Sanitation game changing: paradigm shift from end-of-pipe to off-grid solutions

Abstract

The toilet-wastewater-pollution nexus – the provision of safe, hygienic and appropriate sanitation solutions – is an emerging, priority issue world-wide. Developed nations have followed a linear design approach to achieve their sanitation needs, with conventional waterborne systems continuously improved to meet more stringent control and pollution regulations while minimising the load on the natural environment. Developing countries, on the other hand, continue to struggle to implement such systems, due to a myriad of factors associated with financing, affordability and revenue, and thus rely heavily on on-site systems. On-site systems pose a different set of technical challenges related to their management, which is often overlooked in the developing world. Whereas, while technology strides increase in conventional sanitation processes towards zero-effluent, these come at a significant cost and energy requirement. Further, climate variability and water security put added pressure on the resources available for flushing and transporting human waste. A new paradigm for sanitation, proposed in this paper, introduces and is based on technology disrupters that can safely treat human excreta, and matches user preferences without the need for sewers, or reliance on large quantities of water and/or energy supplies. Through innovation and smart-chain supply, universal access can be achieved sustainably, and linked to water security and business opportunities. The opportunity arises for leapfrogging these solutions in growing cities in the developing world, reducing water consumption and eliminating pollutant pathways.

An evaluation of different provision strategies for scaled-up container-based sanitation

“…Using a hypothetical scenario-based approach, three separate strategies were shown to have varying efficiencies at different levels of CBS usage in neighbourhoods in Cape Town, Cap-Haïtien, Lima and Nairobi. This approach, while providing insight into the efficiencies of different existing CBS provision strategies, should be properly contextualised by recognising the wide range of factors that determine the sustainability of any sanitation service (Bhagwan et al 2019).…”

The potential contribution of urine source separation to the SDG agenda – a review of the progress so far and future development options

“…14 Non-grid wastewater management exists, but grid-based centralized system are generally considered the natural endpoint of infrastructure development at least for cities. 15 The historic concept of stepwise improvement is still applied: of those with access to sewers, i.e. one third of the world population, 21% have no wastewater treatment at all, 35% primary, 23% secondary, and only 21% tertiary treatment.…”

“…This challenge sponsored research teams for inventing hightech sanitation systems that could work in informal settlements without any access to water networks and sewers at a price of less than US$ 0.05 per person and day. 15 Some of those projects involved urine source separation (e.g. ref.…”

The contribution of tipping fees to the operation, maintenance, and management of fecal sludge treatment plants: The case of Ghana

“…If collection results in minimum profit because of longer travel distances and time involved coupled with the age of the collection fleet, usually little provision is made to ensure proper treatment of FS at the end of the service chain ( Taweesan et al, 2015 ; Nikiema et al, 2020 ; Singh et al, 2021 ). This is why treatment faces most constraints in the FSM service chain ( Srinivasan, 2018 ; Bhagwan et al, 2019 ).…”