Urban sewerage and sanitation: lessons learned from case studies in the Philippines (Anglais)

Urban sanitation is one of the most serious challenges facing the Government of the Philippines. As a result of rising urbanization over the last twenty years, more than half the population now live in densely populated cities and towns. By some estimates...  Voir la suite Urban sanitation is one of the most serious challenges facing the Government of the Philippines. As a result of rising urbanization over the last twenty years, more than half the population now live in densely populated cities and towns. By some estimates, about 80 percent of these urban households have access to adequate sanitation, such as toilets, but the vast majority of them are reliant on private sanitation facilities. Less than 8 percent of the households in Metro Manila have sewer connections, and coverage is lower still in the rest of the country. Only three of the 1,500 cities and towns in the Philippines contain functioning public sewerage systems, and these are now old, undersized, and in need of major rehabilitation. A few communal toilets have been constructed in low-income urban areas, but there is little evidence of any other public sanitation services. Faced with this void, urban residents have provided their own sanitation facilities. Many households now own a private toilet and an individual septic tank, while more expensive housing developments often include private sewerage systems and communal septic tanks. Unfortunately, there has been little control or regulation of these private facilities, and many are badly designed and constructed. All too often, poorly maintained septic tanks discharge inadequately treated sewage and effluent directly into stormwater drains, waterways and streets, with serious consequences for both water quality and public health.  Réduire

Document disponible en : Tagalog