CRITERIA FOR ASSESSING APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY FOR SEWAGE-TREATMENT AND DISPOSAL

This Conference is concerned with appropriate technologies for waste management. How a judgement is made as to what is appropriate for each country, region and local community is of importance. A solution for one community will not necessarily be applicable to another. The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment's Office in New Zealand has a role of evaluating the performance of public authorities in their environmental management responsibilities. The Commissioner has reviewed the performance of a range of public authorities in New Zealand in respect to sewage treatment and disposal. These include the regional council responsible for the majority of sewage infrastructure in the Auckland urban area, a local authority responsible for two adjacent coastal communities and a local authority responsible for an off-shore island. The choice of technology for each situation has been influenced by the concerns of the indigenous peoples, the aspirations of the communities and the choices available for disposal of the treated effluent.