Sanitation and Wastewater Atlas of Africa

Table 2.1. Overview of existing household sanitation facilities in Africa (continued)

Open defecation

Pit latrine

Flush to septic tank

Flush to sewer

Not applicable

• Land to dig new pits for unlined latrines • Regular emptying of lined pit latrines • Treatment plant for secondary treatment of faecal sludge

• Requires a constant source of water • Regular emptying of the system • Treatment plant for secondary treatment of faecal sludge • Flush with water after use • Avoid disposal of sanitaryware such as pads and diapers in toilets. • Regular cleaning • Wash hands after use

• Presence of a centralized treatment facility • Planning, construction, operation and maintenance requires expert knowledge • Coordination between authorities, construction companies • Flush with water after use • Avoid disposal of used sanitaryware such as pads and diapers in toilets • Regular cleaning • Wash hands after use Pathogens, nutrients, organic matter, solids, heavy metals, micropollutants • Liquid fraction after treatment can be used for irrigation purposes in agriculture • Employment in operation and maintenance of the plant and network system • Wastewater transported by sewers to treatment plant • Effluent discharged to mainly water bodies • Often affects the water body users and staff at the plant

‘Externals’ required for the system to work

• Awareness of the dangers of open defecation to human health and the environment

• Regular cleaning • Wash hands after use

Personal knowledge required

Pathogens, nutrients, organic matter, solids

Pathogens, nutrients, organic matter, solids

Pathogens, nutrients, organic matter, solids, scum

Typical contaminants

Not applicable

• Solid fraction of sludge used for energy recovery, building material and animal protein • Service provision jobs (i.e. emptying) • Construction of the latrines • Leachate ends up in soils surrounding unlined pits • Lined pits can be emptied and treated at the plant, where the effluent joins water bodies • Some African countries next to oceans directly discharge untreated sludge into the ocean • Leachate highly polluted, hence not permitted to join groundwater • In some African countries, standards are available for design, location and construction • Standards are poorly enforced in many countries • Municipal authorities are responsible for on-site sanitation

• Safely managed groundwater recharge

Use of treated water

Not applicable

• Service provision jobs (i.e. emptying) • Construction of the tanks • From the septic tank, it goes through soak pits to the surrounding soils • Any possible contamination of groundwater affects nearby communities • When full facilities are emptied, the effluent is discharged into water bodies • Effluent from soak pit can potentially recharge groundwater • In some African countries, standards are available for design, location and construction • Standards are poorly enforced in many countries • Municipal authorities are responsible for on-site sanitation • Capital costs of US$4.05/ capita/year • Operating costs of US$ 7.58/ capita/year

Economic opportunities

• Ends up in the fields/ surrounding environment • Affects communities near fields where open defecation is practised

Where does wastewater end up and who is affected?

Not applicable

• Treated effluent can potentially recharge groundwater

Recharge

• A UNICEF strategy to eliminate open defecation by 2030

• Presence of regulating bodies on effluent discharge • Standards on discharge of treated effluent are available in many African countries • Presence of government organizations responsible for wastewater transport and treatment • Capital costs of US$42.6/ capita/year • Operating costs of US$11.98/ capita/year

Policies, regulations and

institutional frameworks

Not applicable

• Capital costs of US$1.5 to 4.0/ capita/year

Cost

Sources: Mara (1982); Dodane et al. (2012); Tilley et al. (2014)

41

SANITATION AND WASTEWATER ATLAS OF AFRICA