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Municipal wastewater collection and treatment facilities in the NIS states bordering the Caspian Sea usually combine domestic and industrial effluents. Some 40% of municipal wastewater discharged directly to the Sea have been mechanically treated and in a few cases has also been biologically treated. The remaining 60% of municipal effluent are discharged directly without provision of long outfalls to ensure adequate dilution. Even where treatment facilities have been provided, the treatment efficiencies are low because treatment plants are generally old and largely not working as designed.
The effluent collection systems in coastal cities are currently poorly developed and in poor condition. There is therefore a potential for a considerable increase in domestic effluent discharges to the sea as collection systems are improved and extended. Per capita water consumption in the NIS is much higher than compared with Western Europe. As consumption is reduced by increased water use efficiency, effluent quantity should fall, although total pollutant loads should remain the same. However, more concentrated wastewater may have more toxic effects on the sea. Thus more efficient treatment will be required.
Total pollution load to the Caspian Sea from municipalities
Municipal wastewater discharge (flow) to the Caspian in % of total
Municipal wastewater discharge of BOD to the Caspian in % of total
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Coastal and off-shore industry
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In terms of overall load, direct municipal discharges
contribute much less than the rivers that carry effluents to the sea. Nonetheless, the
municipal effluent volume and quality of coastal cities is sufficient to cause localised
health dangers and in some cases to carry hazardous substances to the sea that will have
longer term effects on the ecology and impact human health. 
