Immersed in their on-demand, highly consumptive, and disposable lifestyles, most urban Americans take for granted the technologies that provide them with potable water, remove their trash, and process their wastewater. These vital services, however, are the byproduct of many decades of development by engineers, sanitarians, and civic planners.
In "The Sanitary City," Martin V. Melosi assembles a comprehensive, thoroughly researched and referenced history of sanitary services in urban America. He examines the evolution of water supply, sewage systems, and solid waste disposal during three distinct eras: The Age of Miasmas (pre-1880); The Bacteriological Revolution (1880-1945); and The New Ecology (1945 to present-day).
Originally published in 2000, this abridged edition includes updated text and bibliographic materials. "The Sanitary City" is an essential resource for those interested in environmental history, environmental engineering, science and technology, urban studies, and public health.
Winner of:
George Perkins Marsh Prize from the American Society for Environmental History Urban History Association Prize for the best book in North American Urban History
Abel Wolman Prize from the Public Works Historical Society
Sidney Edelstein Prize from the Society for the History of Technology

Managing Urban Stormwater Systems

World Bank Technical Paper No. 389. By the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage. This paper is the revised edition of Technical Paper No. 99, written in 1989. It provides the basis for the preparation of manuals necessary for managers and staffs to perform needed activities at the proper time. The guide provides a comprehensive list of issues that should be addressed in operation and maintenance manuals for irrigation and drainage systems, and a listing of published materials and working papers which will assist in the formulation of plans for operation and maintenance. The paper serves as a valuable tool to help improve the performance of irrigation and drainage systems and to assist managers in developing and improving effective organizations to serve water consumers better.

For more than a century, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been building fortifications along the American coastline in an effort to protect our vulnerable shores. With the prospect of seaborne invasion becoming increasingly unlikely, the Corps has turned its attention to a more subtle but no less dangerous threat: the insidious effects of coastal erosion.In "The Corps and the Shore," Orrin H. Pilkey, the nation's most outspoken coastal geologist, and Katharine L. Dixon, an educator and activist for national coastal policy reform, provide a comprehensive examination of the impact of coastal processes on developed areas and the ways in which the Corps of Engineers has attempted to manage erosion along America's coastline.Through detailed case studies of large-scale projects in Texas, Maine, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and South Carolina, the authors demonstrate the shortcomings of the Corps's underlying assumptions and methodology. As they discuss the role of local citizens in the project process, they highlight the interaction between local Corps offices and community officials and residents. By focusing on different types of problems in various regions of the country, Pilkey and Dixon clearly show how the Corps has repeatedly failed to act in the best interest of those most affected by the projects. As well as criticizing Corps practices, the authors provide numerous suggestions for reforming the Corps and making it both more scientifically accountable and more accountable to the citizens it is intended to serve."The Corps and the Shore" is essential reading for coastal residents, environmentalists, planners, and coastal city officials as well as geologists, civil engineers, marine scientists, and anyone concerned with the impact of human society on our shorelines.

Because your success begins with the right formula … Finding the right formula is an essential part of environmental engineering and research. However, consulting the literature of the many disciplines that affect your work can be a time-consuming, inefficient, and often difficult process. Not any more! The Formula Handbook brings together in a single volume the most popular and useful formulas covering biological/biochemical processes in natural and engineered systems—saving hours of valuable research time. Compiled from select journals, review articles, and books, the Formula Handbook is an indispensable one-stop reference for today’s busy environmental engineer or scientist. The Handbook is arranged alphabetically, making information easy to find. In addition to the formulas themselves, entries include:

• An introduction to the topic
• Definition of terms
• Numerical values
• Tables and figures
• References

A crucial argument for today's environmentalists--startling proof that environmental regulation and environmental technologies are "necessary" for a strong economy.

The only book any homeowner needs when considering an irrigation system for a lawn, this complete handbook, written by a master plumber in clear, non-technical language, addresses all types of irrigation systems--from the simple to the high-tech--including overhead, surface, and underground irrigation equipment. 50 illustrations & photos.

State-of-the-art metals treatment and recovery technologies to assist in identifying waste management options.

"Getting at the Source" offers a new approach to identifying and evaluating opportunities for reducing solid waste.

Logical, analytical approach to the solution of groundwater and seepage problems and to understanding the design and analysis of earth structures that impound water. Coverage of previously unavailable Russian work, appendixes of concepts in advanced engineering mathematics, numerous worked-out and solved examples with over 200 problems of varying difficulty. Preface. List of Symbols. Appendixes.

Provides detailed practical and technical advice intended to guide the selection, design, construction, and maintenance of on-site facilities for the removal of human excreta. Addressed to engineers, sanitarians, medical officers, and project planners, the book concentrates on technical options suitable for householders building their own latrines, whether in small communities, rural areas, or deprived urban settlements. Details range from line drawings illustrating features of design and construction, through a list of reasons why improved sanitation may elicit negative responses from users, to instructions for calculating the internal dimensions of a septic tank. The book features eleven chapters in three parts. Chapters in the first part introduce the foundations of sanitary practice, describe the links between excreta and disease, and explain the numerous social and cultural factors that must be considered at the planning phase. Chapters in the second and most extensive part provide a detailed technical guide to the design, construction, operation and maintenance of all the main options for on-site sanitation.Chapters describe how the different types of latrine work, discuss their relative merits, and set out detailed plans for the construction of latrines and their components. The final part features three chapters on the planning and development of on-site sanitation projects, underscoring the need for a thorough analysis of cultural as well as design features. "...an intriguing book..." - International Journal of Environmental Studies

Helps apprentice, journeyman, and master candidates prepare for state examinations covering general mathematics, installation principles, materials standards, and plumbing codes.

The definitive work on the subject, it offers you comprehensive and accurate coverage of the theory and techniques of ground water development. Provides not only a general overview of the topic with applications but also incorporates sufficient detail to be of use to professionals involved in any phase of ground water. Divided into three parts, the text traces the progression of the study of ground water from its origin through its development and exploitation. Part one deals mainly with the nature of ground water and where it can be found. Part two considers the parameters related to water well design and construction. In part three, there is a thorough review of well and well field operation, including monitoring for environmental protection. Although the focus is on high-capacity ground water producing installations, most of the material is also applicable to lower-yield wells.

This volume may be used as a reference in courses dealing with biological aspects of pollution control. An abbreviated version of the authors' textbook entitled Microbiology for Environmental Scientists and Engineers (McGraw Hill, 1980), the book covers the life-support system; technological control of water quality; chemical composition of cells and the nature of organic matter; the micro-organism; nutrition and growth conditions as selective agents in natural populations; quantitative description of growth; energy generation and utilization in biological systems; metabolic classification of micro-organisms; the central pathways of metabolism; aerobic metabolism; and anaerobic metabolism. Chapters one through ten conclude with references and suggested readings; a glossary and list of symbols are also provided.

Introduction to Wastewater Treatment Processes, Second Edition presents the principles of chemical kinetics, reactor design, and the mechanism of biological treatment processes. This book provides the numerical applications that illustrate the treatment of laboratory data. Organized into eight chapters, this edition begins with an overview of the engineering design of process plants for treatment of wastewaters of industrial or domestic origin. This text then examines the various empirical methods for evaluation of concentration of contaminants in wastewaters. Other chapters consider the various types of primary treatment of wastewater, including sedimentation, screening, flotation, and neutralization and equalization. This book discusses as well the stationary film theory applied to the case of oxygen transfer. The final chapter deals with tertiary or advanced wastewater treatment, which consists of processes designed to achieve higher effluent quality than conventional secondary treatment. This book is a valuable resource for practicing engineers and students who are interested in the field of wastewater treatment.

The cost of cleaning up water and soil leads to the same undeniable conclusion: Existing models of industrial development are simply not sustainable from an ecological view point and they cost a lot of money in purely economic terms. Mexico is no exemption to this general rule and soil and groundwater contamination are neither here, nor in other Latin American countries a new or emerging issue. As an oil exporting nation, Mexico, historically has paid major attention to hydrocarbon contamination and its implications for the environment, especially when its impact was related to drinking water safety and public health criteria. It is only more recently, that a more generic and holistic approach has emerged, which has included other industrial sectors and their environmental liabilities. This new approach is directed towards the government's and private industry's extended obligation and responsibility in mega-site remediation, brown-field re-vitalisation and the re-urbanisation of degraded land. This book arose from the scientific interest and the environmental preoccupation of researchers and governmental representatives alike. They provide a concise overview of concepts and remediation/sanitation technologies available today. At the same time they bear witness to the wealth of solutions available in order to tackle the inherent and very serious problem of environmental degradation in Mexico.

Biofouling is usually defined as an especially economically significant process that occurs on ships' hulls, where high levels of fouling can reduce the performance of the vessel and increase its fuel requirements. However, in the aquatic environment, such burden is generally of importance for all types of organisms present. This book concentrates on aquatic mammals from marine and freshwater biotopes, summarising their different strategies to cope with the permanent challenge of being colonised by a multitude of bacteria, fungi or algae, and moreover, larvae of different invertebrates. Furthermore, biofouling of medical devices involves the formation of a biofilm by bacteria. This book covers the recent advances on the main anti-biofouling strategies based on the application of emergent biological products. In addition, the authors of this book focus on the surface modification of membranes for antibiofouling. The effect of non-antibiotic pharmaceuticals on the growth and adhesion of marine bacteria found in biofilms is looked at. Finally, in order to produce antifouling paints with reduced amount of toxic molecules, it is necessary to further investigate the phenomena involved in antifouling activity.

This book covers a wide range of topics within enviromental engineering and technologies including: * General environmental engineering * Clean energy and sustainability * Water and wastewater management * Public health and environment. The application areas range from emerging pollutants of air, soil and water environment, remediation technologies, clean energy and sustainability of biofuels, waste to energy, water and wastewater management, public health and the environment, quality and safety of food production to environmental planning and management and policies for cities and regions. The papers cover both theory and applications, and are focused on a wide range of sectors and problem areas. Integral demonstrations of the use of reliability and environmental engineering are provided in many practical applications concerning major technological approaches. Environmental Technology and Innovations will be of interest to academics and professionals working in a wide range of industrial, governmental and academic sectors, including water and waste management, energy generation, fuel production and use, protection of natural heritage, industrial ecology, man health protection and policy making.

This book guides the reader through the hydraulic design of drainage channels in which the volume of flow increases linearly from one end of the channel to the other. This situation is very common in roof gutters and highway drainage channels, both of which receive water from the adjoning surfaces at an almost uniform rate.Design of Linear Drainage Systems begins with an introduction of the basic hydraulic parameters, covering topics required in channel flow theory.

The Romans developed sophisticated methods for managing hygiene, including aqueducts for moving water from one place to another, sewers for removing used water from baths and runoff from walkways and roads, and public and private latrines. Through the archeological record, graffiti, sanitation-related paintings, and literature, Ann Olga Koloski-Ostrow explores this little-known world of bathrooms and sewers, offering unique insights into Roman sanitation, engineering, urban planning and development, hygiene, and public health. Focusing on the cities of Pompeii, Herculaneum, Ostia, and Rome, Koloski-Ostrow's work challenges common perceptions of Romans' social customs, beliefs about health, tolerance for filth in their cities, and attitudes toward privacy. In charting the complex history of sanitary customs from the late republic to the early empire, Koloski-Ostrow reveals the origins of waste removal technologies and their implications for urban health, past and present.

Many states require sewer and pipe installation contractors to be certified on PVC pipe installation, but there are different requirements for each state and/or region. There hasn't been a universally used work for the U.S. Uni-Bell's Handbook of PVC Pipe Design and Construction (Industrial Press, 2012) is used for many courses in individual states, but some readers have complained that it's too large and expensive. So PVCPA and NUCA have joined forces to come out with this book, aimed specifically at the contractor's market. There is a need to better educate contractors on how to properly install PVC pipe to ensure system longevity and performance. In addition, having more qualified installers in all states will help reduce legal claims caused by poor installation. This is the most concise and authoritative work available for the installation of PVC water and sewer pipe and fittings. It contains new information, such as cutting PVC pipe. It comes complete with practical charts, graphs, and pictures that will enable users to be more effective at installing PVC pipes of all kinds.

The aim of this book is to present the potential benefits as well as the challenges of introducing a more formal economic regulatory process into the urban water sector arena in lower-income countries. There is a particular focus upon the impact this may have on the poorest, the informal, slum and shanty dwellers of the rapidly growing cities. Economic regulation, usually introduced in the context of private operation of monopoly water supply, can deliver objectivity and transparency in the price-setting process for public providers also. But this is not, as is commonly assumed, primarily to protect the customer from the provider; rather it is to allow the service provider to set something approaching cost-reflective tariffs. These charges, almost certainly higher than previously, perversely can benefit the poor who have been paying far more for informal access to any piped supplies. With the addition of a regulatory duty to achieve some form of adaptive Universal Service Obligation, economic regulation could contribute significantly to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals in urban areas.The book describes and analyzes these issues through a consideration of ten country case studies. As a starting point, the current situation for the provision of water and sanitation services for the poorest through non-regulated public providers in India and Uganda is reviewed. Comparative chapters are then presented on Argentina, Ghana, Philippines, Bolivia, Jordan, Zambia and Indonesia, all with varying degrees of private sector involvement and regulation. Finally, the experiences of the two richest countries, Chile and England, are considered, investigating service to the poor inthese examples with the longest experience of economic regulation and the "most privatized" suppliers. In all cases there is a focus on the very necessary role of customer involvement in price-setting and service monitoring and on the role of alternative (private) service providers within the context of the need for least cost utility service provision to all.

A concise up-to-date guide to all aspects of environmental pollution and cleanup.

Human invention and innovation have brought about tremendous improvements in the quality of life of millions of people around the world today—but progress has its price. Environmental pollution is rapidly attacking the Earth's ecosphere. While advances have been made and new disciplines have emerged to identify, monitor, regulate, and compensate for environmental pollutants, it will take the combined efforts of numerous specialists to solve the problem. It will also take the efforts of an informed public that, through its voting and buying habits, has the power to determine whether or not the threat to our environment can be contained.

This 2-volume encyclopedia provides all readers, regardless of scientific background or training, with a working knowledge of contemporary issues in environmental pollution and cleanup. Based on Wiley's critically acclaimed, 8-volume Encyclopedia of Environmental Analysis and Remediation, this compact A-to-Z reference features the same breadth and quality of coverage—and clarity of presentation—found in the original. It includes:

• Over 200 self-contained, thoroughly cross-referenced articles on essential aspects of environmental pollution and cleanup.
• Coverage of key topics in hazardous waste, air pollution control, biosphere pollution, health effects, nuclear waste, environmental law and regulation, water reclamation, and more.
• Integrated coverage of both legal and policy issues and technological and environmental concerns.
• Hundreds of photographs, figures, charts, and tables that help illustrate major points, explain difficult material, and summarize important data.
• Bibliographic entries keyed to the text that list sources of additional information on selected topics.

Make sure your boiler runs at maximum efficiency!

Do you know how much make-up water you need in your boiler? How much blowdown? How to calculate the amount of chemical you need to add, and when? This guide provides answers to these and many more questions about water treatment in industrial plants. It gives you a solid understanding of water treatment problems and solutions, so you can improve treatment efficiency and communicate more effectively with water treatment specialists and chief engineers. You get technical details of water treatment in a clear, precise, and easy-to-understand manner to help you handle daily concerns. It includes helpful suggestions on how to calculate amounts of chemical to be used in steam boilers, cooling towers, and ion exchange equipment; discusses scale, corrosion, algae growth, microbiological growth, and the chemicals and equipment used to control these problems; covers pumps, pump calculations, hydronic systems, control devices, and treatments; and much more.

This text provides comprehensive treatment of hydraulic engineering in both closed conduit and open channel flow and a clear presentation, with more examples and problems than most competitors. The carefully organized coverage, beginning with basics of hydrology, pipelines, and open channels. Also includes both hydrologic background and traditional hydraulics. A good balance of theory and applications and extensive appendices, including selected computer programs, round out the text.