What is a Wastewater Treatment Indicator?

What is Wastewater Treatment? This indicator tracks how well countries treat wastewater from households and industrial sources before it is dumped into the environment. It tracks the performance of basic wastewater management. Those receiving water collection and treatment Those not receiving water treatment Primary Treatment and Beyond There are different levels of wastewater treatment. We consider the definition "at least primary treatment," which removes a lot of suspended solids and reduces biochemical oxygen demand. Extra steps may be taken to treat the water further. Methods Chlorine sometimes Mechanical methods, like filters and screens added for disinfection Wastewater collected Wastewater treated How do we know? The Index Score The Percentage of Wastewater Treated The Percentage of Population Connected to for Wastewater in the Sewerage System the Sewerage Network Treatment The amount of The proportion of population connected to wastewater treated the sewerage networks The amount of The proportion of population not connected to the sewerage networks wastewater not treated The total amount of wastewater in the system, from household and some industrial sources. The total resident populationin a country. Why does it matter? Downstream Effects of Harmful for Harmful for Aquatic Ecosystem Public Heath Wastewater The downstream effects of untreated wastewater are bad for public health and the health of aquatic ecosystems. When pollutants enter the water cycle, aquatic species and humans can be directly harmed through infection or the disruption of their biological development, and they can be harmed indirectly through nutrient loading that causes eutrophication. Heavy metal pesticides and/or pollutants Waterborne Sickness Algae bloom Amphibian development disruption Fish die-off disease from eating shellfish Do you know? 90% 80% Up to 90% of wastewater in in developing countries is sent into rivers and open 80% of the world's marine pollution comes from sources onland, and wastewater con- water bodies. tributes to much of it. Environmental Performance Index References • Corcoran, E., Nellemann, C., Baker, E., Bos, ., Osborn, D., Savelli, H. (Eds). (2010). Sick Water? The central role of wastewater management in sustainable development: A Rapid Response Assessment, United Nations Environment Programme, UN-HABITAT, GRID-Arendal. Available: http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=617&ArticlelD=6504&l=en&t=long. • World Bank. Introduction to wastewater treatment processes." Available: http://water.worldbank.org/shw-resource-guide/infrastructure/menu-technical-options/wastewater-treatment • Baum, R., Luh, J., & Bartram, J (2013). Sanitation: A global estimate of sewerage connections without treatment and the resulting impact on MDG progress. Environmental Science & Technology, 47, 1994-2000.oxide Emissions?", What's Your Impact (WYI): http://www.whatsyourimpact.org/co2-sources.php