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Wastewater Treatment Solutions in South East Asia: Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia | ZLD

Updated: Dec 19, 2022


The wastewater treatment industry in South East Asia is growing quickly and new Zero Liquid Discharge solutions are needed to ease the environmental impact of factories in countries such as Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam.




The wastewater treatment industry in Southeast Asia is an important sector that plays a crucial role in protecting public health and the environment. Many countries in the region are facing challenges related to rapid urbanization and industrialization, which have led to an increase in the production of wastewater. This has put pressure on local governments and companies to improve their wastewater treatment infrastructure and processes to ensure that the water is safe for reuse and meets environmental standards.


In recent years, there has been a significant focus on improving the wastewater treatment industry in Southeast Asia. Governments in the region have implemented a number of initiatives to upgrade and expand their wastewater treatment facilities, including the construction of new plants and the adoption of advanced technologies such as membrane bioreactors and anaerobic digestion. There has also been a focus on promoting the use of treated wastewater for agricultural and industrial purposes, as a way to conserve water resources and reduce the demand on fresh water sources.


Despite these efforts, the wastewater treatment industry in Southeast Asia continues to face a number of challenges. Many facilities in the region are outdated and do not meet current standards, and there is a lack of trained personnel to operate and maintain them. In addition, there is often a lack of funding and political will to invest in the necessary infrastructure and technologies, which can hinder progress in the sector. However, with continued efforts to address these challenges, it is hoped that the wastewater treatment industry in Southeast Asia will be able to meet the growing demand for clean water and protect the environment.


Read this research for more information about the sustainable developments of SME in this region.





Wastewater Treatment in Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia


The government of Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and neighbouring countries have implemented a number of initiatives to upgrade and expand its wastewater treatment facilities, including the construction of new plants and the adoption of advanced Zero Liquid Discharge technologies.


Many facilities in countries such as Indonesia and Vietnam are outdated and do not meet current standards, and there is a lack of trained personnel to operate and maintain them. In addition, there is often a lack of funding and political will to invest in the necessary infrastructure and technologies, which can hinder progress in the sector.


To address these challenges, governments have implemented a number of policies and programs to improve the wastewater treatment industry, including the establishment of a national wastewater management agencies and the development of a national wastewater management plan. It is hoped that these efforts will help to ensure that these countries in South East Asia are able to meet the growing demand for clean water and protect the environment from industrial effluents.



Indonesia Wastewater Treatment Industry

Indonesia is becoming increasingly urban, resulting in various challenges. With a population of around 270 million, domestic wastewater is one of the major contributors to wastewater generated from human activities. Up to 90 per cent of clean water consumption is discharged as wastewater in Indonesia.


Domestic wastewater is usually divided into two categories – black water and grey water. Black water is the discharge from toilets that contains high organic, nitrogen and phosphorus content. Grey water is all the other wastewater except the toilet, including from sinks, showers and laundry. Only 1 per cent of the households in Indonesia are connected to a centralised or communal sewerage system that treats both black water and grey water. Indonesia is making efforts to address the wastewater challenge by strengthening the capacities of local governments to design and manage citywide services.


Wastewater from industrial operations is even a greater challenge and many factories require ZLD systems, which use MVR vacuum evaporators and crystallizers as main treatment technology.


Vietnam Wastewater Treatment Industry

Vietnam’s rapid growth and industrialisation have had a negative impact on the environment and natural assets of the country. Demand for water continues to increase in the country, while water productivity is low at about 12 per cent of global benchmarks indicated by a World Bank report on water. Currently, the water supply in Vietnam meets only about 70 per cent of demand, with a relatively high-water loss rate of around 30 per cent.


Rapid industrialisation throughout Vietnam has been polluting the country’s water supply at an increasing rate, reducing the availability of potable water. Vietnam has significant potential for large-scale water treatment facilities. One such project, the Vinh Long city urban development and enhanced climate resilience project focuses on the development of wastewater collection and treatment, drainage, flood control systems, etc.


The country has a few centralised wastewater treatment plants, and about three-quarters of its industrial wastewater is discharged into the environment without proper treatment. The Soc Son waste-to-energy project located in the Nam Son waste treatment complex in Hanoi, the biggest project in Vietnam, started operating in August 2021. The project consists of a wastewater treatment plant that is designed to treat 1,740 tonnes of wastewater per day. It also has the capacity to handle 4,000 tonnes of solid waste.


Cambodia Wastewater Treatment Industry

Cambodia is experiencing rapid economic development. The consequent increase in waste and wastewater generation is becoming a major concern for Cambodian authorities and its development partners. To solve the problems related to wastewater treatment, the country is setting up new treatment plants with advanced technologies.


Cambodia has started construction on the Choeung Ek wastewater treatment plant in Phnom Penh’s Meanchey district. The project consists of building a twin-engine pumping station with a total capacity of 420 cubic metres per hour. It will also consist of around 2 km of sewer pipes to connect to the station.


The Government of Cambodia is also planning to build a second, smaller waste treatment facility in 2025. The Liveable Cities Investment Project will help provide better wastewater and solid waste management services to more than 140,000 residents in Bavet, Kampot and Poipet cities.


More information about these projects can be found here: Moving Forward: Wastewater treatment market in SEA - Southeast Asia Infrastructure



Wastewater Treatment Solutions for South East Asia


Since many years YASA ET is committed to offer the best waste water treatment solutions for South East Asia.


Our company offers zero liquid discharge solutions for factories in Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Thailand and developed new innovative technology to make their industries more sustainable.


Our wastewater treatment solutions include:

  • Vacuum Evaporators and Crystallizers;

  • Electrocoagulation and Electro oxidation equipment;

  • Electrodialysis and membrane filtration systems;



For more information about our technology you can get in touch with us at:


📧 info@yasa.ltd


🌐 www.yasa.ltd(EN)


🌐 www.yashahuanjing.cn (中文)


📱 +86 136 3643 1077


YASA ET official online store > click here




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