Newcastle University

Environmental Engineering for Developing Countries

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The course centres on addressing water and sanitation needs in developing countries, covering low cost engineering technologies as well as the crucially related social, economic, commercial and institutional issues, which are often not covered in traditional engineering training. Topics covered include disease, sanitation (on-site, sewerage, treatment, re-use), water (resources, treatment, provision), hygiene, drainage and solid waste management. In addition to formal lectures, guest speakers share their experience of the issues involved in working in developing countries in a series of seminars and case studies.

This course provides insight into water supply, sanitation, hygiene and disease in developing countries, providing examples of appropriate water resource and environmental engineering interventions, and an introduction to relevant social, economic and institutional issues. The course centres on addressing water and sanitation needs in developing countries, and includes the following main topics and cross-cutting issues:

• Main topics: Disease; Sanitation (on-site, sewerage, treatment, re-use); Water (resources, treatment, provision); Hygiene; Drainage; Solid waste management.
• Cross-cutting issues: Appropriate technology; social issues; institutional issues; rural, peri-urban and urban issues.

Course Objectives

Upon completion of the course, delegates will:

• understand the scale and impact of inadequate water supply, sanitation and hygiene in developing countries
• understand the transmission of diseases prevalent in developing countries
• recognise the importance of social, economic and institutional dimensions of water supply, sanitation and hygiene in developing countries.

They will also be able to:

• apply water resources and environmental engineering technologies appropriate for urban and rural situations in developing countries
• use initiative in acquiring and using information
• work in a team and produce innovative solutions to problems
• confidently and critically discuss relevant issues.

Course Outline

The Course is delivered over five days. The programme varies from year to year.

Typical lecture and seminar titles include:

• appropriate technology;
• disease and epidemiology;
• water resources in arid areas;
• low cost water supply technologies;
• on-site sanitation;
• low cost sewerage;
• community participation in case studies;
• urban drainage;
• solid waste management;
• water and sanitation sector reform;
• low cost household water treatment;
• NGOs in water, sanitation and hygiene.

Who is the course aimed at?

This course aims to inspire and equip delegates with a range of backgrounds to make a difference in the water and sanitation sector in developing countries, working with government bodies, international agencies and NGOs. Course delegates do not require specialist knowledge or prior experience of working in developing countries.

Presenters

School of Civil Engineering and Geosciences

• Dr Charlotte Paterson (Course Leader)
• Prof David Graham
• Dr Paul Sallis

Industry Professionals

• To be confirmed

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