In order to achieve this purpose, the objectives are to :

1) Undertake a research programme to identify appropriate forms of wastewater treatment technology and associated management requirments that promote sustainable solutions to wastewater disposal in peri-urban areas.

2) To identify training needs and to develop material for training institutions for teaching purposes to promote capacity building at the local level for effective wastewater management.

3) Develop policy recommendations to support appropriate institutional management frameworks to promote cooperation between the government agencies, and the non-governmental organisations and community groups.

The main poverty focus of the research will be on the ways in which an integrated approach to wastewater treatment and re-use can provide benefits to communities through the removal of wastewater from residential neighbourhoods and the participation of poor people in small-scale wastewater-fed agricultural activities.

1) Review of existing initiatives, information, training material, and decision-support tools

A review of existing initiatives, information, training material, and decision-support tools relating to decentralised wastewater management, intended to establish the context for the research.

2) Phase 1 Inception Report (including conceptual framework and fieldwork methodology)

The development of a conceptual framework for the research, based on analysis of Output 1 and identification of key issues and researchable propositions to be explored in later stages of the research.

3) Case study reports

Documentation of case studies and the dissemination of initial findings through an electronic conference and internet web site.

4) Interim Research findings report and video documentation

An interim finding report will summarise the main research findings and will be used for the basis for discussing the capacity building requirements for the various stakeholder, and subsequently the training needs and policy guidance material.

5) Training module including technical guide and video of good practice

Training materials for decentralised wastewater management; including a technical guide, recommended institutional frameworks for operation and management, and mechanisms for cost recovery. Video documentation from the case studies will be used to supplement other ways of disseminating training information.

 6) Policy guidance material for planners and decision-makers

Policy guidance material for planners, decision-makers, and donor agencies will be design to assist in integrated urban planning, and funding of development programmes.

Target Institutions and Beneficiaries

The outputs of the research are likely to be useful to government departments, consulting engineers and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) with an interest in developing and implementing wastewater disposal systems and, in particular, the possibilities for developing effective and sustainable decentralised wastewater management systems.

Collaborating Organisations

School of Environment and Natural Resources (SERD), Asian Institute of Technology (AIT)

Department of Water and Sanitation in Developing Countries (SANDEC), Swiss Federal Institute for Environmental Science and Technology (EAWAG)

GHK International

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London SW6 5NR

Tel: +44 (0)20 7736 8212

Fax :+44 (0)20 7471 8052 / 7736 0784

email: parkinsonj@ghkint.com