Key criteria for considering decentralization in municipal wastewater management

Abstract

Wastewater pollution problems are associated with population growth and the concentration of population in large urban centers. According to United Nations projections for 2050, the world population will reach 9 billion people, increasing the pressures on water resources due to their demand and pollution. Based on UNICEF and World Health Organization estimates, 2.4 billion people worldwide currently lack access to improved sanitation facilities, with 946 million practicing open defecation. Decentralized wastewater treatment systems are a viable and necessary alternative for wastewater management, thus, minimizing environmental impacts, facilitating resource recovery, and providing rural and peri-urban inhabitants with access to basic sanitation. This literature review article uses the multicriteria analysis tool to present the key economic, institutional, social, environmental, and technological aspects, criteria, and indicators that must be considered for successful decentralized system implementation planning to strengthen basic sanitation service coverage in the rural and peri-urban areas where it does not exist.

Tantangan Infrastruktur Sanitasi Terhadap Penyebaran Virus Sars-Cov-2 Melalui Feses Manusia Selama Pandemi Covid-19: Sebuah Review

“…Pertumbuhan penduduk yang pesat, khususnya di Indonesia, akan meningkatkan tekanan terhadap sumber daya air karena kebutuhan dan pencemarannya. Di seluruh dunia saat ini kekurangan akses ke fasilitas sanitasi yang lebih baik, dengan 946 juta orang melakukan buang air besar sembarangan (Bernal et al, 2021).…”

A Simple Method for Identifying Appropriate Areas for Onsite Wastewater Treatment

“…Simplicity and replicability appear to have hindered SDSS development and later adoption by intended users. There are numerous studies and vast international experience in the field [15][16][17]23,31,[38][39][40], and well-known institutional and governmental guidelines from different countries, such as the Environmental Protection Agencies (EPA) from the U.S.A. and Ireland [5,20]. The number of factors suggested in most studies could be inaccessible or unmanageable for most governments in developing countries, especially at the municipal or local level.…”

“…In these particular cases, if viable, the investment in a centralized treatment plant could be less due to pre-treatment in existent septic systems. Thus, it appears that the definition of the ideal system to be implemented in an area is linked to a deep analysis of regional characteristics, the evaluation of existing facilities and the specific demands of the population served [17].…”

“…The use and management of ODWTS have become an important research focus worldwide [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18]. Domestic wastewater is composed of a mixture of effluents from toilet and other domestic sources, such as showers, washing machines, and washrooms.…”

Combined compact anaerobic reactors and lamella settlers for decentralized sewage treatment

“…DEWATS must be of low cost and have little or no need for operation and maintenance, as well, usually working without external power input. DEWATS treat raw wastewater at or near its generation site (Bernal & Restrepo 2012).…”