S
Saturated zone
Subsurface zone of rocks where pore spaces are completely filled with water (4)
Septic tank
Underground tanks for containment of sewage; sludge settles to the bottom of the tank and liquid is discharged, usually into the soil (6)
Sewage
Mixture of human excreta from water-flushed toilets with other wastewater (7)
Sex ratio
Ratio of males to females in a given population, usually expressed as the number of males for every 100 females (2)
Slums
Urban areas that are heavily populated with sub-standard housing and very poor living conditions (5)
Social environment
Aspects of our environment derived from human and social structures and institutions e.g. services provided by schools, churches, mosques, shops, and from the community's attitudes and behavior (13)
Solid waste
Any solid material that is assumed not to be useful and therefore thrown away (7)
Source (of pollution)
The location where pollutants are released into the environment (7)
Standard of living
Level of wealth, comfort and material goods available to people (3)
Strategy
Provides details for implementation of a policy (15)
Suspended particulates
(also known as suspended solids) small solid particles suspended in water (4)
Sustainability
Ability of something to sustain itself or last a long time; an approach that combines environmental, economic and social aspects to produce long lasting development or prosperity (3)
Sustainable development
Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (3)
Sustainable development goals (SDGs)
A set of 17 international development goals that follow on from the MDGs and have targets for 2030 (14)
Sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDs)
Range of techniques to reduce the speed of surface run-off, encourage infiltration into the ground and reduce the risk of flooding (6)
Sustainable water supply
Adequate water supplies, in both quality and quantity, to meet current and future needs of people and the environment (1)