No abstract

The selection of suitable sanitation options is a complex issue. There are many factors that influence the performance of each system. Sanitation suitable for use in low-income housing areas in developing countries is normally based on a combination of options specific to the local context. That makes it really difficult to develop an effective tool for decision-making. To date, decision support tools have failed to make a long-term impact on the choice for sanitation services in rural as well as urban and peri-urban settlements in developing countries. Most relate the choice of a sanitation option to one element (i.e. septic tank or pit latrine) rather than considering the sanitation system as a whole. Some lack transparency or are guided by personal choices and assumptions, which can include as well as exclude relevant aspects for the selection of sanitation systems. Decision-models are generally complex to understand and use and sometimes seem inconsistent. WASTE in collaboration with international experts is developing a practical support instrument to facilitate informed choice of sanitation systems. The tool is a knowledge sharing or awareness mechanism intended to provide a more comprehensive view of a settlement's limitations on the one hand and available sanitation options on the other. It intends to assist a wide range of stakeholders from city officials, planners, CBO's, users, service providers to financial and political authorities. Furthermore WASTE wants to present a practitioner's tool that uses a three-step approach providing a simple interface, flexible framework and transparent outcome. This support tool can be used independently, integrated in strategic sanitation planning as well as provide the base-ground for the selection of sanitation options in a multi-stakeholder participatory process.

Pook se Bos informal settlement and the Cape Town Water & Sanitation Services Department are partnering on an urban sanitation project with a Dutch Consortium consisting of Lettinga Associates Foundation (LeAF), Landustrie Sneek and Vitens-Evides International. The aim of the project is to improve the basic sanitation services provided in informal settlements through the implementation of the MobiSan approach. The approach consists of a communal Urine-Diversion and Dehydration Toilet (UDDT) built in a former sea shipping container. The system is independent of water, electricity or sewerage connection and it is maintained by full-time community caretakers who also act as hygiene promoters. The project seeks to link sanitation services with hygiene promotion in informal settlements while enhancing user satisfaction and reducing costs in providing basic sanitation services. This paper describes the preliminary experiences and lessons learnt during the implementation and evaluation of the MobiSan prototype and discusses its potential for replication. The MobiSan has proved to be an appropriate option by means of dealing successfully with shallow groundwater table, land availability and high settlement densities. In addition it has been demonstrated to be cost-competitive in terms of operating cost compared to chemical toilets.

No abstract