Small-scale Sanitation: Dutch experiences at home and abroad

1. Small-scale Sanitation: Dutch experiences at home and abroad Carel de Villeneuve Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management The Netherlands

2. Contents • History of pollution control • Small scale sanitation at home • Small-scale sanitation abroad: the AKVO initiative

3. History

4. Surface Water Pollution Act Principles: • Discharge into surface water without a licence is forbidden • Precautionary principle: pollution should be minimized, irrespectively of the type of substances concerned • No-deterioration principle: harmful substances should not increase in the environment • Every polluter pays for: • Operation sewage treatment plants • Costs of restoration of the water system • Costs of administration

5. Small scale sanitation Statutory framework • Municipalities must collect and remove waste water • If not cost-effective, Provincial Executive may release them from this obligation

6. type of discharge distance to sewer rule households (≤ 10 p.e.) ≤ 40 m municipal sewer households (p.e) 11-25 26-50 51-100 100-200 > 200 ≤ 100 m ≤ 600 m ≤ 1500 m ≤ 3000 m no limit municipal sewer households (≤ 10 p.e.) > 40 m licence for discharge firm or farm no limit licence for discharge Connection to sewer or individual treatment of waste water

7. Individual waste water treatment facility • Type of treatment system • Discharge on soil or surface water • Classification (depending on sensitiveness of surroundings and type/scale of settlement) • Septic tank, compact systems (biorotor, submerged bed, activated sludge system), sand infiltration systems or constructed wetlands • Certification (construction, supervision of construction, design and functioning) • Maintenance and supervision