Absorption

Absorption

Absorpci/TD>

Incorporation of one substance by

another (e.g.: of a gas by a liquid, of a

liquid by the soil).

Accumulation rate

Taux d'accumulation

Tasa de acumulati/TD>

Rate at which decomposed fl matter

builds up in a latrine pit, expressed in

m3 per person per year, and used for the

calculation of effective pit volume.

Activated carbon

Charbon actif

Carbon activo

Specially prepared powdered or

granulated carbon, used in final

treatment of drinking water by

absorption, particularly for the removal

of dissolved organic pollutants which

impart taste and odours to water.

Adsorbent

Adsorbent

Adsorbente

Solid particle (e.g.: activated carbon) of

very large surface with the property of

fixing dissolved solids and colloids in

water.

Alternating twin

Latrine a fosse

Letrina sobre

Latrine with two pits used alternately

pit latrine

double

dos fosas

Apron

Tablier

Banqueta

Concrete surface surrounding the head

of a well for protection and drainage.

Available chlorine

Chlore actif

Chloro activo

Pure chlorine content of a chlorine-

generating product, expressed as a

percentage, or in chlorometric degrees

(e.g.: 70% for calcium hypochlorite).

Aquifer

Nappe phrique

Capa freatica

Saturated, permeable, underground rock

(water table)

formation.

Autoclave

Autoclave

Autoclave

Equipment for sterilization by saturated

water vapour (humid heat) during 20

mins at 135°C (2 bars) or 30 mins at

121°C (1 bar).

Bacteria

Bactes

Bacterias

Microscopic unicellular organisms,

certain of which are disease-causing

agents.

Bacteriological

Analyse

Analisis

Identification of bacteria of the coliform

analysis

bactologique

bacteriolo

group and/or other micro-organisms

indicating contamination of water by

fl material.

Biodegradation

Biodegradation

Biodegradation

Natural process of destruction of

(decomposition)

organic material by microbiological

activity.

Burying

Enfouissement

Enterramiento

Action of covering with earth (e.g.

refuse: see controlled tipping).

Calcium

Hypochlorite

Hipoclorito

Chlorine-generating product in a form hypochlorite

de calcium

de calcio

containing 65 to 70% available chlorine,

made by reacting chlorine with calcium

hydroxide.

Candle filter

Bougie

Filtro de porcelana

Ceramic filter element (pore size: 0.45µ).

Catchment

Captage

Captati/TD>

Part of a well below the static level of

the water table which allows water to

flow into the well, or the emergence

zone of a spring where water may be

collected.

Catchment ring

Buse de captage

Tubo de captaci/TD>

Perforated or porous concrete cylinder

sunk into the water table, through

which water passes.

Chemical analysis

Analyse chimique

An lisis quimico

Identification of undesirable or toxic

chemical substances whose maximum

permissible concentrations determine

the potability of water.

Chlorinated lime

Clorure de chaux

Cloruro de calcio

Chlorine generating product (CaO

2CaOCl2) in powder form, containing

30% chlorine. Less stable than calcium

hypochlorite.

Chlorine

Chlore

Cloro

Reactive element (Cl) with strong

oxidising powers, used for the

disinfection of water (destruction of

organic material and biocidal action).

Chlorine compound

Produit grateur

Derivado Product

used for disinfecting water,

de chlore

del cloro

containing a proportion of available

chlorine which is released or dissolving

in water.

Chlorine demand

Demande

Demanda

Difference between amount of chlorine

en chlore

de cloro

added to water and total residual

chlorine level after 30 mins (= chlorine

consumed).

Combined residual

Chlore rduel

Cloro residual

Fraction of chlorine added to water

chlorine

combine

combinado

which is not consumed, but combined

with certain substances (with some

disinfectant power, but less than free

residual chlorine).

Concrete ring

Buse

Tubo de concreto

Short concrete cylinder for supporting

and lining the sides of a well to make

them impermeable.

Contact time

Temps de contact

Tiempo de contacto

Period necessary for the reaction of

chlorine with organic matter contained

in water (more or less 30 minutes).

Contamination

Contamination

Contaminati/TD>

Introduction of potentially pathogenic

(pollution)

micro-organisms or chemical

substances presenting health risks into

the environment.

Controlled tipping

Darge control

Relleno sanitario

Method of disposal of solid wastes by

(sanitary landfill)

burial in successive layers in ground

exclusively reserved for this purpose.

DPD1

DPD1

DPD1

Diethyl-p-phenyline diamine. Used in

tablet form with a colorimetric

comparator to measure free residual

chlorine.

Defecation

Dcation

Defecaci/TD>

Passage of waste matter from the

bowels.

Detergent

Drgent

Detergente

Compound used in cleaning (e.g.

washing clothes), often found in

polluting wastewater.

Disinfect

Dnfecter

Desinfectar

To kill a large proportion of micro

organisms present in water or on a

surface.

Distribution box

Bo de distribution

Caja distribuidora

Construction for collecting effluent from

a septic tank and distributing it equally

among drains in a multiple trench

infiltration system.

Domestic refuse

Dets mgers

Basuras

Putrescible or non-putrescible solid

/waste

waste material from household

activities.

Drain

Drain

Tubo de desague

Underground pipe with pierced holes or

slots to a allow the passage and

infiltration of water.

Drainage

Drainage

Drenaje

Removal of water by ditches or pipes.

Effective grain

Granulometrie

Granulomica

Range and average of size of grains of

size

sand or other material used as a filter

material.

Effluent

Effluent

Effluente

Partially or totally treated wastewater

coming from a treatment unit and going

to secondary treatment or disposal in.

Emergence/eye

Rrgence

Resurgimiento

Place where spring water appears at the

surface.

Evapotranspiration

Evapotranspiration

Evapotranspiraci/TD>

Removal of water into the air by a

combination of direct evaporation and

transpiration by plants.

Faeco-oral

Transmission

Transmici/TD>

Transmission of pathogens from fl

transmission

f-orale

oro-fecal

matter to the digestive system via the

mouth (fl contamination of water,

food, hands, etc).

Ferrocement

Ferrociment

Ferrocemento

Technique of constructing walls by

applying layers of cement mortar to a

framework of wire/mesh.

Filtration

Filtration

Filtraci/TD>

Passage of water through a porous layer

(filter) which traps suspended solid.

Free residual

Chlore rduel

Cloro residual

Fraction of available chlorine added to

chlorine

libre

libre

water which remains in excess and

which still has disinfectant power after

30 minutes contact time (0.3 to 0.5mg/l).

Grease trap

Bac daisseur

Trampa para grasa

Construction for separating fatty

material from wastewater before

disposal in a soakaway pit or infiltration

field.

Groundwater

Eau souterraine

Agua subterr nea

Infiltrated water contained in

underground layers, forming a body of

water.

Helminths

Helminthes

Helmintos

Parasitic worms of man and other

animals (e.g. ascaris).

Hot air sterilizer

Poupinel

Pupinel

Equipment for sterilization by hot air

(dry heat) during 120 minutes at 160°C

or 90 minutes at 170°C.

Human wastes

Dets humains

Desechos humanos

Faeces and urine (excreta).

Hygiene

Hygi

Higiene

Practice related to keeping clean and

healthy.

Incineration

Incintion

Incineraci/TD>

Action of reducing refuse to ashes (e g.

incineration of medical refuse).

Infiltration

Tranch

Zanja de

Structure for disposing of wastewater

trench

d'infiltration

absorci/TD>

by underground drainage, using

trenches and drains.

Irrigated garden

Jardin irrigu/TD>

Jardin irrigado

Vegetable garden watered with

wastewater recovered from water

points (an alternative technique to

infiltration systems).

Leachate

Liquide de

Liquido residual

Liquid resulting from the

fermentation

de fermentaci/TD>

decomposition of organic matter in a

refuse tip.

Lysol

Lysol

Lysol

Solution of cresol and soap (powerful

disinfectant used for floors and other

surfaces).

Medical waste

Dets mcaux

Desechos mcos

Refuse from the activities of a health

centre. Medical waste is potentially

contaminated (see Contamination).

Micro-organisms

Micro-organismes

Micro-organismos

Microscopic animal or vegetable

organisms.

Motorpump

Motopompe

Motobomba

Pump powered by an electric motor or

combustion engine.

Non-return valve

Clapet anti-retour

Valvula de

Valve allowing water to flow in one

retenci/TD>

direction

only, installed at the start of a

delivery pipe from a motorpump to

stop backflow when pumping stops.

Oxidize

Oxyder

Oxidar

To transform into the oxidised state by

combination with oxygen.

Organic matter

Matieres organiques

Materias organicas

Residues and extracts of living

organisms.

Permeability

Permilit/TD>

Permeabilidad

Ability of soil to allow water to

infiltrate.

Pit latrine

Latrine a fosse

Letrina

Latrine with a single pit dug in the

simple

simple

ground.

pH

pH

pH

Expression of the degree of acidity or

alkalinity of a substance. The value of

7.35 is neutral; values above this are

alkaline, values below are acidic.

Phenol Red

Rouge de phl

Rojo de fenol

Chemical compound used to measure

pH by colorimetric comparison. May be

in tablet form.

Pour-flush

Latrine a siphon

Letrina con

Latrine in which the slab has a pan and

latrine

d'eaude

sifon de ague

water trap which is flushed manually.

Protozoa

Protozoaires

Protozoares

Group of unicellular microscopic

animals, certain of which cause disease

(e.g amoeba).

Rainwater

Eaux pluviales

Aguas pluviales

Water from atmospheric precipitation

which may form a water source.

Resurgence

Rrgence

Resurgirmiento

See Emergence.

Retention time

Rntion

Retenci/TD>

Time during which wastewater is held

in a tank to undergo treatment (e.g. 1 to

3 days for a septic tank).

Run-off

Eaux de

Aguas de

Water flowing naturally on the ground

ruissellement

escurrimiento

surface.

Sanitary

Inspection sanitaire

Inspeccianitaria

Field observation, using criteria to

inspection

evaluate the environmental hygiene

status of a settlement (e.g. refugee

camp).

Schmutzdecke

Schmutzdecke

Schmutzdecke

Biological layer playing a purifying role,

at the surface of a slow sand filter.

Sedimentation/

Smentation

Sedimentaci/TD>

Process of deposition of suspended

settling

solids in water by gravity.

Septic tank

Fosse septique

Fosa sica

Tank for collection and partial treatment

of household wastewater before

disposal by sub-surface drainage.

Sewage

Eaux vannes

Aguas negras

Wastewater from sanitation installations

(containing excrete).

Slow sand

Filtration lente

Filtraci/TD>

Water treatment technique which

filtration

lenta en arena

combines mechanical filtration (sand)

with biological purification (see

Schmutzdecke).

Soakaway pit

Puits perdu

Pozo de

Hole filled with stones, used for

absorci/TD>

infiltration of wastewater.

Sodium

Hypochlorite

Hipoclorito

Chlorine-generating product (NaOCl)

hypochlorite

de calcium

de calcio

with 5 to 15 % available chlorine, much

less stable than solid products.

Sodium

Thiosulfate

Tiosulfato

Crystalline chemical substance used for

thiosulphat

de calcium

de sodio

dechlorinating drinking water.

Spring

Source

Manantial

Ground water which flows naturally to

the surface.

Standing

Eaux satgnantes

Aguas

Water from rain or human activities

stagnant water

estancadas

which stays on the ground surface.

Sterile

Stle

Estl

That which contains no germs or any

other form of life.

Sterilization

Stlisation

Esterilizaci/TD>

Elimination of all microorganisms from

water or from a surface: virus, bacteria

and microscopic fungi.

Stormwater

Eaux pluviales

Aquas pluviales

Rainwater running on the ground

(rein run-off)

surface (collected and disposed of

separately from wastewater).

Stock solution

Solution m

Soluciadre

Concentrated chlorine solution,

generally 1%, used for chlorinating a

known volume of water.

Strainer

Crne

Pichancha

Filter at the bottom of a motorpump

suction pipe to keep back large

impurities. Often used with a non

return foot valve.

Submersible pump

Pompe immerg

Bomba submergida

Pump with the pumping part under the

water (delivery only).

Subsurface

Epandage

Esparcimiento

Treatment and elimination of drainage

souterrain

subterraneo

wastewater by infiltration into the

subsoil.

Sullage/grey water

Eaux mgs

Aguas usadas

Wastewater from kitchens and

bathrooms.

Surface pump

Pompe de surface

Bomba de superficie

Handpump or motorpump with the

pumping part at the surface (suction

head limited to 7m).

Surface water

Eau de surface

Agua superficial

Water from precipitation, making

streams, rivers, lakes, ponds, etc.

Suspended

Matis en

Materias en

Organic and mineral particles solids

suspension

suspenci/TD>

suspended

in water.

Trench latrines

Feuill

Letrinas

Shallow trenches used for defecation in

atrincheradas

certain emergency situation.

Turbid water

Eau turbide

Aqua turbida

Water containing fine particles in

suspension which gives it a cloudy

appearance (turbidity is expressed in

NTU units).

Ventilated improved

Latrine ventilee

Letrina ventilada

Pit latrine equipped with a ventilation pit

(VIP) latrine

amelior

mejorada

pipe to reduce flies and odour, with a fly

screen at the top.

Virus

Virus

Virus

Extremely small living organisms,

which can only multiply inside living

cells which they parasitise.

Washing aria

Aire de lavage

Lavadero

Area or structure designed for washing

clothes and personal hygiene (washing

slab, wash tub etc).

Wastewater

Eaux us

Aguas servidas

Sewage and sullage.

Well

Puits

Pozo

Hole in the ground which enters an

anderground body of water (water table)

to allow its abstraction.

Distances

Surface

1 km = 0.6214 miles

1 km2 = 0.386 miles2 = 100 ha

1 m = 1.0936 yards

1 ha = 2.471 acres = 10000 m2

1 cm = 0.394 inches

1 m2 = 1.196 yd = 10000 cm2 = 10.76 in2

1 mile = 1.609 km

1 mile2 = 2.59 km2 = 240 acres = 259 ha

1 yard = 0.914 m

1 foot = 0.305 m

1 acre = 0.405 ha = 4.840 yd2

1 foot = 30.48 cm

1 yd2 = 0.836 m2 = 9 ft2

1 inch = 2.54 cm

1 ft2 = 0.09 m2 = 144 inch2 = 930 cm2

1 inch2 = 6.54 cm2

Volume

Capacity

1 m3 = 1.307 yd3 = 1000 litres

1 litre = 0.22UK Gal.

1 m3 = 35.32 ft3

= 1.76 UK Pints

1 cm3 = 0.061 in3

= 0.26US Gal

1 yd3 = 0.765 m3 = 27 ft3

= 2.11US Pints

1ft3 = 28.32 litres = 1728 in3

1ml = 0.0675 fluid ounces (fl.oz.)

1in3 = 16.39 ml

1 UK Gal. = 4.55 litres = 8 UK Pints = 1.20 US Gal.

1 US Gal. = 3.791 litres = 8 US Pints = 0.83UK Gal.

Weight

1 tonne = 0.984 long (UK) tons

1 UK Pint = 0568 litre = 20 fl. oz.

= 1.102 short (US) tons

1 US Pint = 0.473 litre = 16 fl. oz.

= 2204 pounds (lb)

1 fl. oz. = 28.41 ml

1 kg = 2.205 lb

= 35.27 oz

Water weight (at 16.7°, so 62°F)

1 g = 0.03oz 1litre = 1kg

1 UK ton = 1016 kg = 2240 lb

1 UK Gal.= 10lb

1 US ton = 907.1 kg = 2000 lb

1 US Gal.= 8.33lb

1 UK ton = 1.1 US ton

1 lb = 0.4 kg = 16 oz = 453.6g

1oz = 28.35g