The creation of management systems for funding priorities in wastewater project in rural communities in the Islamic Republic of Iran

Abstract

For sustainable development an integrated cost-effective approach focused on the goal of health and environmental protection is necessary. In Iran more than 22 million people live in rural communities. A little more than 92% of the rural population in Iran have access to safe drinking water supply, but only less than 0.2% have sanitary wastewater disposal system. Groundwater is the main resource of water supply in rural communities in Iran and contaminated or untreated groundwater can be the major reason for waterborne diseases outbreak and wastewater discharge is the main cause of groundwater contamination. In new strategy in Iran's wastewater company, the importance of wastewater treatment is equal to water treatment in rural communities and the main goal in this section is providing sanitary wastewater disposal system for 8% of rural areas until 2010 and 30% until 2020. One of the most important limitations for establishment of wastewater disposal system is the limitation of governmental funds. For this reason, a national program was performed for ranking of rural communities with the goal of improving the funding effectiveness in wastewater management in rural communities. Many important criteria were considered for determination of priorities, these criteria include: population, population density, water consumption and wastewater generation, wastes disposal systems at present, environmental and health risks, agricultural and industrial wastewater, social conditions specially public participation, investment simplicity and type of living (seasonal or permanent). For collection of information about rural community, according to the criteria, a questionnaire was designed with 40 quantified questions. Questionnaires completed for all rural areas with more than 400 people population (more than 77% of rural population of the country). Completed questionnaires were analyzed with specific software for ranking of villages according to above mentioned criteria. Right now the classification of villages is available in provinces of the country from environmental and health crisis and funding points of view and we know whereabouts have priority for establishment of wastewater installations.