Greywater Management in Low and Middle-Income Countries - SSWM

decrease in capillary rise and formation of water-repellent soils, require further
investigations.
• There is a clear need to develop, validate, disseminate, and facilitate
implementation of simple solutions low in engineering work. The mulch trench
irrigation system has great potential where reuse is sought. However, longterm
experiences are not available yet (or not documented). Research should
also centre on the possibility of discharging greywater directly onto compost
heaps (co-treatment of greywater and organic solid waste), a suitable approach
especially in arid regions with limited greywater quantities and where the
composting process requires frequent watering.
household or neighbourhood greywater treatment systems perform well, however,
system selection should be adapted to local conditions. Evaluation and decision-
selection of the most appropriate management system. Other criteria, such as
social and institutional acceptance, self-help capacities, hygienic risks, public health
risks, system energy demand, etc., play an equally important role in the selection
and decision-making process.
Since most issues related to greywater management are likely to occur on a
household or neighbourhood level, the selection process should be based on a
household-centred approach to assist households or neighbourhoods in choosing
a system they want and can afford. Experience has shown that the interest of
households to invest in environmental sanitation is not necessarily driven by health
the households to invest in improved sanitation services are comfort, convenience,
prestige, reuse opportunities, and of course costs. To ensure that households or
groups of households make an informed choice, a cost analysis of the different
management scenarios has to be conducted to allow a comparison of the overall
costs (including investment costs, costs related to operation and maintenance of
Should the overall costs of the system of choice exceed the effective and/or perceived
food security, averted health-related costs, improved living conditions, status, etc.),
implementation of less expensive measures should be considered.
As greywater management must unconditionally be seen as one part of the
whole environmental sanitation package, it should also include solid waste and
excreta management, surface water drainage as well as hygiene education aspects.
These are all equally important components in an effective environmental sanitation
Conclusions
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