POPULATION CONNECTED TO
AN URBAN WASTEWATER TREATMENT SYSTEM
3. POPULATION CONNECTED TO AN URBAN WASTEWATER
TREATMENT SYSTEM, BY TYPE OF TREATMENT
2000–2009
100
90
Percentages
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
Primary treatment
Secondary treatment
Tertiary treatment
Other treatment
Independent treatment
No treatment
2009
4. POPULATION CONNECTED TO AN URBAN WASTEWATER
TREATMENT SYSTEM, BY LEVEL OF TREATMENT
INTERNATIONAL COMPARISON
2006
100
90
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
Primary treatment
Secondary treatment
( 38 )
Tertiary treatment
Turkey
Portugal
Czech
Republic
Norway
France
Korea
Denmark
Israel
Spain
Germany
0
United
Kingdom
Percentages
80
Description of the indicator
The indicator presents data about the extent of treatment of urban wastewater. The data
detail the percentage of the population that is connected to a wastewater treatment system
by level of treatment (primary, secondary, and tertiary), and the percentage of the population
that is not connected to such a system.
Relevance of the indicator to sustainable development
The removal of wastewater without treatment causes much pollution of potable water
sources, streams, and coastal areas. This pollution endangers the health of the population,
increases the cost of treating drinking water, and harms the aquatic and land ecosystems.
For example, the flow of untreated wastewater into the environment can harm the animals
living in the sources of surface water and in streams. One of the main challenges of
sustainable development is to rehabilitate and conserve all water sources (surface water and
groundwater), in order to ensure good-quality water for humans and for the environment.
Thus, pollution caused by wastewater must be reduced through appropriate treatment. The
extent of secondary and higher treatment is an indicator of the effort invested in reducing the
water pollution load.
Selected findings

In 2009, over 96% of the Israel's population was connected to an urban wastewater
treatment system.

The percentage of the population connected to a system of secondary or higher
treatment rose from 73% in 2000 to 87% in 2009.

The percentage of the population connected to a tertiary treatment system rose from 33%
in 2000 to 48% in 2009.

The percentage of the population that was not connected to any wastewater treatment
system decreased from 8.6% in 2000 to 3.7% in 2009. This decrease was due to the
connection of additional localities to wastewater treatment facilities.

In 2006, almost 92% of the population was connected to a system of primary or higher
treatment. Of this percentage, 93% were connected to a system of secondary or higher
treatment. This percentage is similar to the percentage in developed countries such as
Denmark, Korea, and France.
( 39 )