were bacteriologically more contaminated than those in Erumaipatti (p = 0.017 for FC) because of urbanization, the type of top soil and the shallow groundwater table. Wells in densely toileted areas of Namakkal were more contaminated than those located in open defecation areas. After replacing a soak pit with a septic tank, concentrations of FC and chemical oxygen demand (COD) in the leachate at a depth of 2.1 m reduced from 2,500 to 1,000 CFU/100 mL and from 200 to 50 mg/L, respectively, after 150 days of the construction of septic tanks. To improve the hygiene and sanitation, the provision of toilets along with on-site waste management systems, capable of achieving required effluent quality, are essential.

Labour Productivity and Work Study in Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act

Labour productivity is of critical importance to the profitability, timely completion and performance of most construction projects since its labour intensive sector. Labours play very critical role in MGNREGA hence their productivity directly affects the progress of work carried. Productivity is generally defined as the ratio of output to input, output is measured in terms of production level or the quantity of work completed whereas input is usually measured in units of time ( labour hours or labour day),equipment’s, materials etc. Actual productivity is the productivity achieved in the field, whereas the level achievable under most ideal conditions, is optimal productivity. Work study is the process of studying the particular work or task in a systematic and organized way and is used for finding the correct method of doing the work, determining standard times. MGNREGA Act (2005) was aimed to curb the migration of labours towards city by providing them 100 days of guaranteed employment in nearby area of 5km range, security in their income and trying to upgrade their standard of living. Works done in MGNREGA scheme are plantations, houses for people BPL, soak pit, trenching, wells, farm ponds and cowshed. The objective of the study is to find the factors affecting labour productivity, conduct work study of the activities carried out in MGNREGA and to find whether MGNREGA has been successful in achieving its goals.

Effect of Sodium Poly Acrylate on Water Holding Capacity of Soak Pits

Effect of Sodium Poly Acrylate on Water Holding Capacity of Soak Pits

Suitability of ANN and GP for Predicting Soak Pit Tank Efficiency under Limited Data Conditions

Under Industry 4.0 scenario, smart sensors can be suitably integrated with control systems to monitor the treatment of wastewater systems. Such control systems need a sound modelling or forecasting tool for the real time monitoring. This work reports a pilot study to model the treatment efficiency of soak pit tanks for the treatment of grey water using Genetic Programming (GP) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN). Only the inlet total suspended solid is considered for modelling. The Root Mean Square of Errors for GP and ANN run models were found to be 1.8 and 12.5 respectively for Tank 1. The results indicate that GP is a more promising tool than ANN particularly when modelling under limited data conditions. The difference in performance of both the methods seem to depend on the type learning mode adopted in each case.

EFFECT OF SOAK PIT ON THE CONSOLIDATION BEHAVIOR OF THREE ZONE SOIL IN KARNATAKA

The present research work discuss about the consolidation behavior of three zone soil which are collected neat soak pit regions from kanakapura, Hoskote and Dodaballapur,Karnataka,India at a depth of 0.5 meters from natural ground level and at a radial distance of 2.5 meters away from the pit area by using auger boring. In the above regions human excreta with sewage is directly discharged into these pits. From the pit contaminants will travel a maximum distance of 10 meters and also may travel vertically downwards and pollute the underground water and it also affects the engineering behavior of soil. So we are interested to know the consolidation characteristics of these regions soil. An attempt also made to have a consolidation comparative study of three above specified zone soil due to intrusion of contaminants. From the one dimensional fixed ring Consolidation test it is observed that Hoskote soil requires higher Pre-Consolidation pressure and hence its rate of permeability is less compared to other soils on the other hand Dodballapur soil requires lower Pre-Consolidation pressure for Consolidation of soil. This reflects the softening of soil due to contaminants intrusion near soak pit area.