Recent Papers in Ecosanitation
Content Table
- A study of ecological sanitation as an integrated urban water supply system: case study of sustainable strategy for Kuching City, Sarawak, Malaysia
- Material flow analysis as a tool for sustainable sanitation planning in developing countries: case study of Arba Minch, Ethiopia
- Peepoo bag: self-sanitising single use biodegradable toilet
- Sustainable wastewater management: life cycle assessment of conventional and source-separating urban sanitation systems
- A framework for planning of sustainable water and sanitation systems in peri-urban areas
- Wastewater garden—a system to treat wastewater with environmental benefits to community
- The road not taken: how traditional excreta and greywater management may point the way to a sustainable future
- Implementing sustainable sanitation concepts in Luxembourg: methodological approach and outcomes
- Implementation of sustainable sanitation in existing urban areas: long-term strategies for an optimised solution
- Incineration of Faecal Matter for Treatment and Sanitation
- Global challenges in water, sanitation and health
- A good life environment for all through conceptual, technological and social innovations
A study of ecological sanitation as an integrated urban water supply system: case study of sustainable strategy for Kuching City, Sarawak, Malaysia
Journal of Water and Health Vol 07 No 1 pp 169–184 © IWA Publishing 2009 doi:10.2166/wh.2009.103
Darrien Mah Yau Seng, Frederik Josep Putuhena, Salim Said and Law Puong Ling
Faculty of Engineering (Civil Engineering Department), Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, km 17 Kuching Samarahan Expressway, 94300, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia Tel.: 60-82-583246 Fax: 60-82-583409 E-mail: darrien_mah@yahoo.co.uk
Abstract
A city consumes a large amount of water. Urban planning and development are becoming more compelling due to the fact of growing competition for water, which has lead to an increasing and conflicting demand. As such, investments in water supply, sanitation and water resources management is a strong potential for a solid return. A pilot project of greywater ecological treatment has been established in Kuching city since 2003. Such a treatment facility opens up an opportunity of wastewater reclamation for reuse as secondary sources of water for non-consumptive purposes. This paper aims to explore the potential of the intended purposes in the newly developed ecological treatment project. By utilizing the Wallingford Software model, InfoWorks WS (Water Supply) is employed to carry out a hydraulic modeling of a hypothetical greywater recycling system as an integrated part of the Kuching urban water supply, where the greywater is treated, recycled and reused in the domestic environment. The modeling efforts have shown water savings of about 40% from the investigated system reinstating that the system presents an alternative water source worth exploring in an urban environment.
Material flow analysis as a tool for sustainable sanitation planning in developing countries: case study of Arba Minch, Ethiopia
Water Science & Technology—WST Vol 59 No 10 pp 1911–1920 © IWA Publishing 2009 doi:10.2166/wst.2009.189
F. Meinzinger, K. Kröger and R. Otterpohl
Institute of Wastewater Management, Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH), Eissendorfer Strasse 42, 21071 Hamburg, Germany E-mail: f.meinzinger@tuhh.de; ro@tuhh.de
Prack Consult GmbH, Lüttenheide 79, 25746 Heide, Germany E-mail: kathrin.kroeger@googlemail.com
Abstract
Material Flow Analysis is a method that can be used to assess sanitation systems with regard to their environmental impacts. Modelling water and nutrients flows of the urban water, wastewater and waste system can highlight risks for environmental pollution and can help evaluating the potential for linking sanitation with resource recovery and agricultural production. This study presents the results of an analysis of nitrogen and phosphorus flows of Arba Minch town in South Ethiopia. The current situation is modelled and possible scenarios for upgrading the town's sanitation system are assessed. Two different scenarios for nutrient recovery are analysed. Scenario one includes co-composting municipal organic waste with faecal sludge from pit latrines and septic tanks as well as the use of compost in agriculture. The second scenario based on urine-diversion toilets includes application of urine as fertiliser and composting of faecal matter. In order to allow for variations in the rate of adoption, the model can simulate varying degrees of technology implementation. Thus, the impact of a step-wise or successive approach can be illustrated. The results show that significant amounts of plant nutrients can be provided by both options, co-composting and urine diversion.
Peepoo bag: self-sanitising single use biodegradable toilet
Water Science & Technology—WST Vol 59 No 9 pp 1743–1749 © IWA Publishing 2009 doi:10.2166/wst.2009.184
Björn Vinnerås, Mikael Hedenkvist, Annika Nordin and Anders Wilhelmson
Department of Energy and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7032, SE 75007, Uppsala, Sweden E-mail: bjorn.vinneras@et.slu.se
National Veterinary Institute, SE 75089, Uppsala, Sweden
Department of Fibre and Polymer Technology, School of Chemical Science and Engineering, Royal Institute of Technology, Fibre and PolymerKTH, TR 58, SE 100 44, Stockholm, Sweden
Architecture, KTH, SE 100 44, Stockholm, Sweden
Wilhelmson architects, Alsnögatan 3, SE 116 41, Stockholm, Sweden
Abstract
Unsafe water, sanitation and hygiene together with deficient nutritional status are major contributors to the global burden of disease. Safe collection, disposal and reuse of human excreta would enable the risk of transmission of diseases to be decreased and household food security to be increased in many regions. However, the majority of the 2.5 billion people lacking improved sanitation comprise poor people in societies with weak infrastructure. This study developed a low cost sanitation option requiring little investment and maintenance—a single use, self-sanitising, biodegradable toilet (Peepoo bag) and tested it for smell, degradability and hygiene aspects. It was found that no smell was detectable from a 25 mm thick bag filled with faeces during 24 h in a 10 m2 room at 30°C. Bags that had been in contact with urea-treated faeces or urine for 2 months in air, compost or water at 24 or 37°C showed little signs of degradation. Furthermore, pathogen inactivation modelling of the 4 g of urea present in the bag indicated that appropriate sanitation of faecal material collected is achieved in the bag within 2–4 weeks, after which the bag can be degraded and reused as fertiliser.
Sustainable wastewater management: life cycle assessment of conventional and source-separating urban sanitation systems
Water Science & Technology—WST Vol 58 No 8 pp 1555–1562 © IWA Publishing 2008 doi:10.2166/wst.2008.533
C. Remy and M. Jekel
Department of Water Quality Control, Technische Universität Berlin, Strasse des 17. Juni 135, 10623, Berlin, Germany E-mail: wrh@tu-berlin.de
Abstract
Conventional and source-separating urban sanitation systems are compared with regard to their ecological sustainability using the methodology of Life Cycle Assessment. A substance flow model of all relevant processes in a settlement with 5,000 inhabitants is set up and evaluated with environmental indicators for resource demand and emissions to air, water, and soil. The comparison shows that source separation does not necessarily result in a system with less environmental impacts. If the conventional system is energetically optimized and equipped with extended nutrient removal, its impact is comparable to the source-separating systems. However, source separation has the potential to offer ecological benefits depending on the system configuration. Especially the input of toxic heavy metals to agriculture with sewage sludge can be substantially lowered if separately collected urine and faeces are used as organic fertilizer.
A framework for planning of sustainable water and sanitation systems in peri-urban areas
Water Science & Technology—WST Vol 58 No 3 pp 563–570 © IWA Publishing 2008 doi:10.2166/wst.2008.702
R. Törnqvist, A. Norström, E. Kärrman and P.-A. Malmqvist
Ecoloop AB, Brännkyrkagatan 35, 118 22, Stockholm, Sweden
CIT Urban Water Management AB, Chalmers Teknikpark, 412 88, Göteborg, Sweden E-mail: anna.norstrom@cit.chalmers.se
Abstract
There are billions of people around the world that lack access to safe water supply and basic sanitation, a situation which puts the affected in severe health conditions as well as economical and social despair. Many of those lacking adequate water supply and sanitation systems can be found at the fringe of the cities in so called peri-urban areas, especially in the developing world. Planning in these areas is highly complex due to challenging environmental and physical conditions, high population density and unclear institutional boundaries. This article presents a framework aiming to support the planning process for sustainable water and sanitation systems in peri-urban areas. The suggested framework is based on different available planning approaches from a review of literature and websites of organisations and companies. It consists of a recommendation of important steps in the planning process as well as supporting tools. Further, it incorporates a set of sustainability criteria important for the peri-urban context and allows for the development of site specific systems. The framework has the aim to be flexible for different planning situations, and for suiting planners with different perspectives and amount of resources.
Wastewater garden—a system to treat wastewater with environmental benefits to community
Water Science & Technology—WST Vol 58 No 2 pp 413–418 © IWA Publishing 2008 doi:10.2166/wst.2008.368
Jaya Nair
Environmental Technology Centre, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia 6150, Australia E-mail: j.nair@murdoch.edu.au
Abstract
Many communities and villages around the world face serious problems with lack of sanitation especially in disposing of the wastewater—black water and grey water from the houses, or wash outs from animal rearing sheds. Across the world diverting wastewater to the surroundings or to the public spaces are not uncommon. This is responsible for contaminating drinking water sources causing health risks and environmental degradation as they become the breeding grounds of mosquitoes and pathogens. Lack of collection and treatment facilities or broken down sewage systems noticed throughout the developing world are associated with this situation.
Diverting the wastewater to trees and vegetable gardens was historically a common practice. However the modern world has an array of problems associated with such disposal such as generation of large quantity of wastewater, unavailability of space for onsite disposal or treatment and increase in population. This paper considers the wastewater garden as a means for wastewater treatment and to improve the vegetation and biodiversity of rural areas. This can also be implemented in urban areas in association with parks and open spaces. This also highlights environmental safety in relation to the nutrient, pathogen and heavy metal content of the wastewater. The possibilities of different types of integration and technology that can be adopted for wastewater gardens are also discussed.
The road not taken: how traditional excreta and greywater management may point the way to a sustainable future
Water Science & Technology: Water Supply Vol 7 No 1 pp 219–227 © IWA Publishing 2007 doi:10.2166/ws.2007.025
P. Bracken*, A. Wachtler**, A.R. Panesar** and J. Lange**
*c/o EIRENE, B.P. 549, Niamey, République du Niger
**Walter Gropius Str. 22, Freiburg 79100, Germany (E-mail: panesar@vauban.de)
Abstract
This paper argues that modern, end-of-pipe sanitation systems are not the pinnacle of centuries of wastewater technology development, and may actually prove to be a technological dead-end: expensive to build, operate and maintain, and out of step with traditional wastewater management philosophy. A brief examination of a series of excreta and wastewater management systems from around the world and throughout history clearly shows that viewing faeces, urine and grey water as a worthless waste to be disposed of is only a modern concept, which ignores the realities of limited resource availability, and the obvious benefits to be had from closed-loop systems – as was clearly recognised in the past. While currently, expensive, technically complicated end-of-pipe sanitation systems dominate, several modern systems have been developed specifically to ensure an efficient resource recovery and reuse. Reconsidering and researching historical approaches to wastewater management and applying modern technologies to improve their functionality may contribute to the solution of many of today's sanitation and environmental problems.
Implementing sustainable sanitation concepts in Luxembourg: methodological approach and outcomes
Water Science & Technology Vol 56 No 5 pp 33–41 © IWA Publishing 2007 doi:10.2166/wst.2007.554
P. Schosseler*, T. Lohmann*, B. Schmitt*, S. Perbal**, C. Dubois**, K. Sauerborn***, C. Muschwitz*** and A. Weidenhaupt****
*Centre de Ressources des Technologies pour l'Environnement, Centre de Recherche Public Henri Tudor, b.p. 144, L-4002 , Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg (E-mail: paul.schosseler@tudor.lu)
**Centre de Veille Technologique et Normative, Centre de Recherche Public Henri Tudor, b.p. 144, L-4002 , Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
***TAURUS Institut, Universität Trier, DM-Gebäude, Universitätsring 15, D-54286 , Trier, Germany
****Administration de la Gestion de l'Eau, 51, rue de Merl, L-2146 Luxembourg
Abstract
The present paper reports the approaches adopted to involve and inform stakeholders at various levels and to identify barriers and needed actions towards the implementation of sustainable sanitation concepts in Luxembourg. The study was split into two phases, starting with a workshop and interviews of important actors/professionals of the water sector such as public administrations, engineering companies and sanitary firms. The second phase consisted of a survey among end-users, developed in order to analyse enabling and disabling factors with respect to sustainable water use in households, and for which over 200 questionnaires were evaluated. Valuable conclusions for the project orientation were derived from these studies in terms of further needs for awareness raising, information and formation. The water professionals pointed to specific questions with respect to the feasibility of sustainable sanitation, such as hygienic concerns or maintenance issues for decentralised technology. A moderate financial commitment towards environmentally friendly techniques as well as a considerable lack of knowledge concerning innovative sanitation concepts was detected for end-users. Based on these findings, tailor-made communication strategies for key stakeholder groups were elaborated and pilot projects were initiated.
Implementation of sustainable sanitation in existing urban areas: long-term strategies for an optimised solution
Water Science & Technology Vol 56 No 5 pp 115–124 © IWA Publishing 2007 doi:10.2166/wst.2007.563
I. Kaufmann*, T. Meyer** , M. Kalsch** , T.G. Schmitt* and H.W. Hamacher**
*Institute of Urban Water Management, University of Kaiserslautern, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 14, 67663 , Kaiserslautern, Germany (E-mail: ikaufman@rhrk.uni-kl.de)
** Department of Mathematics, University of Kaiserslautern, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 14, 67663 , Kaiserslautern, Germany
Abstract
If technologies for decentralised sanitation and reuse (DESAR) and for natural stormwater management should at least partially replace existing systems, then intensive reconstruction work becomes essential. A conversion can only be realised successively over a long period due to high construction and financial expenses and requires new strategies. This paper presents the development and practical implementation of a mathematical tool to find an optimised strategy for the realisation of alternative and more decentralised drainage and sanitation concepts in existing urban areas. The succession of construction measures (e.g. the implementation of decentralised greywater recycling) for the whole period of consideration is determined based upon a mathematical optimisation model on the condition that the favoured future state is known. The model describes the complex interdependencies of the urban water and nutrient cycle and enables the minimisation of both financial efforts and ecological impacts on the way toward the future state. The results of the implementation for a rural area in Germany show that the mathematical optimisation is an adequate instrument to support decision-making processes in finding strategies for the realisation of sustainable urban water management.
Incineration of Faecal Matter for Treatment and Sanitation
Water Practice & Technology © IWA Publishing 2006 | doi10.2166/wpt.2006.042
C. Niwagaba1, M. Nalubega1, B. Vinnerås2, H. Jönsson3
1Department of Civil Engineering, Makerere University, P. O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda
2National Veterinary Institute, SE-751 89 Uppsala, Sweden
3Department of Biometry and Engineering, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P. O. Box 7032, SE- 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
Abstract
Incineration of faeces offers a treatment method that is useful in reducing the final quantities of faeces and toilet paper. It is also useful as a sanitation method for faeces. The aim of this work was to increase the knowledge about incineration as a treatment and sanitation method for faeces. The faecal matter used in this study contained ash used as additive material during the collection phase. The incinerated faeces/ash mixture had an ash content of 86%. It caught fire when the temperatures reached 800°C and beyond and after this, temperatures in the range of 800 to 1000 °C were recorded. The mass reduction was 15 - 36% and the organic matter was reduced by 78 - 99%. The plant nutrient content was reduced, total nitrogen by 90 - 94% and available phosphorus by 70 - 94%. Incinerating material with a dry matter (DM) of less than 90% resulted in a strong smell. When the DM was higher, the smell lessened. The reduction in mass of excreta and the possibility to re-use ashes as additives in toilets can be advantages of incineration of faeces.
Global challenges in water, sanitation and health
J Water Health 04 Supplement 1 (2006) 41-57
Christine L. Moe and Richard D. Rheingans
Center for Global Safe Water, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA, Tel: +1-404-727-9257, Fax: +1-404-727-4590, clmoe@sph.emory.edu
Center for Global Safe Water, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA, Tel: +1-404-727-9257, Fax: +1-404-727-4590, clmoe@sph.emory.edu
Abstract
The year 2005 marks the beginning of the “International Decade for Action: Water for Life” and renewed effort to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to reduce by half the proportion of the world's population without sustainable access to safe drinking water and sanitation by 2015. Currently, UNICEF and WHO estimate that 1.1 billion people lack access to improved water supplies and 2.6 billion people lack adequate sanitation. Providing safe water and basic sanitation to meet the MDGs will require substantial economic resources, sustainable technological solutions and courageous political will. We review five major challenges to providing safe water and sanitation on a global basis: (1) contamination of water in distribution systems, (2) growing water scarcity and the potential for water reuse and conservation, (3) implementing innovative low-cost sanitation systems, (4) providing sustainable water supplies and sanitation for megacities, and (5) reducing global and regional disparities in access to water and sanitation and developing financially sustainable water and sanitation services.
A good life environment for all through conceptual, technological and social innovations
Water Science & Technology Vol 54 No 2 pp 1–9 © IWA Publishing 2006 doi:10.2166/wst.2006.517
G. Lettinga
Emeritus Professor, Department of Environmental Technology, Wageningen University, 6700 EV Wageningen, Netherlands
Abstract
In conventional environmental protection the parallel development of advanced technical solutions alongside ever more stringent environmental standards increasingly conflicts with the moral and practical imperatives to ensure sustainability and drastically improve the life conditions of the world's poor. Such priorities are far better tackled by technological and social innovations based on relatively simple and highly sustainable concepts: e.g., applying Natural Biological Mineralization Routes (NBMR) for wastewater and waste treatment, implementing Decentralized Sanitation and Resource Recovery and Reuse (DESAR3) where transport of waste(water)s is kept to an optimum level and pollutants valorized, etc. With developing countries now taking a lead in applying these concepts in public sanitation, the more prosperous countries will gradually abandon the expensive, vulnerable and non-sustainable conventional approaches to wastes treatment and environmental protection.
