Guidelines and manuals
2006 • World Health Organization (WHO) WHO guidelines for the safe use of wastewater excreta and greywater – Volume 1: Policy and regulatory aspects
This volume of the WHO Guidelines focuses on policy, regulation, and institutional arrangements for wastewater, excreta, and greywater reuse. It is intended for policymakers and regulators, providing guidance on policy formulation, regulatory mechanisms, and cross-sectoral coordination. It also summarizes key issues from Volumes 2, 3, and 4 and includes an index and glossary. The volume offers an overview of risks and benefits without technical details, supporting national policy development for safe wastewater reuse. In depth technical aspects of health risk assessment, protection measures, and monitoring are covered in the other volumes.
Recovered Materials & Products
Energy
Biogas
Nutrients
Fertilizer
Digestate
Soil conditioner
Water
Water reuse
Waste Streams
Faecal sludge
Wastewater
Urine
Greywater
Confirmed countries
Germany
What is this tool intended for?
It offers guidance on policy development, alignment and integration, as well as regulatory frameworks and the establishment of institutional connections among relevant sectors and stakeholders. Additionally, the second part of this document provides summary chapters of the key issues from Volumes 2, 3, and 4.
How does this tool work?
The tool is divided into policy and regulation sections. The policy section guides the development, integration, and cross-sectoral collaboration for reuse policies. The regulation section focuses on enforcement mechanisms, health-based targets, and institutional roles, helping countries adapt the international guidelines to ensure safe and effective wastewater, excreta, and greywater management.
Who might use this tool and with which types of stakeholders?
The main target groups are policy makers and those with regulatory responsibilities. Other actors can also benefit from this volume as it also includes a summary chapter for each of the other three volumes of the WHO guideline for the Safe Use of Wastewater, Excreta and Greywater.
What stages of a process can this tool support?
The guideline can support the development of policies and regulations on the reuse of wastewater, excreta and greywater.
Where can this tool be used?
This tool is applicable in policy and regulatory settings at various levels:
- National Governments: For drafting and implementing wastewater and excreta reuse policies.
- Regulatory Agencies: For setting standards, monitoring compliance, and enforcing safety measures.
- Municipal Authorities: To develop local regulations and oversee implementation in urban and peri-urban areas.
- International Organizations: To guide policy harmonization and regulatory adaptation across different regions.
Get the Tool
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9241546824
Learn more
French version of the guideline
https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/78280/9789242546828_fre.pdf?sequence=1
Technologies
Composting
Themes
Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning
Policy and regulation