Water - Wastewater Treatment

Wastewater Treatment

Rapid urbanization and population growth, expansion of piped water services, and higher household water use all lead to increased wastewater discharge and potential pollution, with implications for the biodiversity of ecosystems in rivers, lakes, and coastal waters and for human health.

Key issues in wastewater treatment and management are the sequencing of on-site and offsite investment; the weighing of costs incurred against the benefits to downstream water quality; and step-wise approaches to investment, to match local demand and local institutional and financial capacity. Since the setting of wastewater goals and standards is the responsibility of river basin authorities and other public water resources management agencies, close coordination is needed between utilities and these bodies.

Creating wastewater infrastructure, like other large infrastructure, needs a long-term vision. Climate change and related variations including the risk of flooding as well as increased water scarcity (perhaps calling for the treatment and reuse of wastewater) make both the physical problems and the calculation of costs and benefits more complex.

Key Challenges
More rational allocation of resources is one the challenges affecting improved wastewater treatment. The level of treatment is best determined by tradeoffs between environmental impact and cost, but is often determined by unrealistic application of technological standards irrespective of cost. The first step is a commitment to design wastewater planning for environmental benefit rather than only to satisfy regulations, applying sound water resources management principles.

Improved sustainability of investments is another key challenge. The operation of wastewater treatment plants in developing countries tends to be extremely poor. When recurrent costs exceed water utility revenues, waste treatment is the easiest, least visible, element to cut. In addition, wastewater treatment requires competent and committed staff, who are in short supply.

World Bank Response
The World Bank supports sustainable investments in wastewater treatment and management. The World Bank is supporting projects involving wastewater treatment in peri-urban, urban, small town, and rural locations, with several projects spanning both rural and urban areas.