Abstract:
This study investigates the existing wastewater management situation in Ethiopia, with particular
emphasis on university campus wastewater. The investigation was carried out by reviewing
literature, reports, policy documents and field visits integrated with laboratory assessment. It was
established that from the seven universities only two have functional wastewater treatment
plants, but none of them meet effluent standards. These mainly centrally prescribed systems lack
sustainability because of problems related to technology choice, affordability and technical
skills. This paper proposes feasible rehabilitation strategies for the existing wastewater systems.
A combination of policy instruments and integrated wastewater management strategies are
proposed. Although based on specific data from Ethiopia, the findings and recommendations of
this study also apply to other, similar, low-income countries where the population is booming but
overall wastewater management planning is lagging behind.
