Sanlexicon O - P

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Off-site sanitation

An excreta disposal system where the excreta is deposited within the plot occupied by the dwelling, but it is then transported away from the house for treatment and final disposal.

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Off-set pit latrine

A pit latrine where the pit is positioned partially or wholly away from the latrine superstructure.

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On-site sanitation

A system of sanitation where the means of collection, storage and treatment (where this exists) are contained within the plot occupied by the dwelling and its immediate surroundings.

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Open defecation

To defecate outside a latrine or toilet, normally in the natural environment, on land or in surface water bodies.

Participatory Hygiene and Sanitation Transformation

Participatory Hygiene and Sanitation Transformation (PHAST) approach to water and sanitation projects is used to promote hygiene and sanitation improvements. It is based on the understanding that hygiene behaviors are particularly difficult to change because they relate to daily activities, they are shared by the whole community and they form part of the culture and traditions of the community. This participatory approach facilitates community groups discovering the routes of water-borne diseases, analyzing their own behaviors in light of this information and then planning how to block contamination routes. It uses a variety of participatory tool such as story with a gap, focus group discussions, pile sorting, social mapping etc.

Pathogenic organism

Disease-causing micro-organism commonly found in sanitary wastewater.

Peri-urban settlement

Formal or informal settlements in or around cities, where the residents lack access to the services associated with urban life, and are thus ‘peri/periferal’ to conventional urban environments. This may include lack of legal tenure, water supply, roads, drainage and solid waste collection. A lack of adequate sanitation is a common characteristic of these communities.

Pit latrine

A latrine with a pit for the storage and sometimes decomposition of excreta and from which liquid infiltrates into the surrounding soil.

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Polluter pays principle

Based on an economic approach to pollution control designed to ensure that the polluter (e.g. an industry) bears the cost of the pollution damage and/or the costs incurred in controlling the pollution – otherwise known as abatement costs.

Pour-flush latrine

A latrine where a small quantity of water, poured from a container by hand, is used to manually flush excreta through a water seal into a pit.

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Private sector participation

The participation of the private sector in the delivery of sanitation and wastewater services has attracted much attention as a solution to problems of service delivery. The level of development and the suitability of private sector institutions in different settings will strongly influence the form of public/private partnerships. Options are wide-ranging, from minimum private sector involvement, which could consist of contracting out the management of certain major installations, to full divestiture of responsibility for capital investment, operations, and commercial risk to autonomous water companies.

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  XWiki.beddowve   Victoria Beddow