Container-based sanitation: assessing costs and effectiveness of excreta management in Cap Haitien, Haiti
- PMID: 26097288
- PMCID: PMC4461065
- DOI: 10.1177/0956247815572746
Container-based sanitation: assessing costs and effectiveness of excreta management in Cap Haitien, Haiti
Abstract
Container-based sanitation (CBS) - in which wastes are captured in sealable containers that are then transported to treatment facilities - is an alternative sanitation option in urban areas where on-site sanitation and sewerage are infeasible. This paper presents the results of a pilot household CBS service in Cap Haitien, Haiti. We quantify the excreta generated weekly in a dense urban slum,(1) the proportion safely removed via container-based public and household toilets, and the costs associated with these systems. The CBS service yielded an approximately 3.5-fold decrease in the unmanaged share of faeces produced, and nearly eliminated the reported use of open defecation and "flying toilets" among service recipients. The costs of this pilot small-scale service were higher than those of large-scale waterborne sewerage, but economies of scale have the potential to reduce CBS costs over time. The paper concludes with a discussion of planning and policy implications of incorporating CBS into the menu of sanitation options for rapidly growing cities.
Keywords: container-based sanitation; faecal management; urban sanitation; waste infrastructure; waterless sanitation.
Figures
References
-
- Adubofour K, Obiri-Danso K, Quansah C. (2013), “Sanitation survey of two urban slum Muslim communities in the Kumasi metropolis, Ghana”, Environment and Urbanization Vol 25, No 1, pages 189–207.
-
- Cairncross S. (1992), “Sanitation and water supply: practical lessons from the decade”, World Bank Water and Sanitation Discussion Paper Series Vol 9.
-
- Davis J. (2004), “Corruption in public service delivery: experience from South Asia’s water and sanitation sector”, World Development Vol 32, No 1, pages 53–71.
-
- Department of Water and Sanitation in Developing Countries/Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Sandec/Eawag) (2006), “Urban Excreta Management - Situation, Challenges, and Promising Solutions”, 15 pages.
-
- Günther I, Niwagaba C, Lüthi C, Horst A, Mosler H-J, Tumbewaze I. (2012), “When is shared sanitation improved sanitation? - The correlation between number of users and toilet hygiene”, Urban Affordable Clean Toilets (U-ACT), 5 pages.
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Other Literature Sources
Miscellaneous