Wastewater management in urban Bhutan: Assessing the current practices and challenges
| Autor: | Sherub Phuntsho, Gem Tshering, Ho Kyong Shon, Ugyen Dorji, Ugyen M. Tenzin, Kwabena Biritwum Nyarko, Pema Dorji, Cheki Dorji, Ugyen Wangchuk |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2019 |
| Předmět: |
021110 strategic
defence & security studies education.field_of_study Environmental Engineering Sanitation General Chemical Engineering media_common.quotation_subject Population 0211 other engineering and technologies Septic tank 02 engineering and technology 010501 environmental sciences 01 natural sciences Geography Wastewater Hazardous waste Human settlement Sewerage Environmental Chemistry Sewage treatment Safety Risk Reliability and Quality education Environmental planning 0105 earth and related environmental sciences media_common |
| Zdroj: | Process Safety and Environmental Protection. 132:82-93 |
| ISSN: | 0957-5820 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.psep.2019.09.023 |
| Popis: | This study reviews the current wastewater management practices and their challenges in urban Bhutan. The study data was collected from the local authorities of 35 classified towns, and the field survey was conducted for the two representative towns of Thimphu City and Khuruthang town. The study observed that only eight of the 35 classified towns (22.8%) have public sewerage systems, with an average coverage of 19.7% of Bhutan’s total urban population, or 7.4% of Bhutan’s entire population. The imported modular wastewater treatment technology was significantly more expensive than alternative options; however, approximately six towns have already adopted this technology, due to a lack of space for a much cheaper waste stabilisation ponds. Currently, over 80% of Bhutan’s urban population depends on the on-site sanitation system for their domestic wastewater disposal; however, over 40% of these properties lacked a soak-pit system for the safe disposal of septic tank effluent. Therefore, this study indicates that urban settlements in Bhutan are potentially subjected to overflow of significant amount of hazardous septic tank effluents directly into the environment posing significant risk to public and the environment. A critical urban plot space analysis indicates that the current system of on-site sanitation is inadequate and unsuitable for the current urban settings. Since it is impractical for the government to provide public sewerage system to all the towns, a low-cost public sewerage system, or an alternative and improved on-site treatment system, needs to be explored and promoted to achieve long-term environmental objectives. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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