Ecosan Kenya Network: January 2011

UDDTs on campus of Rafiki college (NGO), Western Kenya

by Moses Wakala

The Rafiki NGO located in Rarieda in Western part of Kenya. It has done ten toilets in their compound. The toilets are to serve a population of about 150 people who come for training in the NGO College. We are now on the finishes stage. There are 2 four doors attached together and one double door for the staff. More infos are coming or contact directly wakala.gtz@gmail.com.

Fitting of squatting pans and landscaping

Replicated UDDT in Wajir

BY Adan .A. Hassan of ALDEF - Ecological sanitation in North Eastern Province of Kenya (hassan_adan@yahoo.com)

Ecological sanitation toilet (UDDT) which was put up by an individual in Wajir after
the implementation of GTZ ecosan project (EPP)

Problematic bucket latrine system in Wajir

BY Adan .A. Hassan of ALDEF - Ecological sanitation in North Eastern Province of Kenya (hassan_adan@yahoo.com)

PROBLEMATIC BUCKET LATRINE SYSTEM IN WAJIR TOWN

Location is displayed here - link is coming!!

In Wajir town human waste disposal is undertaken through a bucket latrine system which is managed by the local authority – Wajir County Council. There are approximately 5,000 bucket latrines and they are increasing as the population increases. Most of this bucket latrines are found in Wajir town and surrounding areas. The bucket latrine system was introduced by the colonial government because of the high water table in the area and was to prevent underground water contaminations which was and is the only source of water supply in Wajir.

The main source water supply in water in Wajir town are shallow wells which are not protected from contamination and not covered. How the bucket latrine waste contaminate the shallow wells which are community water sources. The bucket latrine is not collected and disposed frequently, as a result the bucket over flows and there high seepage human waste in the ground which highly contaminate the sources of water also there service contamination since the shallow wells not covered and the water drawing methods. In an individual’s plot of 50 by 100 ft compound both bucket and shallow wells are situated, creating high chances of contamination.

The only alternative solutions to reduce the level of contamination from the bucket latrine are the introduction of an ecological sanitation which has improved to some level. Our future focus is to kick out bucket latrine in Wajir town by promoting ecosan.

Rear side of a household bucket latrine - often the buckets
are not collected and overflow into
the open of the compound

An open shallow well which is exposed to contamination.
Bucket latrines and wells are often placed on the same
plot making it prone to contamimation.

LARS on 14-18 March 2011 in Nairobi

Water, Sanitation and Energy for sustainable livelihoods

LARS 2011 - Lake and Catchment Research Symposium - is organised by the Kenyatta University, the Centre for International Capacity Development (CICD), University of Dar es Salaam, Makerere University and Univerity of Zambia. The main theme is Water, Sanitation and Energy for sustainable livelihoods with the sub-theme of Integrated Sanitation Management. Masters and PdD students will present their research findings.

It will take place on the 14 - 18 March 2011 at the Kenyatta University Conference Centre in Nairobi, Kenya. Registration fees for researchers are 200 US $ and for students 100 US $. More information you can find here.

You can get in touch with Johannes Orodi johannes.orodi@iwmnet.eu or

Secretary LARS 2011
Department of Geography
P.O. Box 43844-00100, Nairobi, Kenya
lars2011@iwmnet.eu
Find more details of the Symposium on http://www.iwmnet.eu/

Namawanga Kolani community UDDTs

Training session on ecosan Technology philosophy in Kolani Community Toilet( behind)

Namwela community UDDT toilet - Bungoma County

Children visiting the UDDT toilet in Namwela Community compound

Eldoret Education Centre UDDT toilet

by Moses Wakala (posted through C.Rieck)

Community projects initiated during consultancy and other ecosan activities
During this period of consultancy (funded by GTZ sustainable sanitation - ecosan program - Germany), a number of sensitization and awareness creation meetings have been done within the country. This was aimed at capacity building and ecosan advocacy within different people. This has yielded positive results within the region promoting ecological sanitation practices. As a result, a number of projects have sprouted with local funding from individuals and government as a replication of what was promoted in EPP. The following selected example is a project that I have seen started and partly completed. They require some evaluation, training and subsequent follow-ups.

Eldoret Education Centre UDDT toilet

School Contact: +254 700 155 166
Email: eecshule@gmail.com
Locaton: Eldoret town
Date visited: 29th Oct 2010
Facilities constructed: Four Urine Diverting Dehydrating Toilet with Double Chambers and Boys Urinal.

Project Location:
Eldoret Education Complex is situated along Eldoret-Kaptagat –Ravine Road about 4 KM from Eldoret town.

Project history and motivation
Eldoret Education Complex is a new upcoming school with high goals and targets of being the centre for wholesome education to the child. The school started this year in June. Before the school begun, Ecosan Promotion Project was just winding up the documentation that was aired in local TV stations. The school administrators got interested and took a step of getting in touch with the ecosan Expert in the region.
Population 100 pupils up to class four. Age (3-10 Years) and all the school staff of 20.
Caretaker: Emily Maiyo

The caretaker is responsible for:
- Urine collection and replacing urine containers.
- Labeling the urine containers when they can be put to use.
- Replacing ash in the toilets .
- Training of young kids on toilet use.

The school’s main challenge now is disposal of used sanitary pads before the incinerator is ready.

Usage: the toilet in the school has been used from July 2010. The future plans are to construct 4 other units by January next year.

Eldoret Education Centre (EEC) UDDT toilet with urine storage chambers.

Overview of UDDT toilet with boys urinals to the left

Urine storage shelves in details. Urine is collected in 20 liter jericans and when full, it is labeled with a sticker indicating when it was full and when it will be ready for use in the farm.

The school is using the toilet products (urine and dried faeces)
in the farm and for trees

Chief Mutsembi ecosan Primary School Project

by Moses Wakala (posted through C.Rieck)

Community projects initiated during consultancy and other ecosan activities
During this period of consultancy (funded by GTZ sustainable sanitation - ecosan program - Germany), a number of sensitization and awareness creation meetings have been done within the country. This was aimed at capacity building and ecosan advocacy within different people. This has yielded positive results within the region promoting ecological sanitation practices. As a result, a number of projects have sprouted with local funding from individuals and government as a replication of what was promoted in EPP. The following selected example is a project that I have seen started and partly completed. They require some evaluation, training and subsequent follow-ups.

Chief Mutsembi Primary School ProjectThe primary school with a population of 880 pupils and 23 teachers has four pit latrines where the pupils and female teachers share a toilet. There is a crisis because the school is situated next to a water source that supplies part of Kakamega Town. The Ministry of public health has issued a warning for closure of the school due to lack of proper sanitation. The water ministry has not approved the excavation of pits due to the polluting effect they have on the underground water.
Constituency development fund which has been funding the school establishment under the parliament act and free primary education scheme has stepped in to fund construction of the ecosan toilets in the school to curb the problem. The school plans to construct 12 doors from Oct 2010 to early next year to alleviate the problem.

Artisans on work at chief Mutsembi Primary School
in Kakamega converting a closed septic tank to a dry toilet

Ecological Sanitation Option in Wajir Town - ALDEF Kenya with ecosan

by Adan A. Hassan - Project Officer Water and Sanitation ALDEF (Arid Lands Development Focus)

Principals Technologies and Project as Sustainable Waste and Human Excreta Management. In order to reach the MGD and VISION 2030 for significantly reducing the number of people with out access to adequate sanitation, new holistic concept are needed, focusing on economically feasible closed the loop ecological sanitations rather than on expensive piping technologies , thus enabling every individual house hold to finances and maintain sustainable sanitary systems .

Ecological sanitation system advance a new philosophy of dealing with what to date has been considered as merely waste water. Ecological sanitation system is based on systematic implementation of the reuse and recycling of nutrients, organic and water as a hygienically safe, close – loop and holistic alternative to conventional solutions for the last few years an increasing number of pilot and demonstration Ecosan projects have been implemented in the Muslim communities in the Northern Kenya. These are some of the recent achievements for further development and upscalling of Ecological sanitation technologies and operating and reuse option and have provided large amount of experience with this new holistic approach, over 90% of the sewage in the developed countries are discharging un treated, polluting rivers, lakes, and the coastal strips. Conventional sanitation concepts based on flush toilets, a water wasting technology are neither an Ecological nor economical solution in both industrialized and developing. The water based sewage system were designed and constructed on the premises that human excreta are a waste suitable only for disposal and the environment is capable of assimilating this waste.

Construction of UDDT unit in Wajir under supervision of ALDEF

Finished UDDT unit in Wajir (North Eastern Kenya)

A sanitation that provides Ecological Sanitation is a cycle – Sustainable, Safe, Close loop system which closes the gap between Sanitation, hygiene and Agriculture. The Ecological Sanitation option/approach is resources minded and presents holistic concept towards ecologically healthy and economically sound sanitation, underlying aims is to close. Nutrients and water are recycled with as less expenditure on materials and energy as possible to contribute to a sustainable development. Human excreta are treated as a useful resource and usually processed on site. The nutrients are contained in excreta are recycled and to recondition the so soil for Agriculture.
Ecological Sanitation option in Wajir Town.Wajir Town is serviced by infamous and the barbaric type of sanitation which is bucket latrine, this sanitation option was found to be the best sanitation option by then colonial government since there the water table is high and the only source of water available are shallow wells which were not protected and are uncovered. Due to the population and tremendous increases in the construction bucket latrine which made impossible for proper disposal of human excreta from the town which posed high level of water and environmental contamination and a result there outbreaks water born and water related diseases including cholera, dysentery, diarrhea and due to continuous health problems Aldef Kenya thought of alternative option to bucket latrine which is the Ecological sanitation which is environmentally friendly. This was piloted first in 2004 starting with first early adapters. The dehydrated and urine separated type of

Ecological sanitation is being practiced in Wajir. Ash is used as dehydrating agent with help of the solar plate painted black and duration makes the human excreta treated and can easily be handling by the family members by using soil condition while the urine is directed in to suck pit.
Here billow is one the early adaptor who is using the human excreta from her Ecosan toilet for growing pawpaw for both sell and family use. Councilor Fatuma Maalim Abass is one of our early adaptors who are closing the loop.