Sustainable Sanitation in Central and Eastern Europe by Richard Muller

GWP Consulting Partners Meeting Urbanization – Preparing the cities of tomorrow

Sustainable Sanitation in Central and Eastern Europe Richard Muller, GWP Central and Eastern Europe

Port of Spain, Trinidad, 28 June 2014

GWP Central and Eastern Europe

Population of 152 million

Area of over 2.03 million

km2

12 countries in Baltic and

Danube

Sanitation in Central and Eastern Europe

Lack of sanitation in small settlements • 30% of population lives in settlements with less than 2000

inhabitants (= 42 million people)

• 9% of these are so far connected to waste water plants

• Pollution of surface and groundwater → drinking water → water related diseases

• Lack of awareness, knowledge and application of proper management and operational practices

According to EU Urban Wastewater Directive, WWTP for settlements < 2000 PE are not obligatory

• BUT countries are obliged to meet the goals of Water Framework Directive – to achieve good status of waters

Challenges

Capacity and institutional

setting

Different legislation framework

Construction and proper operation

Sustainable Sanitation Task Force

2007

• Book: Sustainable sanitation in small and medium settlements

2011

• Questionnaire: Actual status on natural wastewater treatment

2014

• Guidebook: Natural ways of wastewater treatment

Results of the questionnaire study

Septic tanks

Activated sludge systems

Nature based waste water treatment

Activities in 2013 - 2014

Guidebook: Natural ways of wastewater treatment • Published in Czech and English language

• Peer reviewed by 2 experts in natural and extensive treatment technologies

• Available on CDs

International workshop in Ljubljana (4-5 April 2014) • In cooperation with sustainable sanitation and water management

(SSWM) Toolbox, GWP IUWM and GWP ToolBox

• Preparation of the regional project proposal

Activities in 2013 - 2014

Cooperation with Women in Europe for a Common Future • Policy paper on small scale water supply and sanitation in the pan

European region (WHO/UNECE publication)

• Target groups: decision makers on regional, national and local level; policy arena

• Goal: to highlight the need for explicit programmes and policies to improve small scale water supply and sanitation

• Chapters: Legislation; Organizational framework and partnership; Financial aspects; Standards; Networking; Education and qualifications; Awareness rising; Access to information and public participation; Water Safety Plan, Resource protection; Sanitation zoning; Surveillance; Reuse; Household treatment

• Publication by end of 2014

Activities in 2013 - 2014

Preparation of project proposal • Project title: Awareness rising and capacity building on sustainable

water supply and sanitation solutions for small settlements

• Based on the outcomes of questionnaire study on small scale wastewater treatment

• Work plan of Sustainable Sanitation Task Force

• Submitted to GWPO, 3 years, budget 700,000 €

• Drinking water – wastewater closed cycle (circular economy)

• Green infrastructure and testing ecosystem services provided by nature-based systems

Project proposal

Overcoming institutional and legislation barriers and wider application of nature based waste water plants

Water supply and sanitation addressed in integrated way → water security

Gdańsk University of Technology, Limnos, University of Ljubljana, Women in Europe for a Common Future and Women in Sustainable Development of Moldova

Project proposal – work packages

WP1: Increasing awareness and knowledge • Activity 1.1: Training of trainers on sustainable SSWSS policy and

planning

• Activity 1.2: National workshops on sustainable SSWSS

• Activity 1.3: Translation of the Guidebook: Natural ways of wastewater treatment into selected languages

WP2: Overcoming institutional and legal barriers • Activity 2.1: Regional workshop on sustainable SSWSS

Project proposal – work packages

WP3: Demonstration Projects • Activity 3.1: Design and construction of two small plants

• Activity 3.2: Design and implementation of WSP development

• Activity 3.3: Promotion and follow up of the pilot plants

WP4: Dissemination • Activity 4.1: Preparation and promotion of the awareness rising

brochure in all CEE languages

• Activity 4.2: Website and social media

• Activity 4.3: Dissemination of project activities and results

• WP5: Project management and governance • Activity 5.1: Project management

http://www.gwp.org/en/GWP-CEE/ http://www.gwp.org/en/GWP-CEE/