WEPA Basic Policythin the 5 Phase

Main initiatives from the 1st to the 4th Phases
1st phase

Building a Platform of Water Environmental Management(Apr 2004- WEPA established an information sharing platform on water environment
Mar 2009) management to share knowledge and experience of member countries; the platform

included a database on water environment conservation goals (water quality (WQ)
environmental standards) and WQ status, and network of government officials.

2nd phase Knowledge sharing to explore solutions(Apr 2009- Considering domestic wastewater treatment as a priority issue in the Asian region
Mar 2014) where significant urbanization trends were seen, WEPA shared information on thestatus of pollution load, status of domestic wastewater treatment, problems, andpolicies in each country, and best practices.
3rd phase Actions to resolve issues(Apr 2014- Focusing on industrial wastewater treatment in addition to domestic wastewater
Mar 2019) treatment, WEPA shared information on the status of pollution load and measuresagainst pollution
source, built capacity to address problems, and supported the2formulation of action programs in a member country to solve problems.
4th phase “Legal compliance" to achieve WQ environmental standards(Apr 2019- WEPA aims to improve the capacity of government officials enforcing“legalMar 2024) compliance,”in order to establish autonomous water and environmental governancethrough PDCA cycle.

Priorities in the 1st and 2nd phases
Overall goal: Enhancement of Water Environmental Governance in Asia

1st Phase (2004-2009)
Development of an Information
Platform of Water Environmental
Management

2nd Phase (2009-2014)
Knowledge Sharing for Solution
Finding

Water Environmental
Management Review

Domestic
Wastewater
Treatment

WEPA database www.wepa-db.netRenewed in March

Climate Changeand Water
Environment

Issues Identified

3

Priorities and Activities in the 3rd & 4th Phases(3: 2014-2019 and 4: 2019-2024)

Actions for the Solutions

4

WEPA basic policy in the 4th Phase
The 4th Phase：Steady implementation of problem-solving actions（Priority issue：Compliance with regulations）
Period：from April 2019 to March 2024
Basic Policy ： Capacity enhancement of government officials to ensure compliance withregulations→ Establishment of autonomous water environment administration through the following
PDCA cycle
Set water environmental goals inthe country(set water quality environmentalstandards)

Assess the status of water environment
to achieve objective(Planning, implementation andevaluation of monitoring)

Identify pollution sources(i.e. Estimate pollution load bysector)

Evaluate the outcomes of implemented measuresand review/revise policies

Implement measures to address water
degradation in public waters(Domestic and industrial wastewatermeasures)• Assessment ofcompliancewithregulations• Complete
implementatio
n of measures
to comply withregulations• Review ofappropriateness of thestandards
5Issues based on efforts:
Water Environmental Standards
All Partner countries have developed or are expected to develop water quality
standards, and water environment governance has been strengthened.

6Issues based on efforts up to 4th Phase:
Compliance with regulations
The compliance rate of industrial effluent standards is still not high, and thecompliance rate is not accurately recognized by government agencies.
Compliance rate of industrial effluent standards

No dataor not published（FY2019,WEPA Basic Policy in the 4th Phase）

WEPA Out Look 2021
Figure 1.3 Compliance rate of industrial
effluent standards in WEPA countries

New issues of Water Enviroment since thestart of WEPA activity
Since the start of WEPA in 2004,
the social situation and needs surrounding the water environment have changed
significantly, and the stakeholders involved in the water environment havediversified.

Global Goals
MDGs → SDGｓ

Topics・Climate change
・plastic、PFAS
・Nature Positive, Water
Positive, Nature based
Solution(NbS)
・Nitrogen management
・Disclosure of Corporate
Information(TNFD)

Stakeholders

・Government
・Citizens
・Research Institutes
・Private sector8Direction of the WEPA next phase activity,
based on efforts up to the 4th Phase
WEPA continues to contribute to enhancing Water
Environmental Governance in Asia.
To deliver the benefits of water environment improvement to
all regions and people
・Continuing to ensure compliance with regulations fordomestic and industrial wastewater・ "Evaluate the outcomes of implemented measures andreview/revise policies“
based on water quality monitoring data and local needs incooperation with various stakeholders, such as the national
government, local governments, researchers and private
sectors
9

Concept of the Next phase activity
 Clarification of roles and responsibilities of central and local governments andestablishment of a cooperative framework with researchers and private sectors
 Reviews of appropriateness of existing environmental and effluent standards
 Appropriate enforcement and operation of effluent standards
 Introduction of a total pollution load control system, when conventional water quality
control measures through effluent standards alone is insufficient Selection of wastewater treatment technologies based on site-specific contexts that
account for natural and socioeconomic conditions and level of development

Evaluation of water quality monitoring
results,new issues related to the waterenvironment,and changing and diversifying socialand community needs

10

WEPA basic policy in the 5th Phase
The 5th Phase : Use of experience and technology forsustainable water environment management
1.Period：from April 2024 to March 2029
2.Basic Policy：• Improve the capacity of central government officials to design
and review water environment goals(water environment andeffluent standards)• Utilize knowledge, experience, and skills of stakeholders
involved in water environment management to implement
appropriate sustainable water environment management toaddress the needs of society and communities.
11

Main Activities of the 5th Phase
Action Program Based on the results of water quality monitoring and understanding of regional issues,
form projects related to the establishment of new discharge targets of domestic andindustrial wastewater to meet the water environment standards, and the disseminationof wastewater treatment technologies and guidelines to achieve these targets, incooperation with experts in each country.
 In addition to individual topics in each country, projects aim to address issues common in
multiple countries and projects that multiple countries join will also be formed.
Details are under consideration and will be developed after initiation of the 5th phase

Annual Meeting and Workshop

 Annual Meeting : to share the status of the domestic and industrial wastewater Workshop: to provide a forum to discuss water environmental issues.
Topics are under consideration include Nature Positive・Water Positive, NbS, nitrogen
management, microplastics, PFAS, etc.
12