TITLE:
Wastewater Management in Third World Cities: Case Study of Cotonou, Benin
AUTHORS:
Sena Peace Hounkpe, Edmond Codjo Adjovi, Martin Crapper, Esi Awuah
KEYWORDS:
Urban Sanitation, Septic tanks, Soakaway Pits, Latrines, Desludging, Wastewater Treatment, Developing World Cities
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Environmental Protection,
Vol.5 No.5,
April
18,
2014
ABSTRACT: Poor wastewater management coupled with lack of sanitation facilities has
aggravated the sanitation challenges in developing countries.This study was aimed at providing information on the current state of sanitation in Cotonou City
through surveys. The most common sanitation facilities in the city were septic
tanks, latrines and soakaway pits. Mechanical desulging was mainly used (94%)
for desludging latrines and septic tanks with a frequency of less than once a
year for 73% of the houses; manual desludging was most common for soakaway
pits. 84% of sullage generated is disposed without treatment. The only existing
stabilization pond plant, managed by a private company SIBEAU, is overloaded;
the effluent is poor (up to 2250mg/l BOD5) and does not meet any
quality standards. 96% of survey respondents recognise that the sanitation
situation in the city is not good; it has to be improved by providing an
appropriate and sustainable sanitation management system.