Sanlexicon G - H
Content Table
Grey water
Domestic waste water which may include water from washing, cooking, bathing etc, but it does not include toilet wastes or excreta as do Black water
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Groundwater
The level at which the subsoil is saturated.
Hanging latrine
A latrine positioned so excreta falls directly into the sea, river or other body of water.
See Also:
Household centred approach
Sanitation investments are usually justified by concerns about environmental health. Environmental health gains from such investments are driven to a very large extent by the impact that they have at the household level that is in and around the home. This is where most people (especially children) spend most time, and are most vulnerable to contamination. In denser urban and peripheral urban areas the environmental priorities of most households mirror this focus – the first priority for most families is a clean and pleasant household followed by a better environment in the street and community. There is rarely much concern for the wider environment of the city or downstream areas. Where competent utilities are operating and there is a history of environmental management, this simply translates into household willingness to pay (usually through a sewerage cess – I don’t understand this. Can it be defined?) for the utility to ‘take care’ of downstream issues. Where there is no ‘trusted’ or competent utility provider this translates into households or neighbourhoods discharging wastes downstream to contaminate the next quarter of the city or town.
Hygiene promotion
Public health benefits are unlikely to be gained from basic water supply and sanitation service schemes in low-income communities unless programmes of hygiene or health promotion accompany their installation. This is one of the critical items of social intervention in sanitation mow given emphasis alongside appropriate physical installations.
