Ecological sanitation - innovative wastewater management systems

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Ecological sanitation - innovative wastewater
management systems

• Christine Werner, Patrick Bracken, Florian
  Klingel
• Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische
  Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH
• ecological sanitation programme, Division 44
  environment and infrastructure

Commissioned by
Water Resources Protection Workshop, 2-6 May,
2005, Selam Hotel, Asmara
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world water and sanitation crises
The international context

• Freshwater - increasingly scarcity and degrading
  quality
• 1,1 billion people no access to safe drinking
  water
• 2,6 billion people inadequate/no sanitation
• Expected growth of the global population by 2
  billion people in next 25 years, mostly in urban
  areas in developing and emerging market
  economies, and many of them doomed to poverty if
  no concerted effort is made to resolve the water
  crisis
• 90 of wastewater either poorly treated or not
  treated at discharge (only 25 of WWTPs built in
  DCs functioning)
• 80 of all diseases and 25 of all deaths in
  developing countries can be attributed to
  polluted water (WHO)
• In Sub-Saharan Africa at least 1/3 of incomes
  spent to treat water-borne diseases, 90 of all
  malaria deaths, more than 200 Million bilharzia
  infections, diarrhoeal diseases 240 times
  hi-income (Hansen, 2004)

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millennium development goals (MDGs)

• Achievement of poverty eradication and
  sustainable development by rapidly increasing
  access to basic requirements such as clean water,
  sanitation, energy, health care, food security
  and the protection of biodiversity
• Set target for water and sanitationTo halve by
  2015 the proportion of people without access to
  safe drinking water and those without adequate
  sanitation

• To reach this the sanitary provision rates of the
  90s will have to be quadrupled (UN WWDR 2003)

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Why is sanitation important?

• It provides a healthy environment healthy
  people (able to secure improved livelihoods and
  break the cycle of poverty and ill-health)
• For children - no diarrhoeal disease or other
  health hazards results in increased school
  attendance etc.
• Can reduce number of children below 5 who die as
  a result of unsafe water, sanitation and hygiene.
• Can particularly help improve womens lives and
  increased security can protect against sexual
  harassment and violence for women and girls.
• Preventive environmental health measures are as
  important and at time more cost-effective than
  health treatments
• Basically - it saves lives!!!

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Some Principles of Sanitation

• It is about behaviour and hygiene, not (just)
  about building toilets
• It is a household decision with public
  implications
• Central and local govt have roles, but behaviour
  is, in the end, decided at the household level
• Children matter!!
• 90 of health benefits are among pre-school kids
  and worm infections among school-age children
• Supply and demand are critical

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Why do people want sanitation ?

• Top 5 reasons - from the Philippines
• 1. No smell and flies
• 2. Cleaner surroundings
• 3. Privacy
• 4. Less embarrassment when friends visit
• 5. Less disease
• In Benin
• 1. Prestige and status
  2. Comfort convenience and privacy
  3. Protection against accidents in the
  bush 4. Increase the rent
• Rarely is disease prevention mentioned!!

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shortcomings of conventional watercarriage
sanitation
Introduction to ecosan

• Unsatisfactory purification or uncontrolled
  discharge of more than 90 of wastewater
  worldwide
• Severe water pollution, unbearable health risks
• Consumption of precious water for transport of
  waste
• High investment, energy, operating and
  maintenance costs
• Frequent subsidization of prosperous areas and
  neglect of poorer settlements
• Loss of valuable nutrients and trace elements
  contained in excrements due to discharge into
  waters
• Problems with contaminated sewage sludge in
  combined, central systems
• Linear end-of-pipe technology

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shortcomings of conventional drop and store
sanitation
Introduction to ecosan
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excreta are a valuable resource
Introduction to ecosan

• Represents nutrients with a market value of
  around 15 Billion US dollars.

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excreta are a valuable resource

• recovery of energy content (covering about 20
  of cooking energy needs for a typical family in a
  developing country)
• energy savings in fertilizer production
  wastewater treatment

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need for a new approach to sanitation
Introduction

• business as usual will not allow us to provide
  sanitation to those who need it
  most.Conventional systems have failed - costs,
  resource efficiency, safeguarding public health
  and sustainability,
• we cannot continue to waste our non-renewable
  resources
• the global water, hygiene and soil degradation
  crisis requires new approaches
• Innovative, holistic and sustainable approaches
  needed to provide safe and decent sanitation,
  reduce poverty, contribute to food security,
  preserve our environment and maintain the natural
  basis of life

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Introduction to ecosan
Alternative approach ecological sanitation
ecosan ? What does it mean?
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advantages of ecological sanitation
introduction

• Improvement of health by minimizing the
  introduction of pathogens from human excrements
  into the water cycle
• Promotion of safe, hygienic recovery and use of
  nutrients, organics, trace elements, water and
  energy
• Preservation of soil fertility, Improvement of
  agricultural productivity
• Conservation of resources
• Preference for modular, decentralised
  partial-flow systems for more appropriate,
  cost-efficient solutions
• Promotion of a holistic, interdisciplinary
  approach
• Material flow cycle instead of disposal

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eco-sanitation concepts and strategies

• eco-sanitation
• is not just one technology, but an approach
  based on an eco-system-oriented view of material
  flows to deal with what is presently regarded as
  waste and wastewater for disposal
• applies the basic natural principal of closing
  the loop by using modern and safe sanitation and
  reuse technologies
• opens up a wider range of sanitation options
  than those currently considered.

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Principles of ecosan systems
Pathogen destruction
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Principles and objectives of ecological sanitation

• The main objectives of eco-sanitation are to
• provide affordable, hygienically safe, and
  desirable sanitary facilities
• reduce the health risks related to sanitation,
  contaminated water and waste
• prevent the pollution of surface and groundwater
• prevent the degradation of soil fertility
• optimise the management of nutrients and water
  resources.

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ecosan is a cross-sectoral approach
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composition of household wastewater
Introduction to ecosan
10.000 200.000 l
50 l
500 l
source Otterpohl
Volume Liter / (Personyear)
greywater urine faeces
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characteristics of substances
Introduction to ecosan
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fertilizer potential of human excreta
Introduction to ecosan
source Drangert, 1998
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separation of substances
substances
treatment
utilisation
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Introduction to ecosan
eco-sanitation concepts and strategies

• To optimise cost efficient, high quality
  treatment and recycling options, two principles
  are very often being applied in ecosan systems
• flow streams with different characteristics, such
  as faeces, urine and greywater, are often
  collected separately. Rainwater harvesting and
  the treatment of organic waste and animal manure
  can also be integrated into the concepts!!
• the unnecessary dilution of the flow streams is
  avoided, for example by using dry, low flush or
  vacuum transport systems. This minimises the
  consumption of valuable drinking water and
  produces high valued concentrations of
  recyclables.

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Sanitising urine
Time and Temperature
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Sanitising faeces
Temperature pH Ammonia Dryness Solar
radiation Competition Nutrients Oxygen
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Technology examples
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overview of ecosan technology-components
ecosan technologies
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examples of urine diverting toilets
ecosan system components
China
Dubletten, Sweden
Roediger, Germany
Wost-Man, Sweden
? dry/wet faeces with, urine without flush
? dry/wet faeces without, urine with flush
? wet faeces urine with flush
GTZ, Mali
? waterless faeces and urine without flush
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examples of urine diverting toilets
Made from concrete in Mexico, Namibia, Botswana
....
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examples of urine diverting toilets
Indoor UDS in Peru
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Examples of urine diversion toilet slabs
Urine diverting concrete slab
Composting toilet with urine separation (China)
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waterless urinals
ecosan system components
vacuum urinal KfW-building, Germany
Ethiopia
Mon Museum, Sweden
South Africa
Tepoztlan, Mexico
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examples of composting toilets
ecosan system components
composting toilet, Germany (Berger Biotechnik)
Schweden
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examples of composting toilets
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examples of dehydrating toilets
ecosan system components
various dehydration systems (with and without
urine separation)
Enviroloo-prefabricated system, South Africa
SolaSan-prefabricated system, South Africa
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Prefabricated dry UD toilet - South Africa
examples of dehydrating toilets
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Solar drying toilet in El Salvador
examples of dehydrating toilets
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vacuum systems
ecosan system components
elements vacuum toilets, vacuum urinals, vacuum
conductions, pumping station advantages water
saving, concentrated black water collection,
decentralised treatment possible
(anaerobic) manufacturer i.e. Roediger GmbH
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vacuum systems
Gabarone, Botswana Decentral wastewater
collection using vacuum technology
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membrane technology
ecosan system components

• Highly effective removal of soluble and
  biodegradable materials in wastewater stream
• selective permeable membrane (pore sizes lt
  bacteria)
• treated water recycle potential for non-potable
  application
• compact, flexible system

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anaerobic treatment with biogas production
ecosan system components

• small scale biogas plants
• decentralised treatment of household wastewater
  with or without agricultural waste

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aqua culture
ecosan system components

• wastewater treatment by aquatic plants and fish
  with nutrient recyling by human consumption
• offers high quality protein at low cost
• predominantly in Asian countries
• fish production of 1-6 tons/hayear) achieved

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urine storage
ecosan system components
Various containers for urine storage Gebers,
Schweden Lambertsmühle, Deutschland

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agricultural use
ecosan system components
direct injection of liquid fertiliser
irrigation
urban agriculture
dried faeces - soil amelioration)
composting with organic waste
urban agriculture
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Practical examples
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experimental on-site sanitation in Koulikoro,
Mali (supported by GTZ)
ecosan pilot projects
Experimental on-site sanitation module consisting
of a urine diverting dehydrating latrine, shower
and greywater garden
Urine diverting concrete slab
Greywater garden
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Integrated natural ressources management in
Botswana (supported by IUCN, DED, GTZ)
ecosan pilot projects

• Introduction of ecosan systems in three
  communities dehydration toilets, urine
  separation and fertilisation of gardens with urine

urine diversion toilet made out of plastic
Awareness workshop on a village level
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participatory development of ecosan solutions in
Gibeon and Marienthal, Namibia (supported by GTZ)
ecosan pilot projects

• Information, awareness building, situation and
  stakeholder analysis
• Participatory development of ecosan systems
• Pilot and demonstration units (fixed and movable
  dehydration toilets with urine diversion)

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Traditional use of dried faeces, Afghanistan
Traditional urine separating dehydration latrine
with infiltration of the urine in the underground
through soak pits
Upgrading UDS
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ecosan pilot projects
ecosan public toilet centre Bangalore, India
(supported by ACTS, SDC, Uni Oslo and GTZ)
8 toilet cabins, separate collection of urine,
washing water and faeces, co-composting of faeces
with paper and organic waste, urine and washing
water for fertilizing and irrigation of the
banana plantation
source seecon GmbH
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biogas septic tanks Lesotho (supported by GTZ and
DED)
ecosan pilot projects

• 1st step (2002) small bore sewer grid for 8
  houses, a biogas-septic tank unit, upflow filter
  based on recycled plastic bottles, wetland, 800m²
  vegetable and fruit garden, two household
  connections for the biogas as full cooking energy
  source
• 2nd step (2003) field tests of black, greywater
  and urine separation

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Zimbabwe / Mozambique
The fossa alterna
Source Peter Morgan, 2004
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GTZ headquarters, main building, Germany
ecosan pilot projects
separation, processing and agricultural reuse of
urine (implementation 2004/2005)
GTZ House1 Eschborn, Germany
Urine diversion toilets and waterless urinals
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Chinese four in one model
ecosan pilot projects

• pig toilet biogas vegetable
• combined with Greenhouse Production
• more than 10 000 000 times in Northern China
• Use of nutrients, organics, energy and carbon
  dioxyde

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ecosan dry toilet promotion in Guangxi-Province,
China
ecosan pilot projects

• Large ecosan project in the phase of up-scaling
• 1997, pilot project funded by SIDA/Unicef, 70
  ecosan (urine diverting dehydration toilets)
  built in pilot village, Dalu Village
• 1998, 10,000 urine-diverting toilets were built
  in 200 ecosan villages in Guangxi
• 2002, 100,000 ecosan toilets in Guangxi
• 2003, 685,000 ecosan toilets in 17 provinces
  (Ministry of Public Health)
• Factors of success cultural acceptance,
  political commitment, technical flexibility, low
  cost, income generation, pressure from water
  pollution and water scarcity, promotion and
  marketing

Photos Sandec, Text Mi Hua
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ecosan-study and reuse experiments in Havana,
Cuba (supported by GTZ)

• Study of options for reuse of urine and faeces in
  existing urban agriculture in Havana

improved soil quality through reuse of organics
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GTZ supported ecosan activities around the world
ecosan pilot projects
ecosan activities supported by GTZ
Bulgaria
Germany
Algeria
Turkey
Afghanistan
Mali
Benin
China
Jordan
Iran
Cuba
Vietnam
India
Egypt
Yemen
El Salvador
Philippines
Burkina Faso
Ecuador
Indonesia
Zambia
Peru
Kenya
Namibia
Lesotho
Botswana
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How would the city look?
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urban ecosan concepts
Conventional Wastewater System
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urban ecosan concepts
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urban ecosan concepts
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urban ecosan concepts
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urban ecosan concepts
Residential Area
food faeces urine greywater treated
greywater drinking water
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urban ecosan concepts
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urban ecosan concepts
food faeces urine greywater treated
greywater drinking water
Downtown Area
irrigation of urban green
biogas plant
vacuum sewerage
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urban ecosan concepts
Titel des Vortrags, einzeilig oder zweizeilig
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WfB, Rom 12.Jan.2005
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Aims of the GTZ-ecosan program

• To promote the development and pilot application
  of holistic ecologically, economically and
  socially sustainable recycling- based wastewater
  and sanitation concepts in developing countries
• To contribute to the global dissemination and
  application of ecosan approaches and establish
  these as state-of-the-art techniques in both,
  developing and in industrialised countries

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GTZ ecosan RD project

• 2000 1st International Symposium on ecological
  sanitation in Bonn, Germany
• 2001 start 1st phase of the supra-regional
  research and development ecosan-project of GTZ,
  financed by the German Federal Ministry for
  Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
• - development of ecosan knowledge management
  tools - building up of a global ecosan-network,
  - initiation of pilot projects
• 2003 2nd International Symposium on ecological
  sanitation in Lübeck, Germanystart 2nd phase of
  the ecosan-project of GTZ- further development
  of knowledge management tools- support to the
  global ecosan-network- implementation of pilot
  projects

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Key activities of the GTZ ecosan program
GTZ ecosan program

• knowledge management and networking
• e-newsletter
• ecosan website www.gtz.de/ecosan
• ecosan source book (in progress)
• ecosan-project data sheets (in progress)
• ecosan-technical data sheets (in progress)
• brochures, posters, professional articles, films,
  etc.
• conferences workshops
• cooperation in the field
• national international working groups

• ecosan pilot research and demonstration projects
• baseline and feasibility studies for sanitation
  systems, treatment and reuse systems
• advocacy and decision making workshops
• training workshops
• technical and operational advice for
  implementation
• accompanying research
• upscaling of projects and dissemination of
  experiences
• more than 40 pilot projects worldwide

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main challenges

• increasing of awareness
• integration of reuse into planning from the
  beginning
• revision of legal frameworks technical
  standards
• establishment of full cost analysis and risk and
  benefit comparisons
• finding innovative investors and adapting
  financing instruments
• implementation of large scale urban demonstration
  projects (in Africa large degree of experience
  with pilot installations - urgent need to go to
  scale)

Source Petter Jenssen
Greywater treatment in Norway
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a vision for alternative water management in
urban areas

• future full-scale eco-sanitation systems in urban
  areas will most probably consist of a spatial
  multiple layer patchwork of technical and
  management solutions for
• different areas (e.g. different solutions for
  city centre, commercial zones, individual housing
  areas, individual building entities, etc.) and
• different wastewater flows (different solutions
  for urine, greywater, brownwater or mixed
  wastewater)
• have to offer the same or a better level of
  comfort as the present systems
• individual and flexible systems adapted to local
  and frame-work conditions
• flexible in time the transition from the
  standard centralised system to alternative
  systems will happen stepwise and start from
  certain patches (e.g. development areas) and for
  certain wastewater flows (e.g. greywater or
  urine)

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present obstacles for the implementation of new
sanitation concepts in urban areas

• inertia of the existing infrastructure (often
  designed for 50 or more years) and management
  systems
• legal system tailored to centralised end-of-pipe
  systems
• principles of source separation and resource
  recovery not reflected in current discharge
  standards and environmental laws
• products from human excreta dont appear in
  fertilizer regulations
• monitoring structures exist only for centralized
  systems
• alternatives not yet economically competitive,
  externalities and risks not reflected in costs of
  the current system
• planners not yet familiar with the whole range of
  technological options and user centred planning
  methods

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Thanks for your attention interest!!!
conclusion

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