WEPA Basic Policy in the 4th Phase

Overviews of WEPA While the Asian economy has shown remarkable development, serious water pollution
problems have been occurring in this region.
 In order to solve water environment problems in Asia and achieve sustainable development, it
is essential to enhance information, knowledge and systems on water environment, andimprove water environment governance.

 At the Third World Water Forum (2003), the Ministry of Environment, Japan proposed a
network of government officials in Asia (WEPA).

WEPA partner countries (13 countries)
1. Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (Sri Lanka)
2. Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal (Nepal)
3. Japan (Japan)
4. Kingdom of Cambodia (Cambodia)
5. Kingdom of Thailand (Thailand)
6. Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR)
7. Malaysia (Malaysia)
8. People's Republic of China (China)

9. Republic of Indonesia (Indonesia)
10. Republic of Korea (Korea)
11. Republic of the Philippines (Philippines)
12. Socialist Republic of Viet Nam (Viet Nam)
13. Union of Myanmar (Myanmar)

1Goal and activities
 Aim to contribute to improving the water environment through strengthening water
environment governance in Asian region, by establishing a cooperative systemamong government officials involved in water environment management in the Asian
region, and implementing initiatives such as collecting and disseminating
information, developing human resources and capacity, and developing relevant
systems in WEPA partner countries

Goal

To strengthen water environment governance in Asian region

Activities
Formulation,implementation,and evaluation ofAction Programs

Accumulationof property

Knowledge sharing and network
strengthening among WEPA partnercountries through annual meetings,workshops, WEPA website, etc.

Partnership withthe membercountries

Information and knowledge
on water environment
management

Input tointernationalconferences (WorldWater Forum, etc.)
Experience of Action
Programimplementation
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Main initiatives from the 1st to the 3rd Phase
The 1st Phase(April 2004～March 2009）

Development of an information platform on waterenvironment management
Build a platform to share knowledge and experience among thepartner countries, such as database on water environmental
management in Asia including goals on water environmental
conservation (water quality environmental standards) and water quality
status, and human networks of governmental officials in each country

The 2nd Phase Knowledge sharing to find solutions（April 2009～
March 2014） Focusing on domestic wastewater treatment as a priority issue in theAsian region where urbanization is remarkable, clarify the status ofpollution load in each country, the situation of domestic wastewater
treatment, its issues and the direction of countermeasures, and sharegood practices
among the partner countries
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The 3rd Phase Actions to solve issues（April 2014～
Focusing on industrial wastewater treatment in addition to domesticMarch 2019）
wastewater treatment, share the status of pollution loads in eachcountry, share knowledge and improve capacity on pollution source
countermeasures, and assist in formulating Action Programs to solve
issues in the partner countries

3Issues based on efforts up to 3rd Phase: Not achieving standards
 Water quality monitoring is carried out in all 13 countries, with regular monitoring in
9 of those, but water quality environmental standards have not been achieved inmany countries.
Water quality monitoring results in the WEPA partner countries

4Issues based on efforts: Domestic wastewater treatment
 In many countries, sewerage treatment coverage rate for domestic wastewater is low.
 In areas where sewerage treatment is difficult, introduction of a decentralized wastewater
treatment system (DEWATS) is one of the effective measures. However, in many countries,
especially in urban areas, it is common to have on-site treatment using individual septic tanks
which have the following problems.
• BOD removal rate is low due to their structural and management issues.
• Septic tanks treat only black water; grey water, which has a high BOD pollution load, isdischarged untreated.
Service coverage rates of sewerage treatment
in WEPA countries

Septic tanks coverage rate inselected WEPA countries
Country

Year

Area

Cambodia2008 National Average

Coveragerate (%)
43

Viet Nam2008 National Average

41

Urban Area

79

Rural Area

26

Malaysia

2010 National Average

21

Indonesia

2011 National Average

60

Jakarta

93

Philippines 2010 Manila

715Issues based on efforts : Industrial wastewater treatment
 In many countries, the compliance rate of industrial effluent standards is not high,and the compliance rate is not accurately recognized by government agencies.
Compliance rate of industrial effluent standards

No data or not published6Issues based on efforts : Appropriateness of the standards
 Although effluent standards are established in all WEPA countries except Myanmar,
compliance with the standards is an issue.
 If compliance with the standards is technically difficult, it is necessary to review theappropriateness of the standards.
Establishment of Effluent Standards in WEPA Countries

7Issues and measures based on efforts up to the 3rd Phase There are two main reasons why water environment conservation in Asian region
has not been achieved - one is that not only the effluent standards are not complied
with, and the other is that wastewater quality control alone is insufficient.
 Measures need to be taken according to each factor.

Main issue
Water environment conservation in the Asian region has
not been achieved.
（Env. water quality standards have not been achieved.)
Domestic and industrial effluent standards are
not complied with.

Wastewater quality control
alone is insufficient.

Effluent standards are notappropriate.

MeasuresMeasures tocomply withstandards

Review and improvementof effluent standards,
Application of temporary
effluent standards

Introduction of a total
pollutant load control
system (TPLCS)
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WEPA basic policy in the 4th Phase
The 4th Phase： Steady implementation of problem-solving actions（Priority issue： Compliance with regulations）
1. Period： from April 2019 to March 2024

2. Purpose： Complete compliance with regulations to achieve water quality
environmental standards
3. Basic Policy： Capacity enhancement of government officials to ensure compliancewith regulations→Establishment of autonomous water environment administration
through the following PDCA cycle
Set water environmental
conservation goals(Set water quality
environmental standards)
Grasp water quality status(Planning, implementation andevaluation of monitoring)

Identification of pollution sources(Estimation of pollution loadby sector)

Evaluation of results ofcountermeasures, policy review

Implement pollution source measures(Domestic and industrial wastewatermeasures)• Assessment of compliancewith regulations• Complete implementationof measures to comply withregulations• Review of appropriatenessof the standards
9Main activities in the 4th Phase Targeting both domestic and industrial wastewater, which are the major pollution sources ineach country, share the issues regarding compliance with regulations and the main
activities required to comply with them (see below) through various meetings and action
programs. And then, strengthen the capacity of government officials by supporting efforts
made by each country.
 With the cooperation of each country, advanced guidelines, technologies, and referencecase examples are added to the WEPA database and presented to each country, so thateach country can make independent efforts (assessment of compliance with regulations,complete implementation of measures to comply with regulations, review ofappropriateness of the standards, etc.).
Examples of measures required for complete compliance with regulations

 Clarification of roles and authorities of central and local governments
 Complete regulations for businesses (notification, measure and log pollution status ofeffluent, on-site inspections), penalties, order remedy, administrative directions, etc.
 Appropriate enforcement and operation of the effluent standards• Enforcement and application of more stringent effluent standards in cases, where national
effluent standards and their scope are insufficient due to natural and social conditions• Application of temporary effluent standards when compliance with effluent standards istechnically difficult
 Review of appropriateness of existing effluent standards and improvement
 Introduction of TPLC, when conventional water quality control measures through effluent
standards alone is insufficient.
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Process for finalizing the basic policy in the 4th Phase
January 2020：
 Send the draft basic policy to WEPA partnercountries
 Revise the draft basic policy based oncomments from WEPA countries

February 2020： The basic policy in the 4th Phase will beapproved at the WEPA annual meeting.

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