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With online access to billing and other customer resources now the rule more than the exception, how well do water and sewer utilities' websites convey rate information? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Improved sanitation has become a primary component of the global developmental agenda, primarily because of its established linkages with environmental quality and public health. In pursuance of this developmental agenda, the Government of Botswana initiated an infrastructure scheme in major villages that is aimed at improving sanitation through providing access to waterborne sewerage. However, the majority of the households have not yet utilized the scheme despite its 7 years of existence. This study explored possible constraints and opportunities for households to access the waterborne sewerage scheme. The study used secondary information sources and a semi-structured questionnaire administered to sampled households in the villages of Ramotswa and Tlokweng. It was found that some of the constraints of accessing the scheme are household income, satisfaction with the existing sanitation options and household perceptions. On the other hand, the emphasis of the scheme on recovering only operation and maintenance costs from the beneficiaries substantially reduced the associated costs of access thereby providing them with an opportunity for utilization. The study recommends that in order to avoid the pitfalls of limited access to future sanitation improvement initiatives carried out at enormous expenditure to the government, there should be a multiple stakeholder consultation from conceptualization through planning to implementation. Among the key variables to be established during consultation are the demand for the service, ability and willingness of the target beneficiaries to pay. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper analyses the relative importance of demographic and socioeconomic factors with respect to their role in reducing infant mortality in Egypt. Logit analyses of data from a nationally representative sample of Egyptian households, and for urban and rural households separately, indicate that demographic factors have more effect on infant mortality than socioeconomic factors. The results also show the need to improve housing in urban areas and sewerage systems in rural areas in order to reduce infant mortality. One of the most important policy conclusions, however, concerns the importance of providing a vigorous educational campaign to enlighten mothers and prospective mothers in both rural and urban areas on the positive effects of breast-feeding, longer birth intervals, and fewer children on the survival of infants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The treatment systems for strict and moderate land limited approaches were investigated. Both synthetic glucose and actual wastewater (domestic wastewater) were studied. For the strict land limited approach, a packed entrapped mixed microbial cell (PEMMC) process using cellulose triacetate as the polymer carrier was tested for synthetic wastewater. For the moderate land limited approach, a combined aquatic weed on the water surface and a bio-fixed film in the lower portion of the pond system was investigated for both the synthetic and actual wastewater. The actual domestic wastewater was examined in a single pond system with more than 85% and 70%, respectively, were received. The glucose synthetic wastewater was examined in a single pond system with horizontal flow at a BOD5 loading rate of 130 Kg/ha/day. BOD5 and nitrogen removal efficiencies of 92% and 60%, respectively, were received. For the strict land limited treatment approach, it was found that more than 90% and 85% of soluble COD and total COD (including effluent suspended solid), respectively, could be, removed at the loading rate of 1.6 g COD/L/day. The hydraulic retention time of 3.5 hours and the influent COD concentration of 200-250 mg/L were maintained and operated. This is comparable with the process performance of the conventional activated sludge for treating the domestic sewage under the same operational conditions. The PEMMC process also provides the advantages of maintaining a high SRT (Solid Retention Time) without external sludge recycling and a short starting period of less than 10 days. Application of the present two systems will be dependent on the land and/or energy requirement. It is appropriate to use the treatment system of combining the aquatic plant with the bio-fixed film for moderately available land and in tropical areas. A strict land limited treatment system, of course, requires additional energy input. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights the way in which local government bodies in England exploited advances in the techniques of sewage disposal for a more coordinated and comprehensive approach to drainage. Increase in incidence of sewage pollution due to rapid and extensive development; Protection from water pollution.

This article discusses the extension of sewer service at the urban-rural fringe. Society is now demanding that the quality of the environment be maintained and perhaps improve. The concentration of people and the gaps in urban development which are characteristic of urban expansion combine to increase the problems associated with the disposal of human wastes. This paper discusses the economics of extending the community sewage disposal system into areas which are now commonly served by septic tanks. The costs of the two alternatives under various assumptions are determined. Then a comparison of these costs is made in two cases. The first case is that of a subdivision adjacent to an area already being served by the community system. The second case is that of a sub-division not immediately adjacent to the edge of community sewer service. In order to treat sewage, it is necessary to transport it through a sewer from the site of production to the treatment plant. The two most important factors affecting sewer costs are density and distance.

Examines a new report from the World Health Organization and Unicef which says the world is on course to meet drinking water targets for 2015 but behind on sanitation measures. Finding that more than 2.6 billion people lack access to basic sanitation while 1.1 billion are still using unsafe drinking water; China and India which account for 1.5 billion people without sanitation.