Design and Optimization of Sewerage Networks using Sewergems Software

The lack of a centralized sewerage infrastructure in Dhapewada village, a semiurban village in Nagpur district’s Kalmeshwar taluka, poses substantial sanitation and wastewater management difficulties. The current open drain–based greywater disposal system is under strain because of the growing population and the seasonal inflow of devotees. Both gravity and hybrid sewer systems must be explored as viable solutions due to the differential topography. The aim of this project is to use SewerGEMS software, which is based on CPHEEO (2013) recommendations, to design and optimize a sustainable and economical sewage network. The system planning for Dhapewada village was designed and analyzed using SewerGEMS software connected with GIS data, such that important factors like velocity, profiles, manhole excavation depth, and cost for both systems were assessed. The gravity system ensured a reliable self-cleansing flow, but the depth of excavation for such areas was 6.00 m– 8.00 m, making excavation difficult and resulting in the collapse of existing infrastructure within the small road width, significantly increasing capital cost and maintenance problems during operation. The hybrid system reduced the depth to 3.00 m–4.00 m, directly affecting excavation costs; however, operation and maintenance of pumps, energy demand, and longterm operational dependency were identified as drawbacks of the hybrid system. Hybrid systems may be more cost-effective in differential terrains, although gravity systems remain preferable for long-term sustainability where slopes allow. This approach encourages sewer system selection for growing rural–urban areas such as Dhapewada.