DEWATS for urban Nepal: a comparative assessment for community wastewater management
This paper provides a comparative assessment of community-scale decentralized wastewater treatment systems (DEWATS) in Nepal, based on three communities in urban and peri-urban locations. The analysis provides lessons for sustainable and future replications of this approach, highlighting the benefits, drivers for long-term operation and maintenance, and barriers associated with up-scaling. Nepal is experiencing the fastest rate of urbanization in the South Asian region, while sanitation and wastewater management are emerging as some of the biggest challenges in urban areas. Over 43 per cent of the population still lacks access to a toilet, and virtually all wastewater and septage is discharged into water bodies without treatment. These mounting problems of urban sanitation demand urgent and appropriate solutions. The inherent simplicity of DEWATS provides an effective, affordable, and low-maintenance option for treating wastewater. This is particularly the case for low-income communities.Arnstein, S.R. (1969) ‘A ladder of citizen participation’, Journal of the American Institute of Planners 35(4): 216–24
Eales, K., Blackett, I., Siregar, R. and Febriani, E. (2013) Water and Sanitation Program (WSP) report: Review of Community-Managed Decentralized Wastewater Treatment Systems in Indonesia, Washington, DC: World Bank.
Environment and Public Health Organization (ENPHO) (2010a) EcoSanRes 2: Nepal Node for Sustainable Sanitation – Project Document (2009–2010), Kathmandu, Nepal: ENPHO.
ENPHO (2010b) DEWATS FOR SUNGA COMMUNITY – Sunga, Madhyapur Thimi, Nepal, Factsheet on DEWATS, Kathmandu, Nepal: ENPHO.
ENPHO (2010c) DEWATS FOR SRIKHANDAPUR COMMUNITY – Srikhandapur, Dhulikhel, Nepal, Factsheet on DEWATS, Kathmandu, Nepal: ENPHO.
Gutterer, B., Sasse, L., Panzerbieter, T. and Reckerzügel, T. (2009) Decentralised Wastewater Treatment Systems (DEWATS) and Sanitation in Developing Countries: A Practical Guide, Loughborough, UK: Water, Engineering and Development Centre (WEDC).
IRIN (2012) ‘Nepal: looking to low-tech wastewater treatment’ [online], IRIN News, <www.irinnews.org/fr/report/94818/nepal-looking-to-low-tech-wastewater-treatment> [accessed 3 January 2014].
Lüthi, C., Morel, A., Tilley, E. and Ulrich, L. (2011) Community-Led Urban Environmental Sanitation Planning: CLUES, Dūbendorf, Switzerland: Eawag-Sandec/WSSCC/UN-HABITAT.
Muzzini, E. and Aparicio, G. (2013) Urban Growth and Spatial Transition in Nepal: An Initial Assessment, Washington, DC: World Bank.
Sherpa, M.G., Lüthi, C. and Koottatep, T. (2012) ‘Applying the Household-Centered Environmental Sanitation planning approach: a case-study from Nepal’, Journal of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Development 2(2): 124–32 <http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/washdev.2012.021>.
Tuladhar, B., Shrestha, P. and Shrestha, R. (2008) ‘Decentralised wastewater management using constructed wetlands’ in Beyond Construction. Use By All: A Collection of Case Studies from Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion Practitioners in South Asia, London, UK: WaterAid, IRC, WSSCC.
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) (2007) State of the World Population 2007: Unleashing the Potential of Urban Growth, New York: United Nations Population Fund.
WaterAid Nepal (2008) Fieldwork Paper: Ecological Sanitation Latrines – The experience of Nepal, Kathmandu, Nepal: WaterAid Nepal.
World Bank (2012) ‘South Asian experts share experiences of rural water supply and sanitation programs’ [press release], News, 10 October 2012 <http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2012/10/10/south-asian-experts-share-experiences-of-rural-water-supply-and-sanitation-programs> [accessed 3 January 2014].
Google Maps, (2012) ‘satellite photographs of Nepal’. Available at: <http://goo.gl/maps/0nfLD> ([Aaccessed: 3 January 2014]).
Arnstein, S.R. (1969) ‘A ladder of citizen participation’, Journal of the American Institute of Planners 35(4): 216–24
Eales, K., Blackett, I., Siregar, R. and Febriani, E. (2013) Water and Sanitation Program (WSP) report: Review of Community-Managed Decentralized Wastewater Treatment Systems in Indonesia, Washington, DC: World Bank.
Environment and Public Health Organization (ENPHO) (2010a) EcoSanRes 2: Nepal Node for Sustainable Sanitation – Project Document (2009–2010), Kathmandu, Nepal: ENPHO.
ENPHO (2010b) DEWATS FOR SUNGA COMMUNITY – Sunga, Madhyapur Thimi, Nepal, Factsheet on DEWATS, Kathmandu, Nepal: ENPHO.
ENPHO (2010c) DEWATS FOR SRIKHANDAPUR COMMUNITY – Srikhandapur, Dhulikhel, Nepal, Factsheet on DEWATS, Kathmandu, Nepal: ENPHO.
Gutterer, B., Sasse, L., Panzerbieter, T. and Reckerzügel, T. (2009) Decentralised Wastewater Treatment Systems (DEWATS) and Sanitation in Developing Countries: A Practical Guide, Loughborough, UK: Water, Engineering and Development Centre (WEDC).
IRIN (2012) ‘Nepal: looking to low-tech wastewater treatment’ [online], IRIN News, <www.irinnews.org/fr/report/94818/nepal-looking-to-low-tech-wastewater-treatment> [accessed 3 January 2014].
Lüthi, C., Morel, A., Tilley, E. and Ulrich, L. (2011) Community-Led Urban Environmental Sanitation Planning: CLUES, Dūbendorf, Switzerland: Eawag-Sandec/WSSCC/UN-HABITAT.
Muzzini, E. and Aparicio, G. (2013) Urban Growth and Spatial Transition in Nepal: An Initial Assessment, Washington, DC: World Bank.
Sherpa, M.G., Lüthi, C. and Koottatep, T. (2012) ‘Applying the Household-Centered Environmental Sanitation planning approach: a case-study from Nepal’, Journal of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Development 2(2): 124–32 <http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/washdev.2012.021>.
Tuladhar, B., Shrestha, P. and Shrestha, R. (2008) ‘Decentralised wastewater management using constructed wetlands’ in Beyond Construction. Use By All: A Collection of Case Studies from Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion Practitioners in South Asia, London, UK: WaterAid, IRC, WSSCC.
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) (2007) State of the World Population 2007: Unleashing the Potential of Urban Growth, New York: United Nations Population Fund.
WaterAid Nepal (2008) Fieldwork Paper: Ecological Sanitation Latrines – The experience of Nepal, Kathmandu, Nepal: WaterAid Nepal.
World Bank (2012) ‘South Asian experts share experiences of rural water supply and sanitation programs’ [press release], News, 10 October 2012 <http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2012/10/10/south-asian-experts-share-experiences-of-rural-water-supply-and-sanitation-programs> [accessed 3 January 2014].
Google Maps, (2012) ‘satellite photographs of Nepal’. Available at: <http://goo.gl/maps/0nfLD> ([Aaccessed: 3 January 2014]).
Arnstein, S.R. (1969) ‘A ladder of citizen participation’, Journal of the American Institute of Planners 35(4): 216–24
Eales, K., Blackett, I., Siregar, R. and Febriani, E. (2013) Water and Sanitation Program (WSP) report: Review of Community-Managed Decentralized Wastewater Treatment Systems in Indonesia, Washington, DC: World Bank.
Environment and Public Health Organization (ENPHO) (2010a) EcoSanRes 2: Nepal Node for Sustainable Sanitation – Project Document (2009–2010), Kathmandu, Nepal: ENPHO.
ENPHO (2010b) DEWATS FOR SUNGA COMMUNITY – Sunga, Madhyapur Thimi, Nepal, Factsheet on DEWATS, Kathmandu, Nepal: ENPHO.
ENPHO (2010c) DEWATS FOR SRIKHANDAPUR COMMUNITY – Srikhandapur, Dhulikhel, Nepal, Factsheet on DEWATS, Kathmandu, Nepal: ENPHO.
Gutterer, B., Sasse, L., Panzerbieter, T. and Reckerzügel, T. (2009) Decentralised Wastewater Treatment Systems (DEWATS) and Sanitation in Developing Countries: A Practical Guide, Loughborough, UK: Water, Engineering and Development Centre (WEDC).
IRIN (2012) ‘Nepal: looking to low-tech wastewater treatment’ [online], IRIN News, <www.irinnews.org/fr/report/94818/nepal-looking-to-low-tech-wastewater-treatment> [accessed 3 January 2014].
Lüthi, C., Morel, A., Tilley, E. and Ulrich, L. (2011) Community-Led Urban Environmental Sanitation Planning: CLUES, Dūbendorf, Switzerland: Eawag-Sandec/WSSCC/UN-HABITAT.
Muzzini, E. and Aparicio, G. (2013) Urban Growth and Spatial Transition in Nepal: An Initial Assessment, Washington, DC: World Bank.
Sherpa, M.G., Lüthi, C. and Koottatep, T. (2012) ‘Applying the Household-Centered Environmental Sanitation planning approach: a case-study from Nepal’, Journal of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Development 2(2): 124–32 <http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/washdev.2012.021>.
Tuladhar, B., Shrestha, P. and Shrestha, R. (2008) ‘Decentralised wastewater management using constructed wetlands’ in Beyond Construction. Use By All: A Collection of Case Studies from Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion Practitioners in South Asia, London, UK: WaterAid, IRC, WSSCC.
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) (2007) State of the World Population 2007: Unleashing the Potential of Urban Growth, New York: United Nations Population Fund.
WaterAid Nepal (2008) Fieldwork Paper: Ecological Sanitation Latrines – The experience of Nepal, Kathmandu, Nepal: WaterAid Nepal.
World Bank (2012) ‘South Asian experts share experiences of rural water supply and sanitation programs’ [press release], News, 10 October 2012 <http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2012/10/10/south-asian-experts-share-experiences-of-rural-water-supply-and-sanitation-programs> [accessed 3 January 2014].
Google Maps, (2012) ‘satellite photographs of Nepal’. Available at: <http://goo.gl/maps/0nfLD> ([Aaccessed: 3 January 2014]).
Arnstein, S.R. (1969) ‘A ladder of citizen participation’, Journal of the American Institute of Planners 35(4): 216–24
Eales, K., Blackett, I., Siregar, R. and Febriani, E. (2013) Water and Sanitation Program (WSP) report: Review of Community-Managed Decentralized Wastewater Treatment Systems in Indonesia, Washington, DC: World Bank.
Environment and Public Health Organization (ENPHO) (2010a) EcoSanRes 2: Nepal Node for Sustainable Sanitation – Project Document (2009–2010), Kathmandu, Nepal: ENPHO.
ENPHO (2010b) DEWATS FOR SUNGA COMMUNITY – Sunga, Madhyapur Thimi, Nepal, Factsheet on DEWATS, Kathmandu, Nepal: ENPHO.
ENPHO (2010c) DEWATS FOR SRIKHANDAPUR COMMUNITY – Srikhandapur, Dhulikhel, Nepal, Factsheet on DEWATS, Kathmandu, Nepal: ENPHO.
Gutterer, B., Sasse, L., Panzerbieter, T. and Reckerzügel, T. (2009) Decentralised Wastewater Treatment Systems (DEWATS) and Sanitation in Developing Countries: A Practical Guide, Loughborough, UK: Water, Engineering and Development Centre (WEDC).
IRIN (2012) ‘Nepal: looking to low-tech wastewater treatment’ [online], IRIN News, <www.irinnews.org/fr/report/94818/nepal-looking-to-low-tech-wastewater-treatment> [accessed 3 January 2014].
Lüthi, C., Morel, A., Tilley, E. and Ulrich, L. (2011) Community-Led Urban Environmental Sanitation Planning: CLUES, Dūbendorf, Switzerland: Eawag-Sandec/WSSCC/UN-HABITAT.
Muzzini, E. and Aparicio, G. (2013) Urban Growth and Spatial Transition in Nepal: An Initial Assessment, Washington, DC: World Bank.
Sherpa, M.G., Lüthi, C. and Koottatep, T. (2012) ‘Applying the Household-Centered Environmental Sanitation planning approach: a case-study from Nepal’, Journal of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Development 2(2): 124–32 <http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/washdev.2012.021>.
Tuladhar, B., Shrestha, P. and Shrestha, R. (2008) ‘Decentralised wastewater management using constructed wetlands’ in Beyond Construction. Use By All: A Collection of Case Studies from Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion Practitioners in South Asia, London, UK: WaterAid, IRC, WSSCC.
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) (2007) State of the World Population 2007: Unleashing the Potential of Urban Growth, New York: United Nations Population Fund.
WaterAid Nepal (2008) Fieldwork Paper: Ecological Sanitation Latrines – The experience of Nepal, Kathmandu, Nepal: WaterAid Nepal.
World Bank (2012) ‘South Asian experts share experiences of rural water supply and sanitation programs’ [press release], News, 10 October 2012 <http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2012/10/10/south-asian-experts-share-experiences-of-rural-water-supply-and-sanitation-programs> [accessed 3 January 2014].
Google Maps, (2012) ‘satellite photographs of Nepal’. Available at: <http://goo.gl/maps/0nfLD> ([Aaccessed: 3 January 2014]).
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