Arbee Mae L. Castro, Chanelie B. Tabliga, Patricia Antonette Merecido, Anthony Vince P. Bongo ¡ 5 authors
Wastewater disposal and treatment are critical, under-recognized components of public health and environmental protection in the Philippines. This systematic review synthesized evidence on wastewater system types, treatment technologies, assessment approaches, and population-level implications from January 1982 to 11 February 2026. Following PRISMA 2020, we searched Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Philippine E-Journals, and Google Scholar, plus 17 gray/institutional sources. From 717 records identified, 582 were screened and 120 full texts assessed; 57 sources (39 academic studies and 18 operational/regulatory documents) were included. Across four decades, wastewater management was constrained by fragmented governance, limited financing, weak local capacity, and low sewerage coverage, with most households relying on septic systems that often provide inadequate treatment. Evidence linked untreated or poorly treated wastewater to river and lake degradation, groundwater contamination, heavy metal bioaccumulation, eutrophication, and persistent chemical markers, while industrial case studies showed high removal efficiencies where compliant treatment was implemented. Decentralized and nature-based options (constructed wetlands, DHS, MSL, MBBR and hybrids) showed promising pollutant removal and community acceptability, and recent studies highlighted resource recovery and greenhouse-gas mitigation via sludge management. Overall, stronger coordination, investment, monitoring, septage management, and scalable decentralized solutions are essential for climate-aligned wastewater sustainability and public health protection.
This paper examines the tensions between existing infrastructure and the need for transitional change in Dutch municipal wastewater collection and treatment. In the Netherlands, sanitation is primarily managed by public actors, with local government playing a major role. The paper demonstrates how local governments navigate these tensions and are both restricted and enabled by the current infrastructure and governance arrangements. Based on interviews, literature reviews, and analyses of statistical trends, it describes five attempts at reform in Dutch sanitation from 1980 to 2020: phosphorus removal; separating stormwater from combined sewers; water cycle companies; energy factories; and decentralized sanitation. The multi-level governance system, with decentralized infrastructure and financing, allows local governments to experiment with alternative practices, develop knowledge, and employ various interactions to mainstream innovations. However, the division of tasks in Dutch sanitation governance tends to optimize sub-systems rather than the entire system. For nationwide implementation, legislation and strong central coordination are essential. Additionally, New Public Management reinforces existing infrastructure lock-in. The paper enhances our understanding of the local governmentâs role in transitional change and offers insights into how the challenges of existing infrastructure can be mitigated in pursuit of sustainable wastewater solutions.
Access to safe and sustainable drinking water services remains a significant challenge, particularly in rapidly urbanizing and climate-impacted urban and peri-urban areas. Traditional utilities, often operating under public-private partnerships, are frequently constrained by underinvestment, fragmented governance, and weak accountability, resulting in service gaps. Decentralized Drinking Water Services (DWS) offer adaptable, user-centered alternatives through locally tailored technologies and alternative water sources. However, their adoption is constrained by financial barriers, regulatory uncertainty, and limited community engagement. While previous studies have emphasized the technical and operational aspects of DWS, this study addresses a gap by examining how business model innovation can enable long-term adoption and scalability. Using a mixed-methods approach, combining a systematic literature review with interviews of private-sector providers, this research identifies Product-Service Systems, Social Enterprises, and Community-Based Management as key business models. Findings reveal that hybrid approaches, which bridge formal/informal, centralized/decentralized, and public/private boundaries, are central to navigating heterogeneous infrastructure configurations in diverse contexts. Providers must balance financial viability with equitable access, adapt to varying institutional capacities, and respond to evolving policy landscapes. The analysis shows that regions with advanced water infrastructure industries often shape service models in markets with more constrained resources, underscoring the need to adapt these transfers to local socio-political and cultural contexts. Scalable DWS delivery depends not only on technological innovation but also on coherent regulatory frameworks, inclusive governance, and financing strategies aligned with community affordability. Finally, the study calls for future policy efforts that prioritize coherent regulatory frameworks, including clear quality standards, permitting procedures for alternative water sources, mechanisms for public oversight, and community engagement to ensure long-term functionality and local ownership. ⢠Identifies business models enabling Decentralized Drinking Water Services in urban and peri-urban areas. ⢠Combines a systematic literature review with private-sector interviews. ⢠Shows hybrid models bridging formal/informal and centralized/decentralized systems. ⢠Highlights policy and regulations as key to scaling decentralized solutions. ⢠Finds financial viability and equitable access as central trade-offs for providers.
Ronald Sakaya, Charles B. Niwagaba, A.Y. Katukiza, Christoph LĂźthi
ABSTRACT This study reviews the status of access to water supply, sanitation, and solid waste management (SWM) services in Uganda, examining the influence of national government policies, institutional frameworks, and financing mechanisms. It employs a mixedâmethods approach, combining qualitative analysis of primary data from key informant interviews with secondary data from systematically reviewed literature, including performance reports, project data from ministries, development partner websites, and peerâreviewed journal articles. The findings reveal persistent challenges related to intersectoral coordination, overlapping roles, policy inconsistencies, stakeholder conflicts, and funding inefficiencies. Water services receive a disproportionately high percentage of funding (over 80%), whereas sanitation and SWM receive significantly less (approximately 5% and 10%, respectively). Regulations advocate for sustainability, but their implementation in small towns remains weak. Policy analysis at the local level suggests a misalignment that prioritizes SWM over individual water and sanitation services. Decentralization empowers local authorities, but successful service delivery depends on robust enforcement of available policies. The analysis of funding and service delivery gaps underscores the need for equitable resource allocation and integrated approaches. The study concludes by emphasizing the need for active engagement by governments, development partners, local communities, and the private sector to achieve equitable access to basic services.
Mohammad Tabieh, Tala Qtaishat, Khaleda M Al Ghazawi, Ahmad Jamrah ¡ 7 authors
Expanding centralized wastewater services to all regions in Jordan is constrained by economic, topographical, and engineering challenges. As a result, decentralized wastewater treatment systems (DEWATS) are increasingly recognized as a complementary solution, particularly for rural and peri-urban areas where centralized connectivity is unfeasible. This study aims to design a sustainable and scalable business model for DEWATS in Jordan, with a focus on overcoming the institutional, financial, and regulatory barriers that have historically hindered their adoption. The research integrates spatial diagnostics, stakeholder consultations, institutional analysis, and a comprehensive financial and economic evaluation of three nature-based DEWATS configurations designed for settlements of up to 5,000 population equivalent (PE). Indicators such as average incremental cost (AIC), net present value (NPV), internal rate of return (IRR), and benefit-cost (B/C) ratios were used to evaluate technical and operational viability under both private and public investment scenarios. While all configurations demonstrated strong economic performance (IRRs > 27%, B/C > 3.7), financial feasibility remains weak without public capital support due to high per capita costs and limited revenue collection in small communities. The study identifies critical challenges, including undefined institutional mandates, lack of certified operators and regulators, insufficient cost-recovery mechanisms, and underdeveloped markets for private sector participation in O&M. Furthermore, existing tariff structures and bylaws do not adequately support capital investment or full operational cost recovery by private service providers. To address these gaps, the paper proposes a hybrid public-private-community business model incorporating performance-based service contracts, revised regulatory standards, and blended financing instruments. The model emphasizes the integration of DEWATS into spatial water safety planning, climate-resilient system design, and resource recovery to enhance environmental, social, and financial sustainability.
This review paper aims to examine the key challenges associated with wastewater management in major cities of the East African region and explore the emerging opportunities for addressing this crisis. An extensive database search identified 100 peer-reviewed publications related to wastewater crisis in East Africa. The reviewed literature was analysed and synthesized to develop an understanding of the topic. The findings from this review have shown that less than 55% of the East African population (30% in Tanzania, 40% in Uganda, 50% in Kenya, 40% in Rwanda, 20% in Burundi, 30% in Ethiopia, 50% in Sudan, and 15% in Somalia) is connected to sewers systems. Additionally, the study has revealed the following issues as the main challenges facing wastewater management in East Africa; poor infrastructure, regulatory and institutional deficiencies, poor financing and cost recovery mechanism, and poor community participation and utility management, which in turn results to potential environmental and public health implications. This paper has also identified possible innovative strategies and emerging opportunities for sustainable wastewater management. These include; decentralized wastewater treatment systems, resource recovery and reuse, publicâprivate partnerships, policy and governance reforms and the use of modern technologies such as membrane filtration, advanced oxidation processes, and electrochemical treatment methods. In addition, the role of policy and governance reforms in enabling sustainable wastewater management in East Africa has also been emphasized, in this paper. The findings of this review emphasize the urgent need for comprehensive policies, investments, and collaborative efforts to address the wastewater crisis and harness the potential benefits of wastewater as a resource.
Decentralized household wastewater treatment systems are gaining increasing attention as a sustainable alternative to centralized systems for managing household wastewater streams which includes the grey, black and storm water, particularly in developing countries and rural areas. Decentralized household wastewater treatment systems offer several advantages, including reduced infrastructure costs, lower environmental impact, improved local water quality, and increased adaptability to site-specific conditions. However, the widespread adoption and long-term sustainability of household wastewater treatment systems face various challenges. This review paper examines the key challenges and perspectives in the household wastewater streams. The main challenges identified include lack of awareness and education among stakeholders, institutional and regulatory barriers, financial constraints, limited technology options, and socio-cultural acceptance. The review also explores the perspectives for overcoming these challenges, such as enhancing education and awareness programs, developing standardized designs and guidelines, establishing sustainable financing mechanisms, and promoting sustainable and circular solutions, and appropriate technology development. By addressing these challenges and leveraging the opportunities, Decentralized household wastewater treatment systems can play a crucial role in improving sanitation, reducing environmental degradation, and supporting sustainable water management in diverse settings.
Maria PĂŠrez RubĂ, Conrad Schiffmann, Jochen Hack
In Costa Rica, water supply networks provide water to over 94% of the country's population. However, only an estimated 14% of wastewater receives proper treatment. The lack of centralized sanitation infrastructure has resulted in the use of septic tanks and the discharge of untreated greywater into rivers, causing environmental degradation of surface waters. Retrofitting conventional centralized sewer networks and treatment plants into the existing urbanization presents extensive social, economic, and technical challenges. Nature-based Solutions (NbS) for greywater treatment can reduce pollutant loads and improve the environmental status of water resources and represent an opportunity for technical leapfrogging towards sustainable, decentralized on-site treatment and reuse. However, the implementation of NbS in urban areas poses significant challenges due to the complex interplay of social, regulatory, and economic factors. Specifically, for on-site greywater treatment systems, meeting several criteria, including efficient pollutant removal, affordability, and public acceptance is essential for successful implementation and operation. This study assesses the technical, socio-economic, and political-regulatory dimensions relevant to implementing NbS for decentralized greywater treatment. To conduct this research, a Real-World Lab was established in the Great Metropolitan Area of Costa Rica, employing a transdisciplinary approach. This approach provided a physical space and societal context to integrate site-specific aspects and understand the various factors that influence the implementation and upscaling of NbS. As part of our methodology, we analyzed the water quality parameters and treatment performance of a NbS prototype for decentralized greywater treatment. Within the Real-World Lab framework, we conducted interviews, surveys, and field observations to investigate socio-economic and political-regulatory aspects. Our results highlight the technical potential of the NbS prototype. However, the limitation lies in the governance scheme and financing mechanisms required for upscaling the NbS as a decentralized on-site technology across the country. Our multidimensional assessment provides insights into the requirements for widespread implementation of NbS, applicable to other regions facing similar retrofitting sanitation challenges.
Jean Pierre Bavumiragira, Hailong Yin, Edwin Kipkrui, Pascaline Uyisaba ¡ 6 authors
The purpose of this paper is to review the effects of inadequately operating decentralized sewage treatment systems, lack of sewerage systems/networks and their centralized sewage treatment systems, and improper disposal of solid and liquid waste (sewage mixed with other hazardous processed chemicals from septic tanks or toilets) on the aquatic environment (surface water and groundwater) and human life. As a result of the lack of a sewerage system or network in the country, 81.6% of the improved sanitation in Rwanda uses pit latrines with solid slabs, according to the census report of household living conditions EICV 4 that was approved by the Rwanda National Institute of Statistics in March 2016. High-altitude topography has significantly contaminated surface and groundwater in a number of locations, including the capital city of Kigali. The complexity of wastewater management has also been exacerbated by the high level of life in the area and the absence of government financing for the creation of various initiatives for centralized sanitation. A count of 1.3 million people in Kigali means that the city has neither centralized sewage treatment nor central sewage networks. Except for a few semi-centralized sewage treatment systems, septic tanks with soak-away pits are primarily used, together with pit latrines. Due to untreated sewage being disposed inappropriately into the environment, they have potential negative impacts on surface and groundwater resources or in some cases direct discharge to open watercourse. Current examples of streams and rivers receiving inappropriately disposed sewage include Ruganwa, Rwanzekuma, Yanze, and the Mpazi rivers, as well as all tributaries of Nyabugogo River. The problem of water pollution is getting worse as anthropogenic contaminants enter the water cycle. Emerging organic contaminants (EOCs) are of particular concern. For example, pharmaceutical and personal care products are not regulated under current environmental laws. Therefore, they may cause ecological or human health impacts. Since 2016 Kigali city was proposed to have the first centralized sewerage system and construction of wastewater treatment plant through the project named âRwanda Sustainable Water Supply and Sanitation Program (RSWSSP)â. The final version of the environmental impact assessment (ESIA) received by Rwanda Development Board stated that this problem will be addressed by the RSWSSP program by developing Kigali's first centralized sewerage system, as well as by managing the solid wastes and fecal sludges generated by the 6 satellite cities of Kigali. However, although the projectâs ESIA has already been finished it has not been implemented yet. The paper examined the main causes of water pollution in Rwanda's densely populated areas, particularly in the capital city Kigali, the potential effects of a lack of urban centralized sewerage systems, the inadequacy of currently available decentralized technologies to protect human life and the ecosystem, and the public's awareness of the new organic water contaminants that are currently being found in water environments. Also suggested were some of the finest management techniques for safeguarding Rwanda's water resources.
Jennifer McConville, Elisabeth KvarnstrĂśm, Marcus AhlstrĂśm, Charles B. Niwagaba
Pressure is growing to develop innovative decentralized sanitation systems that protect public health and recover resources. This study evaluates the opportunities for niche technologies focusing on nutrient resource recovery to enter the market in Greater Kampala, Uganda. It applies methodology from sustainability transition studies in a novel way to provide new insights into possibilities for change in the on-site sanitation sector. The study 1) characterizes the existing socio-technical regime for on-site sanitation, 2) identify stress points in the regime and 3) possible advantages for the niches. Assessment of the regime covers technology, epistemic practice, sector values, organisational modes, policy and financing. The niches include urine diversion toilets, on-site resource recovery, and container-based models. The on-site sanitation regime is under performing and the niches all offer advantages for improved service and resource use. However, it will be difficult for the niches to break into a sector in which epistemic practice, organisational modes and financing are heavily dominated by the sewage regime. Recommendations for creating a more open environment for innovation are provided for specific stakeholders.
Mathurin François, Marc Arthur Petit-Homme, Eduardo Cohim, SĂlvio Roberto MagalhĂŁes Orrico ¡ 5 authors
Abstract The use of rainwater is a reliable alternative for reducing clean water consumption and water bills. This study assessed the willingness of Haitians to invest in rainwater infrastructure (RWI). A questionnaire with closed and open-ended questions was used for this purpose. For closed-ended questions, â0â and â1â were used for negative and positive answers, respectively. Other numbers were used to encode the open-ended questions. The two-tailed Z-test was used to compare two proportions, where a result was statistically significant when the p-value was less than 0.05. Of 362 rainwater users, 81.2% used it for washing, bathing, cooking, flushing, and drinking. Approximately 73.4% of households with 1â3 people, compared with 84.0% of families with 4â6 people, used rainwater. Of all the respondents, 82.3% would invest in RWI if the government agreed to finance up to 50.0% of the project. More than 73.0% of respondents in each locality would invest in rainwater in RWI under the conditions previously mentioned. It is concluded that the implementation of RWI and decentralization of water systems would be welcomed by the rainwater users in Haiti, but the unwillingness of the Haitian government could be the main barrier to such a transition.
Giulia Cipolletta, E. GĂśzde Ăzbayram, Anna Laura Eusebi, ĂaÄrÄą Akyol ¡ 7 authors
Water supply and reuse through non-conventional water resources can significantly decrease the stress on natural water resources. Decentralized systems can help not only to alleviate issues of water security in arid areas, but also to create a sustainable framework within a circular economy. Although these small-scale innovative technologies are able to achieve ready-to-use, high quality of recovered/treated water on-site, the loop cannot be closed in most cases due to legislative barriers. Similarly, the end-use of sewage sludge after treatment in decentralized systems still lacks specific regulations that limit its valorization. This work analyzes the current policy and legislations related to water supply, wastewater treatment, water reuse and resource valorization within the context of decentralized state-of-the-art technologies applied in rural areas. The drawbacks in the current EU legislation that set barriers to close water-related loops in European countries are highlighted. A regulatory fitness check was applied to each type of loop to identify the key factors to accomplish the legislative compliance, and financing pathways were further evaluated at the EU level. As a possible solution, further development of an innovation deal approach is recommended to address the environmental, regulatory and financial gaps in water management through an integrated framework, providing ad-hoc policies and prescriptions for sustainable reuse of all water resources.
In the irrigated agricultural areas of Pakistan, the major sources of irrigation are canal water and groundwater. Due to the scarcity of canal water the dependency on groundwater is rapidly increasing in many areas of Pakistan. The groundwater is not only expensive, inadequate, and non-affordable for the small farmers but also of inferior quality. Much of the wastewater which is produced in urban and peri-urban areas is directly or indirectly used for irrigation without any kind of treatment. It appears that suitable technologies for decentralized treatment are avoided but other barriers to the wide adoption of the decentralized approach also exists. These barriers include lack of finance and suitable land, devoid of knowledge and skills and a lack of flexibility in official design standards. This study is an effort to check the status of treatment of the wastewater generated in Faisalabad: The area irrigated with wastewater in and around Faisalabad, quality of wastewater used to grow crops in wastewater irrigated areas, types of crops grown with wastewater, mechanism and composition of wastewater used and supplied to the farmers and farmer’s perception about the social and adverse impacts on human health and constraints in wastewater irrigation. To reduce these barriers several opportunities for improving wastewater management are to be considered via improved policies, institutional dialogues and financial mechanisms, which would reduce the risks in food chain contamination in agriculture practices. Effluent standards combined with incentives or enforcement can motivate improvements in water management by household and industrial sectors discharging wastewater from point sources. Segregation of chemical pollutants from urban wastewater facilitates treatment and reduces risk. Strengthening institutional capacity and establishing links between water delivery and sanitation sectors through inter-institutional coordination leads to more efficient management of wastewater and risk reduction. Key words: Wastewater irrigation, wastewater implication, constraints, farmer ‘perception, food chain contamination.
Vietnam is among the most climate change vulnerable and disaster-prone nations, and water is the first sector to be affected by climate change.Being one of the developing countries launching climate policies, the country has recently announced to strive for a low-carbon economy.Nevertheless, there is a mismatch in the development strategy for the power sector and the climate-related policies which might lead to the ambiguous in the further implementation of climate change mitigation strategies.To achieve sustainable development and green growth, the government goal is to increase renewable energy share to 9.4 % and wastewater treatment to 80 % in the year 2030.However, there are no specific guidelines to accomplish the multiple targets.The research goal is to propose the integrated mechanism of renewable energy supply (run-off-river hydropower) and decentralized wastewater treatment system.The proposed mechanism is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emission from power generation and alleviate environment pollution from domestic wastewater.The objective of this study has been three-fold.First, to estimate the potential of small hydropower (in the form of run-off-river hydropower) and its contribution to greenhouse gas emission reductions in the representative river basin of Vietnam.Second, to estimate the potential for greenhouse gas emission reductions by providing adequate domestic wastewater treatment facilities.Third, to demonstrate the co-benefits of the integrated mechanism through scenario analysis, considering social, financial feasibility and carbon crediting scheme.The result of our study highlighted that run-off-river hydropower potential has potential to fulfill the electricity demand for the rural villages in the Vu Gia-Thu Bon River basin, especially remote communities without access to the grid with the total capacity 277 MW with a capacity factor of 40.2 %.Also, off grid hydropower can serve as alternative electricity source to ensure the reliability of the grid by reducing grid load, prevent from blackout and brownout.Besides, renewable electricity generation from ROR hydropower scheme will provide power for decentralized wastewater treatment facilities within the watersheds.This study proposes scenario four is the most applicable for the region with the GHG reduction amount of 0.45 mil.tCO2eq.In this scenario, the Japanese Johkasou system could serve 30 % of the total rural household especially in the mountainous areas in the up and middle stream of the Vu Gia-Thu Bon River basin, where the population density is relatively lower than the downstream.In populated areas downstream, centralized or semi-centralized wastewater treatment system is favored and more efficient.Full implementation of ROR hydropower generation and wastewater treatment system would reduce the total amount of 0.38 million tCO2eq per year (on-grid) and 0.60 million tCO2eq per year (off-grid).Regarding financial aspect of investment in wastewater treatment facilities, the main budget comes from external assistant Official Development Assistance (ODA) in the form of grants, technical assistance and loans; and the priority is to invest in urban wastewater treatment.Therefore, the obstacle for installation of Johkasou and wastewater treatment system in the rural and less developed area remains as one of the biggest challenges.Nevertheless, this treatment scheme, besides environmental conservation, a substantial amount of GHG emissions can be reduced.With existing Carbon trading schemes, this system has potential to attract carbon finance from Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) or Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM) projects.Emissions reduction from wastewater treatment can be credited to existing carbon-trading scheme, to minimize the initial cost of system construction including installation of Johkasou.On the other hand, GHG emissions can also be reduced utilizing renewable energy for wastewater treatment eliminates grid emissions.The high uncertainty of emission calculation can be minimized by the accessibility of local data or existing empirical data.The research finding indicates government's GHG emissions reduction target in the waste sector can be set up to 16 %.Moreover, a method to develop emission inventory for wastewater treatment in rural areas of developing countries from the watershed approach is proposed.Also, this study raises the potential of utilizing existing carbon emission trading schemes for an initial investment of the wastewater treatment facilities through carbon credit.Also, the small hydropower system has a lower cost compared with conventional diesel generator based system, and even lower than the retail electricity tariff from the government.The economic advantage can interest private entities to invest in rural electrification even without government subsidies.Therefore, creates advantages for implementing on/off-grid hydropower than other renewable energy such as the wind or solar PV.The negative abatement cost for small hydropower over conventional diesel generator which is -195.51USD/tCO2 (off grid) or -48.18USD/ tCO2 indicates that cost for CO2 mitigation can be saved.Although this result is vary depending on the fuel price projection as well as plant capacity and discounted value of electricity sold, the similar negative value is observed from Blum et al., (2013).Finally, the demonstration of co-benefits was performed by scenario-based analysis.The result shows that under domestic conditions the project return period is 18.39 years, and IRR is 8.5 %.The IRR for base case is smaller than the benchmark IRR, which is 10% indicate that this project would likely not happen.If the project is implemented under the integrated mechanism, the project payback periods are from 7.31 years to 18.17 years and IRRs are from 10.04% to 26.57%.Our study also emphasizes the potential of ROR hydropower development for rural electrification in the context of Vu Gia-Thu Bon River basin.This study employed the holistic approach to providing private entities as well as foreign investors with a comprehensive assessment of demand, supply, and economic values.The results from this study may assist the private sector to make the decision for investment in rural electrification projects.The study provides quantitative evidences for the government of Vietnam, policy makers as well as developers.There is a potential to establish and implement an integrated mechanism for sustainable energy supply and rural development by utilizing existing emission trading schemes such as CDM co-benefits or JCM v
This paper presents two case studies for the delivery of wastewater servicing solutions: one in Ontario, Canada and the other in Gujarat State, India. In each case a decentralized small diameter gravity sewer wastewater collection and treatment system was implemented for servicing residential developmentâwith some interesting differences and similarities. The first case is a small private mobile home park in Eastern Ontario under a Ministry of Environment Order to address failing on-site septic systems. The Municipality was obliged to take over operation of the on-site systems; however, there were not adequate funds available to rectify the failing systems. A group of local companies initiated the process to find and deliver a solution featuring a Design-Build-Operate-Finance model for a private communal sewage system showcasing advanced wastewater technology. The second case is a rural Indian village without wastewater servicing infrastructure, but with considerable political incentive to implement a new low-maintenance communal sewage system funded through a government-regulated corporate social responsibility program. The completion of the project will enable this village to be cited as the first open defecation free village in Gujarat State; however, success will ultimately be measured by long-term user buy-in. Each case study will discuss the project context; implementation of design, approvals and construction; financial and delivery model; and key success factors and lessons learned. Both case studies will highlight how using unconventional technology and innovative funding enabled the implementation of decentralized wastewater solutions in each situation
Manfred van Afferden, Jaime Cardona, Mi-Yong Lee, Ali Subah ¡ 5 authors
Planners and decision-makers in the wastewater sector are often confronted with the problem of identifying adequate development strategies and most suitable finance schemes for decentralized wastewater infrastructure. This paper research has focused on providing an approach in support of such decision-making. It is based on basic principles that stand for an integrated perspective towards sustainable wastewater management. We operationalize these principles by means of a geographic information system (GIS)-based approach 'Assessment of Local Lowest-Cost Wastewater Solutions'--ALLOWS. The main product of ALLOWS is the identification of cost-effective local wastewater management solutions for any given demographic and physical context. By using universally available input data the tool allows decision-makers to compare different wastewater solutions for any given wastewater situation. This paper introduces the ALLOWS-GIS tool. Its application and functionality are illustrated by assessing different wastewater solutions for two neighboring communities in rural Jordan.
1. Look as shit as an asset, the beginning of a whole sanitation value chain 2. Emphasize the role of the private sector in sanitation, in particular small scale private enterprises 3. Pay attention to the economics of investing in sanitation 4. Increase the efficiency of the sanitation value chain 5. Look at advantages of small scale decentralized versus large scale centralized waste water treatment (WWT) plants 6. Considering sanitation as a multi-governance challenge 7. Consider the economics of different technological options for sanitation 8. Incorporating informality in the sanitation sector 9. Tap alternative sources of finance for sanitation 10. Be aware of the politics of sanitation