“Someone Should be There to Take Care of It”: A Case Study of Users’ Views of Managed Shared Sanitation Facilities in Jharkhand, India

Abstract

The Sustainable Development Goals have set an ambitious target to end open defecation by 2030 by building private household toilets. These toilets are categorized based on quality indicators. However, toilets that are shared among households are considered “limited,” disincentivizing governments and implementers from investing in this infrastructure despite being more appropriate in certain contexts. Furthermore, unlike private toilets, shared toilets are not distinguished based on their quality. As such, there is a need to understand what attributes constitute well-managed shared toilets. These types of facilities could play an important role in helping people move up the sanitation ladder away from open defecation in certain contexts. Therefore, we conducted 41 one-on-one in-depth interviews with users of managed shared sanitation facilities. We found that maintenance and accessibility are key indicators of well-managed shared sanitation. Maintenance includes the provision of water for flushing and self-cleaning, cleaning, and high-quality built infrastructure. Accessibility is defined by the distance people have to walk to reach the facility, the amount of time they have to wait in line, and design features of the facility that encourage use. These findings could help distinguish managed versus unmanaged shared sanitation and could help inform global sanitation policies.

The Association between Anthropometric Failure and Toilet Types: A Cross-Sectional Study from India

“…[89][90][91] Additionally, although shared sanitation has been thought of as most viable in dense urban communities, there is mounting evidence about the important role these facilities could play in both rural and periurban communities in the Indian context. 5,6,88 Future research should examine the viability of shared sanitation in rural areas given that many of these communities also have high population densities, and this is where the burden of open defecation is the highest. 2,92 In conclusion, sharing status is a major distinction used to assess toilet quality.…”

“… 75 , 86 Acceptability depends on factors such as availability of water at the facility, cleanliness, handwashing stations, gender-separated entrances, doors that lock, lighting for nighttime use, the presence of service staff, and the number of households sharing the toilet. 15 , 87 , 88 Community-based approaches to promoting cleanliness at shared sanitation facilities could guide how these facilities are managed and financially sustained, which could influence user acceptability. 89 – 91 Additionally, although shared sanitation has been thought of as most viable in dense urban communities, there is mounting evidence about the important role these facilities could play in both rural and periurban communities in the Indian context.…”

Prevalence of zero-sanitation in India: Patterns of change across the states and Union Territories, 1993-2021

“…Dwelling space, an indicator of household wealth, is another important determinant of toilet access, and thus open defecation, in both urban and rural areas. Many poor rural and urban residents do not have space for a private toilet [ 43 - 45 ]. Our results showing that those belonging to India’s lowest castes are most likely to experience zero-sanitation highlights why state governments need to also address the various dimensions of caste discrimination, which remain important determinants of inadequate sanitation access [ 46 - 50 ].…”

Effectiveness of the Swachh Bharat Mission and barriers to ending open defecation in India: a systematic review

“…While a subsidy can help some households construct latrines, Jain et al (2020) found that the amount of the subsidy and the manner of its disbursement are key to its usefulness. Vu et al (2022) identified structural barriers to sanitation access, including uncertain land rights, lack of space for a toilet, and inadequate water supply. Managed shared facilities could play an important role in helping eliminate OD while preventing adverse outcomes, though having a shared facility does not mean it is accessible.…”

“…Managed shared facilities could play an important role in helping eliminate OD while preventing adverse outcomes, though having a shared facility does not mean it is accessible. Participants noted having to travel far distances as a barrier to latrine use (Vu et al, 2022). A lack of public participation and poor maintenance led to poor toilet conditions which led to a lack of use by individuals (Biswas et al, 2020;Rengaraj et al, 2021).…”