Waste Water Management and Sanitation Practice in Lao PDR

Regional Policy Workshop of Stakeholders

on Decentralized Wastewater Management Systems (DEWATS) 19-21 March 2014, UNCC, Bangkok, Thailand

Virachith Douangchanh Chief of Urban Environmental Management

and Community Development Unit

Nouphonh Phosy Deputy Project Coordinator for the Pakse Urban Development

Project, DHUP (MPWT)

Laos is a landlocked country and covered by high mountainous ranges but crises-crossed by many rivers and stream. ◦ The Mekong River flows through 1,865 km of the country

from north to south. And this inland waterway system provides great potential for hydropower development.

◦ The country stretches for 1,700 km north to south, with an east-west width of over 500 a km at its widest, only 140 km at the narrowest point.

Area: 236,800 square kilometers, three-quarter of which is

mountains and plateaus.

Laos shared border with China to the north, Cambodia to the south, Vietnam to the east, Thailand to the west and Myanmar to the northwest.

Population: 6,514.432 (female 3,259,980, male 3,254,452) in 2012 with density at 28person/km2- National Statistic Center, 2012.

18 administration provinces, 145 districts (still 37 poorest districts) ,35.4% of urban rate.

Villages: 8,600 villages ◦ Poor villages: 2,291villages, ◦ Developed villages: 2,353 (8/11/2013-Primer’s decree on

result of poverty line assessment data in public hearing)

Households:1,144,526hhs, ◦ Poor households: 116,808hhs ◦ Developed households: 724,792hhs (8/11/2013-Primer’s

decree on result of poverty line assessment data in public hearing)

Year Improved drinking water

Unimproved drinking water

Total

2011 83% 17% 100%

2000 72% 28% 100%

Comparison 11% increasing -11% (reducing)

Year Improved drinking water

Unimproved drinking water

Total

2011 63% 37% 100% 2000 38% 62% 100% Comparison 25% increasing -25% (reducing)

Year Improved sanitation

Unimproved sanitation

Total

2011 87% 13% 100% 2000 65% 35% 100% Comparison 22% increasing -22% (reducing)

Year Improved sanitation

Unimproved sanitation

Total

2011 48% 52% 100% 2000 17% 83% 100% Comparison 31% increasing -31% (reducing)

The That Luang Waste water treatment or EU ponds: Lagoons system was built at 1993, 0.9 million U$ at EU pond, ITEC area, Vientiane. It was not successful.

Soft loan(Septage loan) for the sanitation improvement- Secondary Towns Urban Development Project-ADB Loan 1525-Lao SF, that loan to poor, poorer and poorest households. But it was not successful in implementation. As of less economic analysis (normally should be loan to middle income and free for poor income generation)

Urban Sanitation Marketing Campaign for 2008 Project. Ministry of Public Works and Transport(MPWT), Department of Housing Urban Planning, Division of Urban Development. Water and Sanitation Program(WSP) Laos Country Office, World Bank.

In present day, increasing of water supply consumption (83% in 2011)and connect to sanitation (87% in 2011) in urban while rural area is connect to water supply (63% in 2011) and sanitation(48% in 2011) that will be increased amount of waste water from households and toilets direct discharge into roadside drains (or public areas) without treatment. It needs to be clearly strategy to cover on this matters.

There are not any master plan on waste water treatment system ( waste water drainage(sewage)system, stormwater drainage and treatment plant) upto present day.

Government strategy for sanitation and waste water system development The model of waste water treatment system will be

apply with appropriated districts criteria that will be onsite (Dry pit, septic tank) or outside treatment with DEWATS or Centralized system. Some districts or cities can be only DEWATS or mixed

between DEWATS and Centralized system that depend on each criteria districts/cities The solution from 2014-2030, the Urban sanitation

development strategy will be focused on DEWATS system as a key method for waste water treatment system in both urban and suburban area including rural area.

Past event of DEWATS in Laos: ◦ Demonstration of DEWATS in Thongkhankham Vilalge—BORDA+JICA+PTI ◦ Demonstration of DEATAS in School Sihome village—BORDA

To support the Policy on waste water management and development need to be moving forward up to 2030 DHUP+BORDA-MOU start 1st Feb 2013- 31st Dec 2015 support in technical know-

how and capacity building on DEWATS through country The 8 activities will be completed on the end of 31st Dec 2015 The main activities are support to government capacity building both central and

local level on DEWATS system The road-show on new technology on DEWATS that match with waste water

management strategy: mixing between onsite and DEWATS to move forward to centralized system (depend on city appropriate criteria: Some will be only DEWATS or DEWATS mixed with Centralized system).

Participation of parties in DEWATS model implementation on

going in Laos: ◦ UN-HABITAT(Donor)+DHUP (Government organization)+BORDA (DEWATS

technique model)—Mixay and Phouxay village, Sanxai Attapeu (Benefit) ◦ NAPPA(Owner+Benefit-Government Budget)+DHUP(Government

organization)+BORDA(DEWATS technique model)-Tha ngone, Xaythany, Vientiane

◦ (DWR+GIZ: Donor)+DHUP (Government organization)+ BORDA(DEWATS technique model)-Hin Tit (Benefit), Hin Heub, Vientiane Province

Unplanned sanitation and waste water treatment system Even both central and local government still not pay more

attention in sanitation and waste water treatment like as infrastructures.

Lack of skills both central and local government officers to handing these activities A few officers who deeply spend time in waste water

treatment as researching and demonstrate implementation Lack of sanitation and waste water management funding Limited sources of fund apply to sanitation and waste water

management Limited appropriate technology applying unless DEWATS Limited technology know-how transferring Limited community awareness program on waste water and

sanitation management Less advertising in waste water treatment activities Less understanding in group of policy makers on DEWATS Limited data system, data update and data sharing in this

matters

Need to be focused on DEWATS practice in Laos to be more successful in implementation Strongly cooperation and coordination to match with core

organization where direct responsibility as Urban Waste management is under Ministry of Public Works and Transport, Department of Housing and Urban Planning Policy Dialogue on DEWATS to both policy makers,

government officers, and private sector and communities ( in organizing/ management both in context and advertising method) INGOs/donors may keep in touch and coordinate with

core organization who direct responsibility in tasks to feel free ask for government strategy in waste water management and investment to apply funding in implementation project in the same direction Road-show will be reduced the limited public advertising

and public hearing.

Technology training and knowledge sharing will be filled up the gap of lack of professional technical officers in government who will be key personal in DEWATS sustainable development

Encourage donors(INGOs, International funding funds etc.,) to be participated in supporting budget to cover this activities, and also government supporting.

Seeing the third parties to support and invest in low cost sanitation (DEWATS)

Continues cooperation and coordination between BORDA in sustainable DEWATS in Laos

Urban sanitation development strategy is strongly focus on DEWATS system using for waste water treatment through country

DEWATS is implement under right core organization (MPWT, DHUP) is the core main response to urban waste management and development through out the country.

Some Urban Projects development under DHUP will be installation of waste water treatment plants ( in Savannakhet, Pakse, Oudomxay, Thakhek, Paksan) is good chance to be apply DEWATS model into this projects.

Budget supporting from Donors(financial Institution and INGOs) and government

In practicable need to be focus deeply in Encouragement , frequency workshop training and demonstration on DEWATS with deeply into: ◦ Policy makers ◦ National and local governments ◦ Public and Private sectors ◦ Schools and Universities-students and teachers

Activities need to be more frequency emphasis into: ◦ Public hearing ◦ Advertising ◦ Marketing ◦ Encourage Public and private participation into

waste water treatment investment

ຂອບໃຈຫລາຍໆ

THANK YOU