Eco-sustainable Approach in Rural Housing: Handling Village Wastewater Through Natural Treatment Systems

Abstract

India is a nation of villages where almost 70 percent of country’s population resides. It has been estimated that about 500,000 rural and tribal communities (<5,000 population each), having a cumulative population of approximately 600 million, are still aspiring for having sewage treatment plants (STPs) in their respective communities [1]. This huge population is generating a large volume of wastewater that continued to discharge into natural watercourses leading to the pollution of rivers and groundwater reservoirs in India [3, 4]. Mostly, all stretches of the major rivers and streams across the nation are loaded with sewages and sludge posing a severe threat to the human and ecosystems health [1]. In addition, excessive withdrawal of water for agricultural and other utilities has posed a new problem of rapid decrease in groundwater table which seems to be a major obstacle in the path of development of any rural community as mostly livelihood depends on agriculture [6]. Therefore, to maintain the pace for development of any rural community, it is the urgent need to make the society at least zero water deficits. This can be achieved only when an appropriate water management and conservation strategy is being adopted through development of zero liquid discharge (ZLD) facilities to fulfill the aim of self sustenance.