Capacity strengthening in sanitation : benefits of a long-term collaboration with a utility and research institute

Sanitation investments in Africa have largely failed to meet the Millennium Development Goals. Many, sewer-based wastewater treatment plants provide inadequate treatment, and faecal sludge from onsite treatment in urban areas is largely untreated. The National Office of Water and Sanitation in Burkina Faso and the Department of Water and Sanitation in Developing Countries in Switzerland are involved in a collaboration designed to increase institutional aptitude, and develop sustainable long-term wastewater and faecal sludge management solutions. The developed approach evaluates and fills gaps in existing infrastructure, operational ability, local knowledge, and institutional procedures. The continuous communication between the partners has resulted in a synergy and increased level of commitment. This paper presents results and future plans of this utility - research approach that has resulted in training and capacity development plans and a much greater understanding of sanitation management. The lessons learned are transferable to other countries, institutes and sectors

Market driven approach for faecal sludge treatment products

Inadequate management and treatment of faecal sludge continues to pose risks for public and environmental health. Given the variability of faecal sludge and location-specific nature of solutions, it is difficult to decide on treatment objectives and performance goals for treatment. The Market Driven Approach was developed as a quantitative methodology to determine which faecal sludge treatment products have the highest market potential in a defined location. This methodology provides a way to compare treatment products based on their real value for resource recovery. This paper discusses the results and lessons learned from field-testing in five cities across Africa and South-East Asia

Technologies for sanitation: how to determine appropriate sludge treatment strategies in Vietnam

Developing appropriate technologies for the sanitation chain in low- and middle-income countries is crucial to protect public and environmental health. This includes treatment systems for the sludge produced in onsite and centralized systems (i.e., faecal and wastewater sludge). As the quantities and characteristics of sludge differ from city to city, this requires context-specific technologies. This case study was conducted to identify potential management strategies in five cities in Vietnam. The influence of the enabling environment, existing infrastructures, local sanitation practices and socioeconomic contexts on the selection of technology was assessed through literature reviews, household surveys and interviews. A checklist of influential aspects is presented to make best use of local opportunities and minimize the risks of technology failure. This approach is applicable to develop sludge management strategies in other cities

FAQ: faecal sludge quantification and characterization - field trial of methodology in Hanoi, Vietnam

Characterizing and quantifying faecal sludge (FS) at a city-wide scale in low- and middle-income countries is essential for designing and planning appropriate FS treatment facilities. However, there currently is no accurate methodology for the estimation of these values. The FAQ (faecal sludge quantification and characterization) study developed a methodology, and is validating it in Hanoi, Vietnam and Kampala, Uganda. The method utilizes spatially analysed demographic data as a predictor of FS characteristics. Extensive sampling has been conducted to field test the presented method. This paper presents results of collected and analysed secondary data, and preliminary results of the TS, VS, COD and SCOD concentrations from household septic tanks in Hanoi, which were on average 26,471, 19,395, 37,541 and 713 mg/L respectively, and ongoing data analysis is being conducted

Characterization of faecal sludge during dry and rainy seasons in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

Faecal sludge (FS) management is a challenging problem in low-income countries where large parts of the urban population rely on onsite sanitation systems. The design of treatment plants relies on accurate knowledge of FS characteristics, but this information is lacking. The goal of this study, conducted between December 2010 and September 2011, was to determine physical and chemical characteristics of raw FS from collection and transport trucks in 5 discharge sites in Ouagadougou. Over 100 samples directly collected during truck discharge were analysed. Analyses included suspended solids, volatile suspended solids, total solids, total volatile solids, sludge volume index, chemical oxygen demand, biological oxygen demand, and heavy metals. The FS characteristics were highly variable, but had similar characteristics for FS collected during the dry and rainy seasons and at different discharge sites. The type of onsite system had an influence on FS characteristics