Inter-Graduate School Program for
Sustainable Development and Survivable Societies

Interdisciplinary Seminar[#80-(1)]Wastewater Treatment– The Future Instincts and Survivability
By: Associate Professor Dr Norhayati AbdullahInternational Liaison Coordinator,
Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology (MJIIT),
Department of Environmental Engineering & Green Technology,
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM)
Visiting Researcher at Graduate School of Advanced
Integrated Studies in Human Survivability (Shishukan),
Kyoto University, 2019
L’Oreal-UNESCO For Women in Science Fellowship Award 2018
Fulbright US-ASEAN Visiting Scholar to University of Michigan, USA 2017

Date: February 4, 2019 , 10:30-12:00
Venue: 201 Lecture Hall (2nd floor),Higashi-Ichijo-Kan, Kyoto University< Summary>
Abstract: In September 2015, the United Nations General Assembly
adopted its 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development that aims atachieving ambitious targets by 2030. In this Agenda, solving Water andSanitation challenges is recognised as a top global priority alongside 16
other overarching Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDG 6 Ensure access to water and sanitation for all - includes 8 water-related
Targets within the Goal dedicated to water (SDG 6) and in addition thereare several other water-related Targets in other Goals. The adoption ofthese Targets provides guidance to all governments to revise, if
appropriate, their policies to address effectively the water and sanitation
challenges. The success of the many water-related SDG targets requires
action by water professionals, who are key players towards

implementation of national policies that should result from the ambitious
2030 Agenda. Water is invaluable to all economic sectors and aninstrument to facilitating sustainable development. Malaysia has received
worldwide recognition for its historic successes in integrated watersewerage management, increasing priority for clean drinkable water andthis is the vision of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With this
newly integrated global vision, most important global water and seweragechallenges associated with increasing water scarcity, pollution ofwastewater flows, and disaster related risks are being resolved. TheMalaysian sewerage sector is driven through compliance addressed byseveral local organisations responsible for various segments of wastewater
treatment outputs. Service providers are challenged and burdened tomeet compliance and as such wastewater treatment is costly. The
challenge increases even further with the loss of opportunity to optimize
and tweak processes to recover inherent resources in wastewater –namely water, energy, nutrient. On top of this are the pressure from rapid
urbanization, a growing population, and rising demand for water andwaste management services. As populations increase by leaps and bounds,
it places more pressure on the environment, threatening sources of fresh
water supplies. From early 1900s, there has been a steady evolution in thedevelopment of sewerage treatment plants to produce high quality
effluent, which can be safely discharged to the environment or reused. In
this regards, what would be the future instincts for betterment of waterand sewerage management to successfully achieve the ambitious 2030
agenda?
< Active type>Interdisciplinary Seminar with a Malaysian visiting scientist<Obligation of attendee >Making questions and discussions, if any, in the seminar.
GSS students should register their names at the seminar room (201
Lecture Hall in Higashi-Ichijo-Kan, Kyoto University) to confirm theirattendance.