THE ROLE OF DECENTRALIZED WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY

摘要

The orderly development of urban and near urban areas is dependent on the availability of water.In areas where the available sources of water are limited or are unreliable, it is now recognizedthat wastewater represents a very reliable water source. In the future, as the demand for freshwater exceeds the supply and the value of water increases, the role and importance of water reusewill continue to expand. As long-term strategies are developed to optimize the use of waterresources to protect the environment and to sustain development, it is clear that decentralizedwastewater management (DWM), which may be defined as the collection, treatment, and reuseof wastewater at or near the point of waste generation, will become an important element ofthose strategies. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the development and implementation ofeffective DWM systems that will contribute to the maintenance of public health as well assustainable growth and development.