7.1.2. Months 4 - 6
Meetings with Organizations. Project Director meets with organizations required for approval and operations:
- water authority,
- representative of environment authorities,
- testing laboratories,
- municipal planning officials,
- environmental organizations,
- community organizations,
- agricultural experts & farmers
Scientific community
For scientific and technical aspects scientific institutions (laboratories, universities etc.) in the region are identified in this sequence:
- laboratories for wastewater and pathogen analysis are identified for the planning phase
- technical capabilities of each lab are verified by the wastewater recycling consultant.
- contracts for preliminary testing are agreed
Site Identification Method:
Site identification is based on three main factors:
- technical and social infrastructure in the region
- technical suitability of a site
- community acceptance for a project
In the case of a first facility in your municipality, it is good practice to survey 3-5 sites where technical conditions, acceptance of a project and community integration are favorable. These sites are visited by the project director and wastewater recycling consultant, who together with scientific and community consultants undertake site feasibility studies.
Feasibility studies cover the region and possible sites:
Region:
- climate conditions (rainfall pattern over the year; average relative humidity of air; average, high and low temperatures; high water marks etc.)
- altitude
- rivers in the region, flow scheme
- clean water supply
- existing collection system for wastewater
- electricity supply
- species of aquatic plants in the region
- availability of laboratory testing facilities
- availability of municipal construction equipment
- agricultural and aquacultural products in the region
Possible site locations:
- Top priority is to examine the existing collection system and confirm how it is constructed. This may require digging test holes to check where the pipes are located and what is their condition. After this is done, the below work is undertaken.
- Determine if dry compost toilets or decentralized biodigesters are feasible. This affects basic decisions regarding a wastewater recycling facility. If for example, dry compost toilets are seen as feasible, the process stops and a dry compost toilet expert is contacted.
- size of possible available site
- site suitability or necessity for heavy machinery
- Investigate soil type and presence of rocks, especially large ones which may require expensive removal.
- Check what municipal plans exist for the site and surrounding area.
- plans for future additional dwellings in the area to be serviced
- site ownership
- legal constraints on site use
- existence of local community association
- meeting with local community association to discuss concept and work required, technical, educational.