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Recent water quality surveys indicate significant
degradation of the Seybouse River, resulting primarily from the uncontrolled
discharge of untreated sewage and industrial effluents. Recently developed plans
of the Algerian Government concern the development of sewage treatment schemes;
however, it is broadly acknowledged that a different approach is required for
controlling pollution of industrial origin.
The exacerbated problems underline the need for improving
the environmental performance of the industrial sector by:
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Providing economic incentives for wastewater
treatment;
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Fostering a shift towards cleaner production processes, at the same time
safeguarding the competitiveness of the industrial sector.
At the same time, there is need to ensure the
sustainability of the sewage treatment schemes under implementation, by
developing appropriate mechanisms for the sharing and the recovery of costs that
their development would entail.
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The participatory process developed by INECO in
the area, as articulated through workshops, surveys, individual meetings
and awareness campaigning, revealed a common belief that policies in
place cannot adequately address the issue.
Appropriate actions, developed and
jointly agreed on by stakeholders, encompass the following:
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Establishment of environmental taxation, to
provide economic incentives to polluters to install necessary
equipment for effluent treatment. These taxes need to be
proportional to the pollution generated, replacing the lump sum that
is currently paid by industries, independently of pollution loads
discharged to the water environment.
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Strict law enforcement so that liability
payments and relevant sanctions are imposed to polluters; a key
premise is the empowerment of the institutions entrusted with the
task.
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Full transparency in the estimation of all
water-related costs and their allocation to consumers and polluters,
as well as justification of subsidies provided to different
categories of water users.
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