Mikawashima Treatment Plan in Tokyo, 1934. This plant, built in 1922, was the first wastewater treatment plant in Japan.

Source: Making Great Breakthroughs - All about the Sewage Works in Japan (Japan Sewage Works Association: Tokyo, ca. 2002), p. 47.

A prefabricated oxidation ditch (POD) is a small facility that is suitable for wastewater treatment in small municipalities. The factory-made units can be built in a shorter period of time and at a lower cost than traditional construction methods.

Source: Making Great Breakthroughs - All about the Sewage Works in Japan (Japan Sewage Works Association: Tokyo, ca. 2002), p. 27.

Konanchubu Wastewater Treatment Plant on Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture. Advanced treatment is used to meet environmental standards for the water quality preservation of this and other designated lakes.

Source: Making Great Breakthroughs - All about the Sewage Works in Japan (Japan Sewage Works Association: Tokyo, ca. 2002), p. 29.

High-rate Filtration Facility at the Shibaura Treatment Plant in Tokyo, Japan. This is one of the measures used to improve the "combined" system of wastewater and storm water that many large cities in Japan use.

Source: Making Great Breakthroughs - All about the Sewage Works in Japan (Japan Sewage Works Association: Tokyo, ca. 2002), p. 35.

Bricks made from the incinerated ash of sewage sludge were used in this area in Yokohama, Japan.

Source: Making Great Breakthroughs - All about the Sewage Works in Japan (Japan Sewage Works Association: Tokyo, ca. 2002), p. 31.

Snow melting system using treated wastewater in Japan. In snowy regions, treated wastewater is used in snow-melting ditches and tanks, snow-flowing pipes and other facilities.

Source: Making Great Breakthroughs - All about the Sewage Works in Japan (Japan Sewage Works Association: Tokyo, ca. 2002), p. 37.

Incinerated ash from sewage sludge is close to the component of clay used in making cement. Therefore, the cement is used in secondary concrete products such as concrete manholes and pipes.

Source: Making Great Breakthroughs - All about the Sewage Works in Japan (Japan Sewage Works Association: Tokyo, ca. 2002), p. 31.

The Hanamigawa Dragonfly Pond in Chiba Prefecture, Japan, uses treated wastewater to restore the natural habitat.

Source: Making Great Breakthroughs - All about the Sewage Works in Japan (Japan Sewage Works Association: Tokyo, ca. 2002), p. 37.

Diagram showing the use of optical fiber cables for sewerage system management in Japan. Optical cables are allowed in Japanese sewer pipes after the Sewerage Law was revised in 1996.

Source: Making Great Breakthroughs - All about the Sewage Works in Japan (Japan Sewage Works Association: Tokyo, ca. 2002), p. 38.

The Arakawa Nature Park in Tokyo, Japan, is part of a wastewater treatment plant. It includes baseball fields, tennis courts, and other activities for the local community. With overcrowded cities, Japan has emphasized multiple uses for land in the sewerage treatment system.

Source: Making Great Breakthroughs - All about the Sewage Works in Japan (Japan Sewage Works Association: Tokyo, ca. 2002), p. 39.