Africa Water, Sanitation & Hygiene Africa Water & Sanitation & Hygiene Nov-Dec 2017 | Page 30

Sanitation
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simple pit latrines, to ‘ecological’ facilities that collect
urine and separately compost the faeces in a sealed
tank. However, no matter what the toilet technology, it
should be safe, private, accessible, appropriate, have
accompanying handwashing facilities, and effectively
prevent human waste from coming into contact with
people or the surrounding environment. Some tech-
nologies provide treatment and safe disposal on-site
and do not need transport and treatment elsewhere.
quately protect sanitation workers and ensure excreta
is not spilled or dumped before reaching treatment.
3. Treatment
2. Transport
Poo must be processed into treated wastewater and waste
products that can be safely returned to the environment.
Pipes or latrine emptying services must move the
poo to the treatment stage.
Across the developed world, waterborne waste dis-
posal remains the most effective method for trans-
porting domestic, commercial and industrial waste-
water. In developing countries, onsite systems are
currently the most common, although increasing de-
velopment is likely to see an increase in waterborne
waste disposal. In towns and cities in particular, ons-
ite systems need to be regularly emptied and trans-
ported for treatment. Emptying services should ade-
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Africa Water, Sanitation & Hygiene • November - December 2017
Essentially, there are three ways poo can be treated.
Off-site treatment of waterborne sewage, for example
by using conventional technologies, such as filtration,
and innovative solutions. Off-site treatment of faecal
sludge emptied from pit latrines or septic tanks, using,
for example, lime stabilization, co-composting with
organic municipal solid waste or incineration. And
on-site treatment and disposal of faecal sludge, such
as covering and abandoning a pit when full or storing
until contents are safe to empty and use, for example
in twin pit latrines or composting latrines. In any case,
the level of treatment level should be appropriate for
the intended next use or disposal.