Promoting ecological sanitation:sharing NKKD WATSAN experiences

During a visit to the Centre for Advanced Technology (CAT) in North Wales in 2006, the technology that particularly inspired the author was the ecological sanitation latrine (Ecosan), as having a potentially useful application in the rural areas of SW Uganda. The first task was to turn CAT's demonstration latrine into live application in SW Uganda, to prove Ecosan technology there. Several Ecosan latrine installations have already been constructed by NKKD WATSAN Project, and are now in use. These include an indoor “Twin-Pit” toilet unit in the Diocesan offices, Rukungiri. For an ecological latrine to work, two aspects are of key importance: liquid/solid separation, and venting. Conventional approaches to sanitation (traditional pit latrines or long drops) still pose health and environmental risks to the population. Ecological sanitation latrines are completely free of environmental pollution and the water table is safe

Alternatives in ecological sanitation: a comparison of systems in Uganda

Ecological Sanitation (Eco-San) systems are designed to recover nutrients and organic matter from human urine and faeces. Eco-San systems, especially Urine-Diverting Dry Toilets (UDDTs), have been promoted in Uganda since 1997. However, uptake remains low, and pit latrines continue to be the most common sanitation technology in the country. This paper provides a general comparison of pit latrines, UDDTs, and an alternative Eco-San option known as the sawdust bucket system. The comparison accounts for several factors related to installation, operation, user comfort, and technical issues. The two Eco-San systems were found to provide benefits beyond those of pit latrines, and the bucket system was the most favourable of the three. However, each Eco-San system has distinct advantages in different contexts, and it is recommended that multiple Eco-San options be promoted. Given freedom of choice, consumers can select the option most appropriate for their specific contexts and needs

Finding sustainable funding for WASH facility monitoring through nutrient recovery in southwest Uganda

The benefits of access to safe water supplies can be jeopardized by poor system functionality, often a result of inadequate financing for ongoing monitoring, operation, and maintenance. This study assessed the level of ongoing monitoring among water supply systems in Rukungiri District, southwest Uganda, and examined local stakeholder perspectives through household, institutional, and organizational surveys. System functionality was generally found to be inadequate. Furthermore, this study explored the possibility of financing ongoing water system costs by more closely linking water supply provision with resource recovery from sanitation. Certain sanitation technologies can recover nutrients from human excreta. The economic value of these nutrients may provide a sustainable source of funds sufficient to support a water system’s ongoing operation and monitoring. Coupling water supply and sanitation through nutrient recovery may provide opportunities to develop innovative financing strategies, simultaneously promoting greater water and sanitation access, sustainable resource flows, and continued water system functionality

Identifying challenges in the use of urine-diverting toilets: a case study from Rukungiri Municipality (S.W. Uganda)

In Rukungiri Municipality, the installation of pit latrines is hindered by limited space, rocky soils, and a high water table. A limited water supply eliminates flush toilets as a feasible option. Through surveys of users of Urine-Diverting Dry Toilets (UDDTs), the authors discovered that, although residents have been strongly encouraged by the Municipality to install these facilities, they have received limited education and training regarding their construction and operation. Other challenges identified include a lack of desiccating materials and the need to establish a safe, effective system for emptying and disposing of fecal material. To address these issues, the possibility of desiccant delivery and toilet emptying services should be explored, and further sensitization should occur, perhaps through public gatherings and the distribution of low-cost signs describing proper operation. The authors hope that, through these recommendations, UDDTs will become a safer, better understood, and more widespread sanitation option within Rukungiri Municipality