Decentralized sanitation solutions for temporal Internally Displaced people (IDPs) and refugees camps and residential complexes in Duhok province – Case study

Abstract

The conditions of the settlements are often very poor with deficiencies in basic supplies like water. This study aims to: (i) assess the sanitation service level for Internally Displaced People (IDPs) and refugee camps in Duhok province / Kurdistan of Iraq (ii) assess the performance of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and offer different scenarios to improve the sanitation service level in the Duhok province (iii) propose various decentralized treatment approaches. To demonstrate the efficiency of WWTPs, samples of generated wastewater at the effluent of 12 residential projects were collected to conduct the COD test. The results of COD test were found to exceed the permissible level of 100 mg/L set by Iraqi wastewater standard except in New Zakho and Avro city projects. The highest generation rates of grey and black wastewater were in Chamishko and Kaberto1 IDP camps and were 1013 and 3000 m 3 /day respectively. Both Avro city and War city residential complexes were notably discharging the highest rates of wastewater at the effluent with 5610 and 2484 m 3 /day respectively. Lelav city, New Jin city, and Dabin projects were found to have the maximum organic loading rate of COD with 745, 578, and 332 kg/day respectively. This study proposed Waste Stabilization Pond (WSP) systems to be constructed in both Domiz1 refugee camp and Chameshko IDP camp. In order to be more achievable, it is suggested that the regulations of disposed wastewater at the effluent be amended and categorized on a class basis rather than using a single effluent number.