Author(s): Philippe Gourbesville

Linked Author(s): Philippe Gourbesville

Keywords: Sustainable wastewater management; Water quality; Modellingsystem; Coliform bacteria; Comoros archipelago; Mayotte

Abstract: The recent evolution of the coastal environment is characterized by an increasing of human potential impacts: coastal zone is located at the cross-road of sectoral issues which originate a number of often competing uses. Today, the main challenges in the coastal environment management are not derived from ¡°technical problems¡± but correspond to the global coastal management and to the means to harmonize the different uses. This new approach has generated the need to apply systemic concepts which are able to describe and analyze large and complex systems. In the coastal zone and specially in sensitive environments as tropical island surrounded by coral reefs and lagoons, one of the major challenges is to conciliate the waste waters and pipe outfalls management, the traditional uses and the ecological preservation. The paper presents the results which have been obtained with a global approach based on modelling systems for the definition of a sustainable wastewater management strategy in highly sensitive coastal areas located in Mayotte, (Comoros archip., Indian Ocean). This example allows to explain and identify the necessary tools and essential procedures as hydrodynamic modelling or public participation for a sustainable management promotion.

DOI:

Year: 2001