Improving sewage treatment technology

Description

Improving sewage treatment technology involves upgrading and optimizing processes to more effectively remove contaminants, pathogens, and nutrients from wastewater before discharge or reuse. This strategy targets reducing water pollution, protecting public health, and conserving water resources. Key actions include adopting advanced filtration, biological treatment, and energy-efficient systems, as well as integrating monitoring and automation. These improvements remedy issues of inadequate sanitation, environmental degradation, and resource wastage associated with outdated or insufficient sewage treatment infrastructure.

Context

This strategy features in the framework of Agenda 21 as formulated at UNCED (Rio de Janeiro, 1992), now coordinated by the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development and implemented through national and local authorities. Agenda 21 recommends that an international funding mechanism should be created for the application of appropriate sewage treatment technology and building sewage treatment facilities, including grants or concessional loans from international agencies and appropriate regional funds, replenished at least in part on a revolving basis by user fees.