engleski

Problems With Wastewater in Small Rural Areas in Croatia

This paper analyses some main aspects of problems concerning sanitary wastewater collection, treatment and disposal in small rural areas in Croatia, as an integral part in sustainable water management development. Common practice in wastewater systems construction in Croatia is almost completely related only to large urban areas. Small rural communities are mostly left without adequate wastewater systems that is necessary to provide satisfactory level of environmental protection and prevent adverse effects on human health. Local authorities together with other competent participants in decision-making processes have proven to be under dominant influence to previous developed countries experience. That approach is reflected through solely acceptance of centralized gravity collection systems with conventional biological treatment processes and final disposal of treated wastewater into the surface waterbodies (river, drainage channel, lake, sea). A connection of small settlements to the nearby urban wastewater collection system is also widely accepted solution. Based on experience and knowledge acquired in developed countries during recent decades, alternative decentralized systems regarding wastewater collection, treatment and disposal in small rural areas have proven in certain circumstances to be more appropriate solutions. High level of their sustainability results from adoption of new comprehensive approach that is closely analyzed within the paper and its adoption to actual needs in Croatia is of prime concern. Defining general guidelines as a basis for interrelated comparison of different alternatives, would help all participants in decision-making process to select the most sustainable solution. Prior to guidelines definition current state analysis of communal sector in Croatia is described.

Wastewater; Treatment; Disposal; Rural communities; Croatia

U tiskanom obliku je objavljen sažetak rada, a na CD mediju je objavljen cjeloviti rad