Data Characteristics
Data Characteristics Variables collected Variables collectedLast updated: August 30, 2023
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.
Source for non-OECD countries: UNSD, Country Files from the UNSD/UNEP data collection on environment statistics (available at: https://unstats.un.org/unsd/envstats/country_files; Date of last update: 16 May 2023).
Contact: ENV.Stat@oecd.org
Australia) Urban wastewater, total generated: (i) includes trade waste and some stormwater infiltration; (ii) of which treated in wastewater treatment plants (WWTP), total inflow, is derived using total treated wastewater (including sewage) stormwater and/or drainage water multiplied by (% of wastewater collected volume/Total volume of wastewater, stormwater and drainage water collected).
Austria) Break in time series due to change of data source: from 2021 data comes from the emission register of surface water. This register covers industrial plants under the Industrial Emission Directive and food processing industrial plants under the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive. Until 2020 data comes also from a ad hoc surveys.
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.
Colombia) Volumes of wastewater for the production and distribution of electricity include information on a) gas production, b) distribution of gaseous fuels through pipelines, c) steam and air conditioning supply, d) water collection, e) treatment and distribution, f) wastewater disposal and treatment, g) waste collection, h) treatment and disposal and i) environmental sanitation activities and other waste management and material recovery services (recycling). For more information see https://www.dane.gov.co/index.php/estadisticas-por-tema/cuentas-nacionales/cuentas-satelite/cuenta-satelite-ambiental-csa#cuenta-ambiental-y-economica-de-flujos-de-agua-cae-fa.
Costa Rica) Volume - Generation of wastewater, point sources: calculations for wastewater generation are made theoretically, using return coefficients to the water use data by economic activity, and do not include independent treatment. The return coefficients used are: Households 70%; Agriculture, livestock, forestry and fishing 10%; Manufacturing, mining, construction, trade and services 55%. In Agriculture, forestry, fishing: data from ISICs 01-03 are included, excluding irrigation, as irrigation is considered as non point. In Industry: data from ISICs 05-33, 38,39,41-96 are presented, since there is no possibility of disaggregation. In Services: data from ISICs 45-96 are included. The difference between the "Generation of wastewater - point sources (Total)" and the sum of the components is due to the fact that in "Total" data includes a small portion of wastewater coming from legally authorised self supply, but the records do not allow classifying them in a specific sector of the economy. Urban and industrial wastewater, total generated: (i) treated in WWTPs: total inflow: data from ISIC 37, regardless of final disposal (for industrial wastewater it is assumed that all receives secondary treatment, as this is required by the regulations); (ii) discharged to inland waters: total: data from ISIC 37 discharged to water bodies. No accurate data for discharges from independent treatment and without treatment for urban wastewater are available. COD and BOD: only data for wastewater treated in wastewater treatment plants and discharged to water bodies is available. For more information see https://da.go.cr/estadisticas-e-indicadores-del-agua/
Czech Republic) Generation and discharges of wastewater of the service sector are calculated as residuals (after apportioning the total industry sector). The increase in volumes in services is caused by the addition of rainwater from NACE37, which is not entirely correct.
Lithuania) The "Domestic sector" and "Private households" include infiltration of run-off rainwater. Discharges do not include the wastewater of households not connected to the urban wastewater system.
Mexico) Data refers to wastewater collected in the public sewer network. The wastewater that does not reach the public sewer is not included.
Norway) Total generated urban wastewater does not include overflow of urban wastewater discharged out on the pipeline system (only at the wastewater treatment plants).
Portugal) Data refers to mainland Portugal and the autonomous region of Madeira (information not available for the autonomous region of the Azores). In the years between 2011 and 2013 it includes only mainland Portugal.
Sweden) the volume of wastewater generated by the industry total excludes the construction sector in 2000-2004 and 2015
Georgia) Data on wastewater generated includes hydroelectric power generation
Last updated: August 30, 2023
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.
Source for non-OECD countries: UNSD, Country Files from the UNSD/UNEP data collection on environment statistics (available at: https://unstats.un.org/unsd/envstats/country_files; Date of last update: 16 May 2023).
Contact: ENV.Stat@oecd.org
Australia) Urban wastewater, total generated: (i) includes trade waste and some stormwater infiltration; (ii) of which treated in wastewater treatment plants (WWTP), total inflow, is derived using total treated wastewater (including sewage) stormwater and/or drainage water multiplied by (% of wastewater collected volume/Total volume of wastewater, stormwater and drainage water collected).
Austria) Break in time series due to change of data source: from 2021 data comes from the emission register of surface water. This register covers industrial plants under the Industrial Emission Directive and food processing industrial plants under the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive. Until 2020 data comes also from a ad hoc surveys.
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.
Colombia) Volumes of wastewater for the production and distribution of electricity include information on a) gas production, b) distribution of gaseous fuels through pipelines, c) steam and air conditioning supply, d) water collection, e) treatment and distribution, f) wastewater disposal and treatment, g) waste collection, h) treatment and disposal and i) environmental sanitation activities and other waste management and material recovery services (recycling). For more information see https://www.dane.gov.co/index.php/estadisticas-por-tema/cuentas-nacionales/cuentas-satelite/cuenta-satelite-ambiental-csa#cuenta-ambiental-y-economica-de-flujos-de-agua-cae-fa.
Costa Rica) Volume - Generation of wastewater, point sources: calculations for wastewater generation are made theoretically, using return coefficients to the water use data by economic activity, and do not include independent treatment. The return coefficients used are: Households 70%; Agriculture, livestock, forestry and fishing 10%; Manufacturing, mining, construction, trade and services 55%. In Agriculture, forestry, fishing: data from ISICs 01-03 are included, excluding irrigation, as irrigation is considered as non point. In Industry: data from ISICs 05-33, 38,39,41-96 are presented, since there is no possibility of disaggregation. In Services: data from ISICs 45-96 are included. The difference between the "Generation of wastewater - point sources (Total)" and the sum of the components is due to the fact that in "Total" data includes a small portion of wastewater coming from legally authorised self supply, but the records do not allow classifying them in a specific sector of the economy. Urban and industrial wastewater, total generated: (i) treated in WWTPs: total inflow: data from ISIC 37, regardless of final disposal (for industrial wastewater it is assumed that all receives secondary treatment, as this is required by the regulations); (ii) discharged to inland waters: total: data from ISIC 37 discharged to water bodies. No accurate data for discharges from independent treatment and without treatment for urban wastewater are available. COD and BOD: only data for wastewater treated in wastewater treatment plants and discharged to water bodies is available. For more information see https://da.go.cr/estadisticas-e-indicadores-del-agua/
Czech Republic) Generation and discharges of wastewater of the service sector are calculated as residuals (after apportioning the total industry sector). The increase in volumes in services is caused by the addition of rainwater from NACE37, which is not entirely correct.
Lithuania) The "Domestic sector" and "Private households" include infiltration of run-off rainwater. Discharges do not include the wastewater of households not connected to the urban wastewater system.
Mexico) Data refers to wastewater collected in the public sewer network. The wastewater that does not reach the public sewer is not included.
Norway) Total generated urban wastewater does not include overflow of urban wastewater discharged out on the pipeline system (only at the wastewater treatment plants).
Portugal) Data refers to mainland Portugal and the autonomous region of Madeira (information not available for the autonomous region of the Azores). In the years between 2011 and 2013 it includes only mainland Portugal.
Sweden) the volume of wastewater generated by the industry total excludes the construction sector in 2000-2004 and 2015
Georgia) Data on wastewater generated includes hydroelectric power generation