A rapid assessment of septage management in Asia : policies and practies in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam

According to the WHO/UNICEF 2008 Joint Monitoring Program, urban access to improved sanitation has risen to 57 and 78 percent in South Asia and Southeast Asia, respectively, due in large part to investments in onsite sanitation systems such as septic tanks and pour-flush latrines. However, the management of onsite sanitation remains a neglected component of urban sanitation and wastewater management. Only recently have national governments, cities, and wastewater utilities begun to address the management of septage, or the sludge that accumulates inside septic tanks. Rather, most sanitation programs have focused on toilet installation and sewerage development, viewing onsite sanitation
as an informal, temporary form of infrastructure. As a result, septic tanks and latrines in urban areas have become major sources of groundwater and surface water pollution, with significant environmental, public health, and economic impacts.

(authors abstract)