Annex III. Domestic Wastewater
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A. Definitions
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For the purposes of this Annex:
1. “Domestic wastewater" means all discharges from households, commercial facilities,
hotels, septage and any other entity whose discharge includes the following:
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a) Toilet flushing (black water);
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b) Discharges from showers, wash basins, kitchens and laundries (grey water); or
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c) Discharges from small industries, provided their composition and quantity are compatible
with treatment in a domestic wastewater system.
Small quantities of industrial waste or processed wastewater may also be found in
domestic wastewater. (See Part D - Industrial Pretreatment.
2. “Class I waters" means waters in the Convention area that, due to inherent or unique
environmental characteristics or fragile biological or ecological characteristics
or human use, are particularly sensitive to the impacts of domestic wastewater. Class
I waters include, but are not limited to:
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a) waters containing coral reefs, seagrass beds, or mangroves;
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b) critical breeding, nursery or forage areas for aquatic and terrestrial life;
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c) areas that provide habitat for species protected under the Protocol Concerning Specially
Protected Areas and Wildlife to the Convention (the SPAW Protocol);
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d) protected areas listed in the SPAW Protocol; and
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e) waters used for recreation.
3. “Class II waters" means waters in the Convention area, other than Class I waters,
that due to oceanographic, hydrologic, climatic or other factors are less sensitive
to the impacts of domestic wastewater and where humans or living resources that are
likely to be adversely affected by the discharges are not exposed to such discharges.
4. “Existing domestic wastewater systems" means, with respect to a particular Contracting
Party, publicly or privately owned domestic wastewater collection systems, or collection
and treatment systems, that were constructed prior to entry into force of this Annex
for such Contracting Party.
5. “New domestic wastewater systems" means, with respect to a particular Contracting
Party, publicly or privately owned domestic wastewater collection systems, or collection
and treatment systems, that were constructed subsequent to entry into force of this
Annex for such Contracting Party, and includes existing domestic wastewater systems
which have been subject to substantial modifications after such entry into force.
6. “Household systems" means on-site domestic wastewater disposal systems for homes
and small commercial businesses in areas of low population density, or where centralised
collection and treatment systems of domestic wastewater are not economically or technologically
feasible. Household systems include, but are not limited to, septic tanks and drain
fields or mounds, holding tanks, latrines and bio-digesting toilets.
7. “Wastewater collection systems" means any collection or conveyance system designed
to collect or channel domestic wastewater from multiple sources.
B. Discharge of Domestic Wastewater
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1. Each Contracting Party shall:
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a) Consistent with the provisions of this Annex, provide for the regulation of domestic
wastewater discharging into, or adversely affecting, the Convention area;
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b) To the extent practicable, locate, design and construct domestic wastewater treatment
facilities and outfalls such that any adverse effects on, or discharges into, Class
I waters, are minimised;
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c) Encourage and promote domestic wastewater reuse that minimises or eliminates discharges
into, or discharges that adversely affect, the Convention area;
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d) Promote the use of cleaner technologies to reduce discharges to a minimum, or to avoid
adverse effects within the Convention area; and
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e) Develop plans to implement the obligations in this Annex, including, where appropriate,
plans for obtaining financial assistance.
2. Each Contracting Party shall be entitled to use whatever technology or approach
that it deems appropriate to meet the obligations specified in Part C of this Annex.
C. Effluent Limitations
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Each Contracting Party shall ensure that domestic wastewater that discharges into,
or adversely affects, the Convention area, is treated by a new or existing domestic
wastewater system whose effluent achieves the effluent limitations specified below
in paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of this Part, in accordance with the following timetable:
Category
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Effective Date of Obligation (in years after entry into force for the Contracting
Party
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Effluent Sources
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1
|
0
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All new domestic wastewatersystems
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2
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10
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Existing domestic wastewater systems other than community wastewater systems
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3
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10*
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Communities with 10,000 - 50,000 inhabitants
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4
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15
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Communities with more than 50,000 inhabitants already possessing wastewater collection
systems
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5
|
20
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Communities with more than 50,000 inhabitants not possessing wastewater collection
systems
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6
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20
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All other communities except those relying exclusively on household systems
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* Contracting Parties which decide to give higher priority to categories 4 and 5 may
extend their obligations pursuant to category 3 to twenty (20) years (time frame established
in category 6).
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1. Discharges into Class II Waters
Each Contracting Party shall ensure that domestic wastewater that discharges into,
or adversely affects, Class II waters is treated by a new or existing domestic wastewater
system whose effluent achieves the following effluent limitations based on a monthly
average:
Parameter
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Effluent Limit
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Total Suspended Solids
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150 mg/l*
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Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD5)
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150 mg/l
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pH
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5-10 pH units
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Fats, Oil and Grease
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50 mg/l
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Floatables
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not visible
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* Does not include algae from treatment ponds
2. Discharges into Class I Waters
Each Contracting Party shall ensure that domestic wastewater that discharges into,
or adversely affects, Class I waters is treated by a new or existing domestic wastewater
system whose effluent achieves the following effluent limitations based on a monthly
average:
Parameter
|
Effluent Limit
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Total Suspended Solids
|
30 mg/l*
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Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD5)
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30 mg/l
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pH
|
5-10 pH units
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Fats, Oil and Grease
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15 mg/l
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Faecal Coliform (Parties may meet effluent limitations either for faecal coliform
or for E. coli (freshwater) and enterococci (saline water).)
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Faecal Coliform: 200 mpn/100 ml; or a. E. coli: 126 organisms/100ml; b. enterococci: 35 organisms/100 ml
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Floatables
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not visible
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* Does not include algae from treatment ponds
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3. All Discharges
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a) Each Contracting Party shall take into account the impact that total nitrogen and
phosphorus and their compounds may have on the degradation of the Convention area
and, to the extent practicable, take appropriate measures to control or reduce the
amount of total nitrogen and phosphorus that is discharged into, or may adversely
affect, the Convention area.
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b) Each Party shall ensure that residual chlorine from domestic wastewater treatment
systems is not discharged in concentrations or amounts that would be toxic to marine
organisms that reside in or migrate to the Convention area.
D. Industrial Pretreatment
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Each Contracting Party shall endeavour, in keeping with its economic capabilities,
to develop and implement industrial pretreatment programmes to ensure that industrial
discharges into new and existing domestic wastewater treatment systems:
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a) do not interfere with, damage or otherwise prevent domestic wastewater collection
and treatment systems from meeting the effluent limitations specified in this Annex;
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b) do not endanger operations of, or populations in proximity to, collection and treatment
systems through exposure to toxic and hazardous substances;
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c) do not contaminate sludges or other reusable products from wastewater treatment; and
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d) do not contain toxic pollutants in amounts toxic to human health and/or aquatic life.
Each Contracting Party shall endeavour to ensure that industrial pretreatment programmes
include spill containment and contingency plans.
Each Contracting Party, within the scope of its capabilities, shall promote appropriate
industrial wastewater management, such as the use of recirculation and closed loop
systems, to eliminate or minimise wastewater discharges to domestic wastewater systems.
E. Household Systems
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Each Contracting Party shall strive to, as expeditiously, economically and technologically
feasible, in areas without sewage collection, ensure that household systems are constructed,
operated and maintained to avoid contamination of surface or ground waters that are
likely to adversely affect the Convention area.
For those household systems requiring septage pump out, each Contracting Party shall
strive to ensure that the septage is treated through a domestic wastewater system
or appropriate land application.
F. Management, Operations and Maintenance
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Each Contracting Party shall ensure that new and existing domestic wastewater systems
are properly managed and that system managers develop and implement training programmes
for wastewater collection and treatment system operators. Managers and operators shall
have access to operators' manuals and technical support necessary for proper system
operation.
Each Contracting Party shall provide for an evaluation of domestic wastewater systems
by competent national authorities to assess compliance with national regulations.
G. Extension Period
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1. Any Contracting Party may, at least two years before the effective date of an obligation
in categories 2, 3, 4 or 5 of the timetable in Part C above, submit to the Organisation
a declaration that, with respect to such category, it is unable to achieve the effluent
limitations set forth in paragraphs 1 and 2 of Part C above in accordance with that
timetable, provided that such Contracting Party:
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a) has developed action plans pursuant to Part B, paragraph 1(e);
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b) has achieved the effluent limitations for a subset of the discharges associated with
those categories, or a reduction of at least 5 percent of total loading of pollutants
associated with those categories; and
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c) has taken actions to achieve those effluent limitations, but has been unable to achieve
those limitations due to a lack of financial or other capacity.
2. With respect to a Contracting Party that has submitted a declaration pursuant to
paragraph 1 above, the effective date of an obligation in the timetable in Part C
for categories 2, 3, 4 or 5 of that timetable shall be extended for a period of five
years. The five-year period shall be extended for a maximum of one additional five-year
period if the Contracting Party submits a new declaration prior to the expiration
of the first period, and if it continues to meet the requirements set out in paragraph
1 above.
3. The Contracting Parties recognise that the complete fulfilment* of the obligations
contained in this Annex will require the availability and accessibility of financial
resources.
* In this context, the Spanish word “cumplimiento" that appears in the Spanish text
shall have the meaning of the English word “fulfilment" and not “compliance".