Despite the inclusion of sanitation in 2002 as part of the MDGs, the global backlog still grows. Current
investment is heavily biased in favour of sewerage over nonnetwork
forms of sanitation, yet the vast
majority of urban dwellers in developing countries actually live with what is (often euphemistically)
known as “onsite
sanitation”. Onsite
sanitation is typically seen as a household responsibility; if people
want a toilet built or emptied, it is for them to find someone to do it; public agencies working on onsite
sanitation are often few and far between. Smallscale
providers and sanitation entrepreneurs typically fill
this service gap and are very prevalent across the globe. This article reviews how the 'onsite
sanitation
market' functions and discusses existing roles of sanitation entrepreneurs. It identifies four areas that
need exploring in order for the sanitation aspects of the MDGs to become relevant to the urban poor