Page 39 - U4SSC Factsheet Ålesund, Norway, June 2020

reporting mechanisms. This is because it is important for any aspiring smart sustainable city (SSC) to
adequately treat the water used by homes, industries, and businesses for sustainable release back into
the environment. If wastewater is not properly or adequately treated, it can have negative impacts on
the environment, wildlife, marine life and human health (including through contamination of drinking
water). Wastewater treatment aims to remove as much of the suspended waste solids as possible
before the remaining water, called effluent, is discharged back to the environment. ‘Primary treatment’
removes about 60 per cent of suspended solids from wastewater. This treatment also involves aerating
(stirring up) the wastewater, to put oxygen back in. Secondary treatment removes more than 90 per
cent of suspended solids, with tertiary treatment taking care of any percentage of the remaining. 33

ITU-T L Suppl. 14: ITU-T L.1500: ‘Standardization gap analysis for smart water management’ and ITU-T
L Suppl. 15: ITU-T L.1500 series: ‘Requirements for water sensing and early warning systems’ should
be utilized by cities when actualizing their smart water management policies.

U4SSC Factsheet | Ålesund, Norway | June 2020 33