Onsite Wastewater Treatment, Recycling and Small Water and Wastewater Systems

Onsite, small-scale and decentralised wastewater treatment systems are widely used around the world (for example serving a quarter of the population in the United States), and are perhaps symbolised by the septic tank and associated soak well or leach drain as used for domestic wastewater treatment in rural areas. More recent innovations have taken advantage of our growing understanding of the fundamental physical, chemical and biological processes of wastewater treatment.

Innovation has also been driven by a desire to recycle the water and nutrients to achieve environmental sustainability.

Onsite, small scale and decentralised systems assist with achieving the recycling objective. IWA?s 6th Specialised Conference on Small Water and Wastewater Systems and 1st Specialised Conference on Onsite Wastewater Treatment and Recycling drew well over two hundred delegates to discuss these issues, and from over 150 platform and poster papers 40 have been selected for these proceedings following peer review. In addition to three authoritative keynote papers, they cover integrated water management and sanitation; physical mechanisms in sewage treatment; onsite bioreactors; constructed wetlands; domestic treatment systems, wastewater case studies; wastewater reuse; nutrient removal; soil treatment and monitoring; sequencing batch reactors; and membrane technology for wastewater treatment.

By highlighting recent developments in onsite, small scale and decentralised systems and placing them in the context of protection of public health, sustainable development, and urban planning, these proceedings will provide an essential information source for any researcher, engineer or planner interested in the development and application of this crucial element in sustainable sanitation and management of the water environment.