Environment Database - Generation and discharge of wastewater
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Last updated: September 2, 2022

UN-Habitat, WHO, and UNSD are co-custodians for SDG Indicator 6.3.1 - represented by the proportion of total, industrial, and domestic wastewater flows that are safely treated.  The Eurostat/OECD Joint Questionnaire on Inland Waters serves as an important data source for the indicator.  Officially reported data on the volumes of wastewater generated (by economic activities and households) and treated (at urban, industrial, or independent facilities) - as well as population-based estimates on sewer and wastewater treatment coverage - are utilised directly in the computation of country estimates for the indicator.  Progress reports are published every three years and global, regional, and country estimates are updated routinely.  Progress reports, a data portal, methodological details, and country files can be found on the SDG Indicator 6.3.1 website. 

Data for non-OECD countries may be found at the UN Statistical Division: UNSD, Country Files from the UNSD/UNEP data collection on environment statistics (available at: https://unstats.un.org/unsd/envstats/country_files).

Contact: ENV.Stat@oecd.org

Chile) Data refers mostly to urban areas and there is no breakdown between industrial and residential wastewater generation and discharge. Wastewater generated by agriculture does not include irrigation.

Costa Rica) Total wastewater generated is estimated by multiplying the volume of water billed to users by 0.75. Break in series in 2015 due to the use of more complete information (data is therefore not comparable to previous years). WWTP effluents do not include runoff rainwater, since the mixing of these 2 types of waters is prohibited. During the period 2008 to 2014, only the generation and treatment of waste water from users of the main public water supply operators (ISIC 36) was reported.

Mexico) Data refers to wastewater collected in the public sewer network. The wastewater that does not reach the public sewer is not included.

Sweden) the volume of wastewater generated by the industry total excludes the construction sector in 2000-2004 and 2015

Environment Database - Generation and discharge of wastewaterVariables collected

Last updated: September 2, 2022

UN-Habitat, WHO, and UNSD are co-custodians for SDG Indicator 6.3.1 - represented by the proportion of total, industrial, and domestic wastewater flows that are safely treated.  The Eurostat/OECD Joint Questionnaire on Inland Waters serves as an important data source for the indicator.  Officially reported data on the volumes of wastewater generated (by economic activities and households) and treated (at urban, industrial, or independent facilities) - as well as population-based estimates on sewer and wastewater treatment coverage - are utilised directly in the computation of country estimates for the indicator.  Progress reports are published every three years and global, regional, and country estimates are updated routinely.  Progress reports, a data portal, methodological details, and country files can be found on the SDG Indicator 6.3.1 website. 

Data for non-OECD countries may be found at the UN Statistical Division: UNSD, Country Files from the UNSD/UNEP data collection on environment statistics (available at: https://unstats.un.org/unsd/envstats/country_files).

Contact: ENV.Stat@oecd.org

Chile) Data refers mostly to urban areas and there is no breakdown between industrial and residential wastewater generation and discharge. Wastewater generated by agriculture does not include irrigation.

Costa Rica) Total wastewater generated is estimated by multiplying the volume of water billed to users by 0.75. Break in series in 2015 due to the use of more complete information (data is therefore not comparable to previous years). WWTP effluents do not include runoff rainwater, since the mixing of these 2 types of waters is prohibited. During the period 2008 to 2014, only the generation and treatment of waste water from users of the main public water supply operators (ISIC 36) was reported.

Mexico) Data refers to wastewater collected in the public sewer network. The wastewater that does not reach the public sewer is not included.

Sweden) the volume of wastewater generated by the industry total excludes the construction sector in 2000-2004 and 2015