WEDC Technical Brief No. 64: Wastewater treatment options

This Technical Brief reviews some of the options for wastewater treatment in low- and middle-income communities. It should be used as a guide to the main options available.

Wastewater management is a costly business. Once wastewaters (taken here to mean any combination of domestic sewage and industrial effluents) are produced and collected in sewerage systems, then treatment becomes a necessity. It is important to note that reducing the volume of wastewater produced and/or avoiding the need for sewerage and treatment in the first instance has many advantages; the decision to move away from properly implemented on-site sanitation should not be taken lightly.