Appropriate technology selection for sewage treatment In the rural Eastern Cape

Waterborne sanitation is being proposed for many areas in South Africa, including the rural Eastern Cape. Legislation prescribes sewage treatment plants to produce a high quality effluent for discharging to water resources. This requirement effectively disqualifies lowtechnology options from being considered. Research was performed into selecting the most appropriate treatment technology for rural applications. An appropriate technology was defined as a technology with a suitable balance between the three spheres of sustainability (Environmental, Economic and Societal) while still complying with the BATNEEC principle (Best Available Technology Not Entailing Excessive Costs). A set of sustainability indicators for the study area was developed to select three realistic treatment options. Thereafter these were evaluated for local adaptation and a Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) process was used to select the preferred technology. It was determined that the Waste Stabilisation Pond system is the most appropriate technology, provided that effluent is re-used for agricultural purposes.