Septage treatment in Indonesia: lessons from field investigations in seven cities

More than 80% of urban households in Indonesia have access to sanitation, mostly provided by on-site facilities. This creates a need for septage management systems, including treatment. The Government of Indonesia has provided septage treatment plants in over 100 cities but few of these operate as intended and many no longer function. The paper describes assessments undertaken to establish the reasons for poor performance and to identify appropriate responses. The focus is on design but the paper also identifies concerns about the lack of relevant information and the need to tackle design and management challenges in an integrated way.