Sustainable Management of Wastewater in Sub-Saharan Africa Region
摘要
In this chapter, solutions to manage wastewater (WW) in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) region were highlighted. It was evident that improvement of access to water, sanitation and hygiene is key in curtailing mismanagement and discharge of untreated WW to the environment. This can be realized by eradicating open defecation in the region and funding the adoption and use of safe sanitation facilities. The chapter emphasized on the need to adopt green technologies to remediate WW pollutants effectively so that the resource meets predefined local and international standards and does not induce secondary pollution. Improvement of human capacity, tools and equipment to assay for WW pollutants before and after treatment was also recommended as such a measure would improve data collection on prevailing trends in the sector and inform policy and regulatory revisions. Lastly, the incorporation of effluent treatment in a circular economy through resource recovery for energy security and bio-fertilizer production and WW reuse for agricultural irrigation was also suggested. Ultimately, sustainable WW management has positive effects on the environment and public health but its implementation requires strong regulatory, institutional and infrastructural support at all levels of governance.