IWA Sanitation Case Stories

What happens when the pit is full? What happens when there are either no toilet facilities or the existing ones are of poor quality? What happens after the toilet is flushed?

The fact of the matter is that faecal sludge generated is often unsafely managed. Similarly, wastewater is often not safely managed due to blockages and overflows in the sewer network, and improper treatment. This results in significant public health risks and pollution of the environment, including contamination of groundwater sources and ecosystems. 

Thus, a new sanitation paradigm which challenges current thinking and reflects on technology disruption is urgently needed. That is, technology which can safely treat human excreta while matching user preferences without the need for sewers, with minimal reliance on water and energy, and which has potential for beneficiation of waste streams.

For World Toilet Day, the International Water Association (IWA) launch a blog series. Check out the inspiring stories to learn more:

• The invisible connection between groundwater and sanitation
• Thinking Outside the Toilet
• Safe water to the urban poor needs circular processing of their faecal matter
• SanitAction: a sustainable and inclusive sanitation pathway