Wastewater Management: UNEP perspectives

Dr. Anjan DattaEmail: anjan.datta@unep.org

UNEP Wastewater Management Program is designed to make a contribution to the

MDG 7 : Ensure environmental sustainability; Target 10 : To halve, by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and the proportion of people who do not have access to basic sanitation

UNEP operationalized its wastewater program in the light of the JPOI/WSSD in 2002

Water & Sanitation should not be restricted to “taps and toilets’”, but should include, wherever feasible, adequate collection, treatment, re-use and re-allocation to the environment of domestic waste and wastewater

UNEP strongly believes “Addressing the environmental dimensions of Water and Sanitation mitigates direct and indirect impacts on human and ecosystem health.

Unregulated discharge of wastewater undermines biological diversity, natural resilience and the capacity of the planet to provide fundamental ecosystem services, impacting both rural and urban populations and affecting sectors from health to industry, agriculture, fisheries and tourism

 

Improved sanitation and wastewater

management are central to health,

labor productivity and

thus poverty reduction.

Challenge is becoming more complex due to

Rapid Urbanization - >50 % global population live in urban areas

One in 3 city dwellers live in slums, and 2.6 billion lack adequate sanitation worldwide

 

Wastewater infrastructure is

not well maintained

Impacts of unregulated discharge/disposal of untreated wastewater into the environment

Run-off to water bodies - groundwater contamination - eutrophication, dead zones

Ecological impacts – loss of biodiversity e.g., coral reef, fishery

Estimate suggests wastewater

-related emissions of methane (CH4)

and nitrous oxide (N2O)

could rise by 50% and 25%

respectively by 2020

Economic impacts – billions of $$$$ !!!!!

health, tourism, fisheries, aquaculture, real estate and higher tariff (due to higher cost of producing drinking

water)

Global loss of ecosystem services due to eutrophication = USD 200 billions/year

UNEP wastewater management program – delivered through the GPA (Global Program of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities)

GPA - adopted in 1995 to prevent, reduce and control land-based activities and sources of pollution that threaten the health and productivity of the world’s oceans

Oceans, seas, islands and coastal areas form an integrated whole that is essential component of the Earth’s ecosystem and is critical for global food security and for sustaining economic prosperity and the well-being of many national economies Contribution of Coast and Ocean in Global GDPContribution of Coast and Ocean in Global GDP

Other Pragmatic Considerations:

70% mega-cities are coastal 38% global population live on the coast Many more come to the coast as visitors, for economic opportunities …….  

Open ocean25%

Terrestrial38%

Estuaries12%

Coastal38%

Seagrass/ algae beds

11%

Coral reefs 1%

Shelf13%

GPA Wastewater Management Program - Strategic Direction

Strengthening capacities of the public authorities to address priority problems; consider alternative solutions

This is achieved through:

- Normative Function: Key Principles, GuidelinesA practical guide for decision-makers and professionals on how to plan,design, and finance appropriate and environmentally sound municipal wastewater discharge systems

- Capacity Building Function - training Improving Municipal WW Management in CoastalCities Training Course –jointly with UNESCO-IHE Delft

The training focuses on four elements:Objective Oriented Planning Innovative Technological and Financial Approaches Stakeholder InvolvementPresentation Techniques and feasibility reporting,

Over 1800 trainees from 67 countries (+25% are women)

Demonstration Function – technology and management

Demonstration of at least 80% nutrient removal and 70% nutrient recycling rates in a selected demonstration sites;

Knowledge generations – Outreach, Awareness and Advocacy

.

Overall Implementation Approach

Conclusions

Targeted and sustained actions and investments are necessary

They should be designed to: Reduce volume and extent of water pollution

Capture water once polluted

Treat polluted water for return to environment

Safe reuse and recycle of wastewater for conserving water & nutrients

Support and strengthen a platform for the development of new and innovative technologies & management practices to enable actors to demonstrate social, economic and environmental dividends of sustainable wastewater management

 

Economic and environmental models need to be integrated

We need to find economic tools to better inform and drive changes to promote safe use of wastewater

Effective wastewater management would call for new approaches and outreach to society

We need to continue our collaborative efforts to create enabling condition for the development of right public policies

“Meeting the wastewater challenge is not a luxury but a prudent, practical and transformative act, able to boost public health, secure the sustainability of natural resources and trigger employment in better, more intelligent water management”

65 Governments in Manila on 26 January 2012 through adoption of Manila Declaration “decided to support development of a global partnership on wastewater and share among stakeholders information, lessons learned and best practices for wastewater management, including sound technologies that do not adversely affect the environment and biodiversity, and resource reduction, reuse and recycling approaches for the purposes of environmental protection, sanitation and human health, climate change and nutrient benefits so as to prompt coordinated action, and encourage new investments in wastewater management that meets these objectives

Let’s join to define a consolidated agenda to reduce the rate at which we alter the Earth system

Thank you