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Title
Resource-Oriented Public Toilets in Developing Countries: Ideas, Design, Operation and Maintenance for Arba Minch, Ethiopia
Abstract
The sanitation crisis in the developing world calls for action. Inadequate sanitation or lack of access to
sanitation poses a great threat to human health, taking a heavy death toll especially on children, and
degrades the environment. On the other hand, good sanitation saves lives and prevents degradation of
the environment. In most of the developing countries, it is common practice for people to answer the
call of nature in the open field or use so-called “flying toilets”, which results in a poor sanitary, health
and environmental situation.
The conventional sanitation approach, such as “drop and store” (e.g. pit latrines) or “flush and
discharge” systems, is not suitable for addressing the need for sanitary services in developing
countries. First of all, they create environmental problems, such as groundwater pollution, pits are
often not emptied and overflow, and sewage is not treated or only partially before being discharged
into water bodies. They only contain human excreta, not allowing for reuse of nutrients. Moreover,
they are not suitable for conditions found in developing countries (e.g. high congestion, high
groundwater table, poor soil condition, lack of infrastructure, etc.). Last but not least, “flush and
discharge” systems are expensive and most communities in developing countries cannot afford them.
Ecological sanitation is a good alternative to the conventional approach. It is sustainable, inexpensive,
offers a variety of technological options that can answer different local needs, prevents pollution
through containment, sanitization of urine and feces and allows for reuse of nutrients.
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