Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 8, 2026

Capturing Flow-weighted Water and Suspended Particulates from Agricultural Canals During Drainage Events
Published on: November 7, 2017
Source apportionment of pollutants and flows of combined sewer wastewater
Puripus Soonthornnonda1, Erik R Christensen
1Department of Civil Engineering and Mechanics, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53201-0784, USA.
Abstract:
To reduce the combined sewer overflows (CSOs) and improve surface water quality in the Greater Milwaukee area, construction of a 19.5-mile (31.4 km) inline storage system (ISS) was completed in 1994 to capture and convey sanitary sewage and stormwater for treatment. However, one to six overflows per year still occur. Chemical mass balance (CMB) and positive matrix factorization (PMF) modeling was done in order to find origins of flows and pollutants in CSOs. Based on overflow events from 2000 to 2006 (CMB) and 2004 to 2006 (PMF), we found that between 27% and 56% of the total overflow is from sanitary sewage and most of the remaining from stormwater with possible minor contribution (< or = 8%) from groundwater. Most total suspended solids and metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Ni, Hg, and Zn) are from stormwater, while sanitary sewage carries large contributions (> or = 28%) of BOD5, NH3, and total phosphorus. The fraction of NH3 is especially high, i.e., > or = 58%. Implications for a possible future sewer separation in combined sewer areas into separate sanitary and storm sewers are discussed.
Related Concept Videos
Sampling Plans
Random sampling is a method where each member of the population has an equal chance of being selected for the sample. It involves selecting individuals randomly, often using random number generators or lottery-type methods. For example, when analyzing the properties of a...
Conservation of Mass in Fixed, Nondeforming Control Volume
In the case of a sewer pipe, which can be modeled...
Pipe Flowrate Measurement
The orifice meter is a simple,...
Biological Treatment of Effluent and Waste Water
Conservation of Mass in Moving, Nondeforming Control Volume
In the context of a detention basin, the conservation of mass states that the total mass of water entering the basin must equal the mass leaving the basin plus any accumulation of...
Pipe Flowrate Measurement: Problem Solving

