Sanitation and Cleanliness for a Healthy Environment 25
Sanitation for cities and towns
In cities and towns that lack sufficient water and sanitation, serious health problems can
spread very quickly. But because of the crowded and built-up nature of cities, it is difficult
to improve sanitation services without a lot of help from local or national governments,
NGO’s, and other international development partners. This book can only offer some
guidelines to help think about possible solutions.
The main barriers to good sanitation services in cities are:
• Physical. Often, sanitation is considered
only after neighborhoods and settlements
have roads, electricity, and water. Once a
city is built, it is much harder to plan for
and build sanitation services.
• Economic. Large sanitation systems,
especially water-based systems, are costly
to build and maintain. If water systems are
privately owned rather than provided by
governments, it is even harder for people
to afford sanitation.
• Political. Local governments may
not want to deliver services to
informal settlements and poorer
neighborhoods. And there may be laws
that prevent people from planning and
building their own sanitation systems.
• Cultural. People and officials in cities
often want flush toilets and costly
sewer systems, making it difficult
to agree on more sustainable and
affordable alternatives.
Planning for urban sanitation is made easier when:
• people have choices that fit their different needs.
• community groups take the lead in developing solutions that are appropriate
and affordable.
• people’s human right to have water is recognized.
• the needs of the most vulnerable groups are taken into account.
• partnerships are built among communities, non-governmental organizations,
local governments, and businesses. For these partnerships to work well, they
must be controlled by those most in need of sanitation improvements – the
communities themselves.
Sanitation for emergencies
In emergency settlements such as refugee camps, sanitation is a first priority. Simple
defecation trenches and pit toilets can be made quickly using local materials. One
trench or pit toilet for each family, or for a small group of families, will allow for the
most comfortable use.
Sanitation trenches and pit toilets should be built downhill and away from water
sources, but close enough to family settlements that people do not have to walk long
distances to use them.
This shallow trench latrine is easier to dig than a pit toilet or a deep trench. It has
shelves for the feet to make it easier to use than a simple trench. The trench is about
30 centimeters deep. Each user covers his or her feces with
a small amount of soil. A portable shelter can be built to
give privacy and to protect users from rain. Special care
should be taken to assure women’s privacy and safety.
When it is full, cover the trench completely with
soil. Plants and trees will benefit from the rich soil.