Sustainable - decentralized, natural and ecological wastewater treatment Summer course at Norwegian University of Life Sciences, June 2 – June 27, 2008

Course motivation Nearly half the world’s population lacks adequate sanitation. Decentralized and natural systems are often be cheaper to build and manage. In addition, systems based on separate treatment of excreta and greywater, often termed ecological sanitation, offers new possibilities of designing sustainable systems. Objective The students shall have an overview of the challenges related to inadequate sanitation in developing countries and an overview of potential technical solutions. The students should know limitations and advantages of different treatment systems and the socioeconomic factors of relevance for successful implementation in different parts of the world. The participants should be able to design and implement smaller decentralized, natural and source separating systems. Course content The course will elucidate how unsafe water supplies and inadequate disposal of human excreta hinder economic and social development and constitute a major impediment to reducing poverty, and inevitably lead to degrading the environment. Unfortunately, the people in poverty stricken areas – especially infants and young children – suffer the most. This calls for appropriate solutions that are affordable considering local constraints. This course explores solutions for the poor, but also for rich countries. The different systems are introduced through case studies presented by international experts. Through inductive learning based on real cases from different parts of the world, including sanitation in crisis situations, dry and wet and cold climates, the students are challenged to suggest and design systems. Lectures are given on key topics related to system function and design.

The course emphasizes on decentralized solutions, natural systems (wetlands ponds, soil infiltration and sandfilters) treating combined wastewater and greywater, small diameter pressure vacuum and gravity collection systems, source separating systems (dry sanitation, diverting and systems) and anaerobic treatment of waste resources for production of biogas and from excreta and organic household waste. Both the technical and the socioeconomic sides of successfully improving sanitation are covered. Prior to the lecture period some course material will be sent to the students. Through self-studies and e-learning the students are given the necessary background knowledge to fully benefit from attending the following lecture and exercise part at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (UMB). The course work at UMB is divided into

three parts: 1) lectures and excercises 2) an excursion showing examples of relevant systems and a taste of Norwegian nature and 3) course summary and exam. Those that complete the course are given 12 ETCS credits. UMB students that take the course THT280 do not need preparatory part (prior to arriving at UMB) and will be accredited 10ECTS credit points instead of 12 ECTS points for the course. The course day by day The plan will be updated/revised as more details are available on www.ecosan.no. All the events except the excursion are taking place at UMB. The first day is a welcome day to foreign students hosted by UMBs International office. The international office will also organize other social events and sightseeing during the course.

June 3 Introduction to UMB and Norway June 4 and 5 will be the start of the course. This coincides with a national/nordic June 4-5 National conference on sustainable sanitation conference on sustainable sanitation hosted by TEKNA (the Norwegian Civil June 6 Teaching session Engineering Society), UMB, Bioforsk - The Norwegian Institute for Agricultural June 7-8 Weekend activities organized by UMB and Environmental Research, and the Norwegian Water Association. The June 9-13 Teaching and exercises conference will highlight the main topics of the course and also act as a meeting place for professionals, NGOs, donor organizations and students. June 14-17 Excursion to Bergen on the west coast June 18-20 Exercises and teaching The first week of the course will be devoted to lectures and exercises where June 20-21 Weekend off or studying? technical aspects of wastewater treatment will be coupled with exercises and relevant health and social issues. There will also be a day devoted to sanitation June 23-25 Exercises in crisis situations where the students after and introduction will try to solve June 26 Exam preparations realistic cases. June 27 Exam and closing ceremony Excursion to the west coast: The purpose of the excursion is trifold: • see and learn from visits to technical installations and systems • see a transect of Norway • social event We will drive in a comfortable bus across the mountains to Bergen (Norways second largest city) on the west coast. Close to Bergen we will visit the super modern Seletun Conference Center baked into the houses of an old mountain farm. The center has source separation involving local treatment and recycling of blackwater and greywater treatment in a . We will also visit a housing area in Bergen with source separating systems and see the old city of Bergen. On the way back there will be an opportunity for a mountain hike in some of the highest mountains of Norway. After the excursion there will be more emphasis on exercises and problem based learning. There will be short visits and excursions to nearby treatment systems including the greywater treatment system at Klosterenga in Oslo. The last day there will be a 3 hour written exam and a closing ceremony.

Sustainable sanitation - decentralized, natural and ecological wastewater treatment Summer course at Norwegian University of Life Sciences, June 2 – June 27, 2008

The main lecturers ¾ Dr. Johannes Heeb, Seecon Switzerland. President of the Ecological Engineering Society. Johannes H. Is activly involved in capacity building for sustainable sanitation in in addition to projects on several continents.

¾ Professor Petter D. Jenssen, Norwegian University of Life Sciences. Norways foremost expert on natural and ecological wastewater treatment systems. Petter D.J. is currently heading the development of new MSc programs in ”Sustainable Water and Sanitation Health and Development” in cooperation with Universities in Nepal and Pakistan. ¾ Heinz-Peter Mang, German Development Cooperation (GTZ). Heinz-Peter currently working as an integrated expert for biogas, and ecological sanitation at Institute of Energy and Environmental Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Engineering, Beijing. ¾ Dr. Bahadar Nawab, COMSATS University, Abbotabad, Pakistan. Bahadar N. Is an expert on socioeconomic issues related to sanitation and is leading the development of a new MSc programs in Sustainable Water and Sanitation Health and Development in Pakistan. ¾ Professor Thor Axel Stenström, Stockholm Environment Insitute and Norwegian University of Life Sciences. Thor Axel S. is a world leading expert regarding health issues related to wastewater. He is a frequently consulted experts by the WHO. ¾ Professor George Tchobanoglous, University of Calfornia Davis. George T. is one of the worlds foremost textbook writers within wastewater engineering. He has practical experience from all continents. When? June 2 – June 27 with two weeks of web supported study prior to arriving in Norway. Academic Credit Is merited at 10 to 12 UMB study points, which is equivalent to 10 to 12 ECTS. This, in turn, is often merited as 5 to 6 credit hours in North America. The course day by day The plan will be updated/revised as more details are available on www.ecosan.no. All the events except the excursion are taking place at UMB. The first day is a welcome day to foreign students hosted by UMBs International office. The international office will also organize other social events and sightseeing during the course. Social activities Arranged by UMB include introductory and “graduation” receptions as well as tours to sights in the vicinity and a tour to Oslo, Norway’s capital. The campus itself offers myriad opportunities for outdoor and indoor activities. Accommodations Accommodations and evening meals are provided as part of the course fee. Campus dormitories consist of 6 bedrooms sharing a kitchen and bathroom. Regular meals are served at the student union, “Samfunnet”. Application Procedures include completing and sending the application form. This form must be accompanied by a copy of your passport and a transcript of records from your university. You can get the application form at the website of UMB’s summer university: http://www.umb.no/summeruniversity The application deadline is March 15 for the course “Sustainable sanitation - decentralized, natural and ecological wastewater treatment” Students will be notified of application results medio April. Finances Tuition is covered by the Norwegian government. If accepted, students will be invoiced USD 1 700 (EUR 1 300) for: transportation from/to Oslo International Airport (Gardermoen); accommodation and evening meals on campus; transportation, accommodation and all meals connected to the fieldwork; assigned literature and arranged social activities. Students would cover airfare to and from Oslo International Airport (Gardermoen) plus travel insurance. Students should also calculate USD 120 (EUR 100) per week for additional meals and pocket money. Scholarships for applicants from developing countries We can provide a limited number of scholarships for attendees from developing countries to cover accommodation and travel costs. The scholarship application form can be downloaded at the website of the course: http://www.umb.no/22652 and has to be sent in together with the course application form. Contact information Ecosan Norway Norwegian University for Life Science Department for Plant and Environmental Sciences www.ecosan.no Petter Jenssen (Chairman) [email protected] Daniel Todt (Course administrator) [email protected]