77-Shanghai_Manila_Bay_Veolia_BASF_Status_of_Wastewater_Treatment_in_Asia_2020s-Environmental_Commentary

77-Shanghai_Manila_Bay_Veolia_BASF_Status_of_Wastewater_Treatment_in_Asia_2020s-Environmental_Commentary

### Wastewater Treatment in Asia - 2020s

#### Overall situation and challenges
In Asia, approximately 31 billion cubic meters of wastewater is not properly treated annually, and 90% of this wastewater is discharged untreated into rivers and oceans. This has led to the spread of red tides and heavy metal contamination, threatening the safety of drinking water and fisheries. In urban areas, rapid population growth puts a strain on sewage infrastructure and water shortages are a serious problem.

#### Current Situation by Country/Region
- **Shanghai, China**.
In Shanghai, a facility capable of treating 1.7 million cubic meters of wastewater per day is in operation. At this facility, industrial wastewater containing lead, cadmium, and arsenic is removed using advanced technology. With an urban population of 23.5 million, the operation of this facility has greatly improved the quality of the city's water.

- **Manila Bay, Philippines**.
Approximately 50 million cubic meters of untreated wastewater flows into Manila Bay annually, severely damaging the marine ecosystem. Fisheries catches have declined by 20% over the past decade, and the impact on tourism is growing. Here, Veolia and BASF are collaborating on an ongoing project to reuse 20 billion cubic meters of water per year.

- **Ganges River, India**.
The Ganges River receives 100 million liters of wastewater every day, adversely affecting health and agriculture in coastal areas. with JICA's support, sewage treatment facilities are being built, with plans to increase the treatment rate in urban areas to 25% by 2025.

- **Indonesia**.
In Indonesia, plans are underway to increase the wastewater treatment rate from 14% to 20% by 2025 with support from JICA and ADB. In parts of Jakarta, new treatment facilities with a capacity of 10 million cubic meters per day have been constructed to improve urban water quality.

#### Climate Change and Emerging Technologies
As climate change exacerbates water scarcity, wastewater reuse is essential. In Shanghai, Veolia's floating treatment facility achieves the same treatment capacity on 50% less land than conventional facilities, and BASF is implementing advanced reuse technology using chemical treatment in its projects in the Philippines.

#### Summary
Sustainable wastewater management across Asia is expected to play an important role in improving water quality and economic stability by 2030. These efforts are aimed at mitigating the effects of climate change and balancing ecosystem conservation and economic development.