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Night Soil Management and Night Soil Management and Decentralized Wastewater Treatment Systems Decentralized Wastewater Treatment Systems 

in Japanin Japanin Japanin Japan

September, 2011

The 3rd WEPA International Workshop

Takatoshi Wako

Deputy Director, Water Environment Division

Environment Management Bureau, Ministry of the Environment, Japan

Night Soli Recycling Systems in Edo EraNight Soli Recycling Systems in Edo Era

• A sanitary city unlike any other in the world, where organics substances such as night soil and garbage were reused as suppliers of fertilizer in outlying farming village 

• Less epidemics in Japan comparing to modern Europe

Ministry of the Environment 2

Night soil recycling systems in Edo Era

A farmer carrying tubs of night soil

Source: Annual Report on the Environment

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The End of The End of Night Soli Recycling SystemsNight Soli Recycling Systems

1800Source: Dictionary of Plant Nutrition and  Soil Fertility: published by Yokendo, 1980

thousands ton Chemical fertilizer consumption (ammonium sulfate) in Japan

• Urabanization (Farm land and urban area move away from each other) 

• The Spread of Chemical fertilizer (Night Soil from as "fertilizer" to just as "waste" 

（千ｔ）

600

900

1200

1500 1896

import of am

monium sulfate

1901

art of domestic production of 

ammonium sulfate

1913

he purchases of human

 waste

1916

t of human

 waste dumping sites 

at Sumida River

1933

Establishmen

t of human

 waste 

disposal site in Ayase

1935

Ocean

 dumping by 

ironclad

 ship

1944

Railway transportation of 

human

 waste

1953

ubsidy program

 for night soil 

treatment facilities

1960‐70

Guideline for structure or 

maintenance and Operetion

Ministry of the Environment

0

300

1903 1912 1917 1922 1927 1932 1936 1941 1946 1951 1956 1961 1966 1971

Start of the 

Sta

End of th

Establishmen

t E su

1997 Subsidy program for night soil treatment and organic wastes recycling center

• Less epidemics in Japan comparing to modern Europe

History of Sanitary Treatment of Night Soil in JapanHistory of Sanitary Treatment of Night Soil in Japan

• Storage of night soil and utilization for agriculture(1200s～1960s)

• Decreasing demand for the traditional night soil recycling systems due to the urbanization and the spread of chemical fertilizer (1950s)p ( )

• Nationwide water pollution caused social problem(the late 1960’s～)

Ministry of the Environment 4Trends of waterborne disease rates in Japan

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Urban area Urban area ‐‐ Start of Sererage systems Start of Sererage systems ‐‐

• Population increase and Start of sewerage construction

Outbreak of the Pacific War 

(1941)

Oil price shock(1973)

End of the Pacific War 

(1945)

Rapid economic growthStarted (1955)End of Edo Era

（1867）

Transit of population in Tokyo

Ministry of the Environment 5Tokyo: Mikawa-jima Sewerage Disposal Plant

（First sewerage disposal plant in Japan：1922）

Yokohama: Brick-made sewer line（1881）

Decentralized options ‐Night soil storage tank & Tandoku‐shori Johkasou systems

Night soil storage tank

• Public health Problems (bad odor,  overflow of wastes during times of flooding)

• Increasing demand for flushing toilet

Tandoku‐shori Johkasou systems

• Treated black water and enabled installation of flushing toilet 

• Spreaded rapidly in 1970s (over 7 million installation at maximum) 

Ministry of the Environment

Night soil treatment facility

Number and trends of installed johkasou• Grey water still untreated

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Water Pollution of Tokyo in 1970’sWater Pollution of Tokyo in 1970’s

Ministry of the Environment 7

The Kanda river (Tokyo) in 1970’s

A river of Tokyo in 1970’s

Tokyo Bay in 1970’s

Photo Credit : Environmental Bureau of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government

"Crime" of grey water

Share of grey water in domestic wastewater & Pollutant loads are quite large! 

3/4 i

Daily ammount of domestic wastewater Pollutant loads (BOD) of domestic wastewater

3/4 is grey water

2/3 is from grey water

• Treating black water only have a limited impact on improvement of water quality in public water body

Ministry of the Environment

Examples of liquid kitchen wastes with high pollutant loads

• For example, 100ml of waset oil require 20,000 l of fresh water to maintain a survivable environment for fishes.

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““((GappeiGappei) ) JohkasouJohkasou” as Decentralized Treatment System” as Decentralized Treatment System

• Designed for treating both black water and grey water

• Advanced domestic wastewater treatment system (tank) developed in Japan

• Cost effective in decentralized area (Low initial investment cost)• Cost‐effective in decentralized area (Low initial investment cost)

• Little topographic limitation,short installation time (roughly a week)

• Treats wastewater as clean as 10 ppm as BOD (2/3 of total), 5 ppm as BOD (40% of total) 

• Invaluable contribution to maintainingsufficient water in small rivers

• Less vulnerable to disasters

Ministry of the Environment 9Johkasou (Anaerobic filter contact aeration type)

Night Soil Treatment and Night Soil Treatment and Domestic Wastewater Treatment Systems in JapanDomestic Wastewater Treatment Systems in Japan

ey water

alized

  system

Both Black and gre

Cen

tra

system

Ministry of the Environment 10

Grey water only

Decen

tralized

 s

New InstallationNew Installation

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Treatment Principles and Types of JohkasouTreatment Principles and Types of Johkasou

• Wastewater are broken down biochemically by the catabolism of microorganisms such as bacteria and metazoan organism

Ministry of the Environment 11Structure and treatment principle of Johkasou

Background of Legislation and National Subsidy for Johkasou 

（1960s～1970s)・severe water pollution caused by domestic wastewater

・spread of septic tank to use flush toilets (tandoku-shori Johkasou)

Development of Johkasou(advanced on-site treatment facility

of domestic wastewater)

The Johkasou Law （1983）

spread of septic tank to use flush toilets (tandoku shori Johkasou)

Regulation on installation and maintenance of Johkasou

Ministry of the Environment 12

Establishment of national subsidy programs （1987）

Increasing Role of Johkasou in the improvement of water environment

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Legislative Systems for Johkasou (Johkasou Law)Legislative Systems for Johkasou (Johkasou Law)

•• ObjectiveObjective◆ To promote the appropriate treatment of domestic wastewater,

to maintain good water quality of public water bodies and a healthyto maintain good water quality of public water bodies and a healthy living environment, and to improve public health 

•• Main contents of Main contents of JohkasouJohkasou LawLaw◆ Notification of installation of Johkasou

◆ Regulations on construction, installation, operation and maintenance, desludging and examination

Ministry of the Environment

desludging and examination

◆ Qualification and licensing of technician and operators

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Johkasou Law (Johkasou Law (ContinuedContinued))

•• Structure Standards for Johkaso (article 4)Structure Standards for Johkaso (article 4)◆ Established in accordance with the Building Standard Law

（Establishment and change by MLIT are to be made after consultation with MOE）

◆ i.e. Technical standards for effluent water quality

◆ BOD: 20mg/l or less

◆ BOD removal rate：90％ or more

•• Installation  (article 5Installation  (article 5‐‐7)7)◆ Notification

◆ Notification to the prefectural governor etc.

◆ To understand a new installation

◆ Installation◆ Johkasou shall be constructed by a

Johkasou installation vendor 

◆ registered by the prefectural governor

Ministry of the Environment

◆ To understand a new installation or any change in the structre or size

◆ Confirmation of anyproblems in termsof the structure and O&M

g y p g(effective for five years; Accredited by the government)

◆ Complying with the “Technical Standards for Johkasou construction” (17 items)

◆ Supervised by a certified Johkasou Installation worker

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Operation, Maintenance and Inspection of JohkasouOperation, Maintenance and Inspection of Johkasou

Inspection after construction Annual inspection

Ministry of the Environment 15

Frame work of Frame work of JohkasouJohkasou managementmanagement

• Requires periodical maintenance such as maintenance of biofilm and removal of sludge

• Requires certified technicians/engineers for maintenance ※ d d d

Residents and Businesses or Municipalities

for maintenance ※Advice and recommendation to managersby prefectural governor 

Technicians and Private bussinesses to support O & M of Johkasou

Ministry of the Environment 16Johkasou technicians and vendors in Japan(as of the end of FY2009

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Subsidy programs for Johkasou InstallationSubsidy programs for Johkasou Installation

For example...

• The cost of installing a Johkasou for 5 PE is

Ministry of the Environment 17

• The cost of installing a Johkasou for 5 PE is supposed to be 840 thousand yen.

• In the case of 1., the user’s burden is 504 thousand yen.

• In the case of 2., the user’s burden is 84 thousand yen.

(※PE: person equivalent) 

Number and trends of installed JohkasouNumber and trends of installed Johkasou

Tandoku Johkasou (night soil only)

Gappei Johkasou (night soil and gray soil)

Nu

mb

er

of

Joh

kaso

u

Ministry of the Environment 18

National subsidy amounted 100 million yen （1987）

25.7 billion  yen （2004）

1990 Fiscal year2000 200519951985

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Population Trends for domestic wastewater treatmentPopulation Trends for domestic wastewater treatment

Self-management night soil area

Sewerage systems

Night soil collection

Ministry of the Environment 19Population Trends for night soil treatment and domestic wastewater treatment

Johkasou

Dissemination rates Dissemination rates by size of municipalitiesby size of municipalities

Ministry of the Environment 20

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Plans of Prefectural GovernmentsPlans of Prefectural Governments

• For efficient construction of wastewater treatment facilities in each region, a construction plan for wastewater treatment facilities has been formulated based on comparison of economic efficiency, etc., considering the characteristics of each wastewater treatment facility.

Co(c

P l i d i

ostperfam

ilyconstru

ction,operatio

n&m

Individual treatment (Johkasou)

Mass treatment (Sewerage)

Equilibrium point

Ministry of the Environment 21

Population density

main

tenan

ce)

Mass treatment (sewerage, etc.) is better

Individual treatment(Johkasou, etc.) is better

Japan's International CooperationJapan's International Cooperation

•• Disseminate Japan’s experience for night soil treatment and Disseminate Japan’s experience for night soil treatment and onon‐‐site waste water treatment systemsite waste water treatment system

•• Build a capacity for these systemsBuild a capacity for these systems

•• Suggest these systems/technologies which is applicable forSuggest these systems/technologies which is applicable for•• Suggest these systems/technologies which is applicable for Suggest these systems/technologies which is applicable for various countries various countries 

•• Provide relevant technical cooperationProvide relevant technical cooperation

Japan Sanitation Consortium (JSC) •One of network of regional water knowledge hubs under APWF

Water Environment Partnership in Asia (WEPA) •Aims to promote good governance in water environment management

Ministry of the Environment 22

knowledge hubs under APWF•Aims to improve policy and technical capacity of sanitation in the Asia‐Pacific countries

•Capacity development in areas of sewerage works, sanitation techniques such as Johkasou and night soil collection/treatment processes

The Regional 3R Forum in Asia•The promotion of high level 3R policy dialogue and assistance in the 3R projects in each country, sharing the information to promote 3R, and networking among the concerned parties will be proceeded.

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Outline of Asia Water Environment Improvement Projectwith Japanese water‐related companies

A project for comprehensive improvement and promotion of water re-use in an Indian industrial wastewater treatment facility

By Toyo Engineering Inc

A project of wastewater treatment for an industrial complex in Da-nang

By Kajima Cooperation etc.Venue: Da‐nang, Viet Nam

By Toyo Engineering Inc.Venue: Haryana state, India

A project for introducing zero

Water Environment Improvement Project by introducing Bio-toilet

By  Chodai Inc.Venu: Viet num national railway

Ministry of the Environment

Water Quality Improvement Project by introducing Johkasousystem in Djakarta

By Kubota CooperationVenue: Djakarta, Indonesia

A project for introducing zero-emission wastewater treatment system in pig farm

By Aqua Inc.Venue: Penang, Malaysia

Thank you for your attention

Ministry of the Environment 24

Contact: TAKATOSHI_WAKO@env.go.jp