WEPA Outlook on Water Environmental Management in Asia 2012

<strong>WEPA</strong> <strong>Outlook</strong> on Water Environmental Management in Asia 2012Chapter 1 <strong>Outlook</strong> on Water Environmental Management in <strong>WEPA</strong> countriesBox 1.1 Impacts of the Great East Japan Earthquake on the Water EnvironmentThe Great East Japan Earthquake and the accompanying tsunami that occurred in March 2011 wreaked large-scaledestruction, not least of which was the loss of many lives. Further, the disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear PowerPlant precipitated by the tsunami brought about unprecedented environmental contamination due to the release ofradioactive materials into the environment, including the water environment. This box presents impacts of the Great EastJapan Earthquake primarily related to the water environment.Damage to domestic wastewater treatment facilities and prompt recoverySewage treatment plants along the coasts of Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures suffered considerable damagefrom the tsunami, and 48 plants were shut down. However, due to the subsequent prompt recovery response, as of Dec1, 2011 only 16 plants remained shutdown. At 14 of these plants, emergency treatment is being carried out. These plantswill gradually be upgraded to the level of primary treatment, followed by restoration of former capabilities. Completerecovery is aimed for as soon as possible with the objective of preventing disasters from occurring again.Results of a sampling survey conducted in the highly damaged regions of the three disaster-stricken prefecturesreveal that 3.8% of Jokasou units (a domestic waste water treatment facility) were written off and 28% requiredurgent repairs. The remaining 68% required no particular repairs. Jokasou units are also used for temporary housing;approximately 60% of domestic wastewater from temporary housing is treated by Jokasou units.Emergency survey on toxic materialsIn response to public concerns voiced over negative impacts on health and living environment due to seepage oftoxic substances into public surface water bodies and groundwater, the Ministry of the Environment of Japan (MoEJ)conducted emergency surveys from late May through late July in the rivers, coastal areas, and groundwater in areasthat sustained heavy damage from the earthquake and tsunami. The surveys covered items pertaining to environmentalstandard and dioxins.The results show that no instances of excess contamination have been confirmed. The MoEJ intends to closelymonitor sites where toxic substances were detected in excess of environmental standards, via regular continuousmonitoring by local governments.Additional surveys were carried out by the MoEJ covering groundwater and the vicinity of wells in accordance withenvironmental standards and toxins standards. Guidance on drinking water for owners of wells was issued via localgovernments.Monitoring of radioactive substancesMonitoring of radioactive fallout from the nuclear power plant disaster was carried out by the MoEJ from late May to lateJuly 2011 to check the concentrations of radioactive substances in the water environment (rivers, lakes and marshes,river-head areas, and coasts including bathing beaches) and groundwater. A Monitoring Coordination Conference wasestablished in August 2011 in order to coordinate and systematise the work.The water environment is to be monitored, including for radioactive substances, in public surface waters andgroundwater within a radius of approx. 100 km from the nuclear power plant. Also set to take place is offshore monitoringof the concentration of radioactive substances in the seawater from Fukushima to Iwate. Part of the survey was initiatedin late August.While no radioactive substances have been detected so far, high readings have been detected in sediment.Allied with the decontamination work for radioactive substances now in full-swing, concerns over high concentrationsof radioactive substances in the water environment still remain, thus it is critical to ascertain any trends that might emerge.(Source: Provided by the Ministry of the Environment of Japan)19