Book Description

Where, when, and how much to invest in wastewater treatment is a policy decision that presents many challenges and is not properly addressed in most situations worldwide. The most common situations are, unfortunately, those in which no treatment is provided at all... The integration of wastewater management and pollution control interventions and policies within the broader water resources management policy are essential for achieving the efficient use of the scarce resource available. With that in mind, this paper has three objectives: * Emphasize the need for systematic evaluation of wastewater management actions and investments as part of any water resources management initiative. * Define the conceptual framework that should guide the analysis process. * Identify and explore techniques appropriate to this analysis. The ultimate purpose of the paper is to provide a general approach to developing and implementing wastewater management interventions. Its scope is determined by two main considerations: (i) the need to incorporate the general principles that determine water resources management policies into the design and selection of wastewater management and pollution control interventions; and (ii) the need to address water quality problems at the appropriate geographical scale.