Sustainable wastewater management for small communities in the Middle Eastand North Africa

Accelerated expansion of wastewater services to small communities in the Mi ddle East and North Africa (MENA) is essential in order to address serious concerns over water scarcity and pollution in addition to meeting the deman d for convenience and protecting public health. Centralized and conventiona l wastewater systems are currently the preferred choice of planners and dec ision-makers in MENA. Water and funding are not available to provide these centralized conventional services to small communities. This paper presents an integrated approach to sustainable wastewater manage ment for small communities in MENA under the severe water resources crisis. The approach calls for a paradigm shift from centralized conventional wast ewater systems to decentralized wastewater systems. Management of wastewate r in MENA should start at home. Wastewater generation should be reduced thr ough a combination of domestic water conservation measures. On-site systems must be improved and monitored to control pollution and to recover water f or non-potable water uses. Should the circumstances not allow the use of on -site systems, wastewater should be transported and managed through a commu nity system applying the principles of decentralized wastewater management and using the settled sewers for wastewater transportation where appropriat e. This approach will facilitate the accelerated and sustainable extension of environmentally responsible wastewater services to MENA's small communities . It offers great potential for cost reduction, accommodates the necessary domestic water conservation efforts, reduces freshwater inputs in wastewate r transportation thus eliminating unnecessary demand on freshwater, reduces associated environmental risks and increases wastewater reuse opportunitie s. (C) 2001 Academic Press.