1E8

WASH Cluster – Emergency Training E

Excreta Disposalin Emergencies

Session 8

Operation & Maintenance

2E8

WASH Cluster – Emergency Training E

Operation & maintenance

What does O&M cover?

North Sudan, Medair

3E8

WASH Cluster – Emergency Training E

Operation & maintenance

• Cleanliness• Hygiene promotion• Participation and

ownership• Supervision• Hand washing

• Menstrual hygiene• Fly control• Anal cleansing

material• Access & lighting• Fill rate & life span• Desludging.

4E8

WASH Cluster – Emergency Training E

Latrine Attendants

– Over 60,000 people– 95 attendants– 3 attendants per block,

working 3 shifts a day– Clean area and slabs– Provide water for

handwashing– Light lamps for ease of

access at nightPhotos: Kalma Camp, Darfur: Alun McDonald, Oxfam.

Kalma Camp Darfur example

5E8

WASH Cluster – Emergency Training E

Try to implement / allocate latrines for groups of related families or at least allocate to specific families – e.g. Afghanistan:

• Latrines were allocated on a case by case basis to groupings of related families

• Exact site of the pit was decided together with the users

• Due to the families being related, men/women were able to share the same pit

Non-allocated communal latrines that are randomly spaced within a camp will have ownership problems and therefore cleaning / hygiene problems

Latrine allocation

6E8

WASH Cluster – Emergency Training E

Latrine cleaning

• Family • Communal

Why is this important? How will it be organised?

7E8

WASH Cluster – Emergency Training E

Don’t forget to plan ahead

Latrines become full sooner or later, and you should have a plan in place to re-dig new pits, or to get families to take the responsibility from the outset

To plan ahead, you need to know how long a latrine will last for....

Latrine sizing

8E8

WASH Cluster – Emergency Training E

Volume = (N x S x D) + 0.5A

Pit volume Leave top 0.5 metre…so

1 x 2.5 = 2.5 m3 useable pit volume

Volume = N x S x D2.5 = 50 x 90 x D

1000D = 2.5/(50 x 0.09)

= 0.55 years

Volume = (N x S x D) + 0.5A 1000

N = Number of usersS = Sludge accumulation (l / person / year)D = Design life (year) A = Pit base area (m2)

Note: 0.5A is your allowance of 0.5m unused at the top of the pit.

Pit size example

9E8

WASH Cluster – Emergency Training E

Sludge Disposal

A full pit latrine can be:

• Covered with soil, and re-dug elsewhere

• Emptied manually (to be avoided if possible)

e.g. Katale refugee camp, Goma.

• Desludged with a vacuum tanker

e.g. Mozambique floods, 2000.

10E8

WASH Cluster – Emergency Training E

HP Enables people to take action to prevent or mitigate water, sanitation, and hygiene related diseases.

• Consult with affected men, women, and children on design of facilities, hygiene kits, and outreach system

• Establish a voluntary system of cleaning and maintenance, or train latrine attendants

• Identify, organise, and train water and sanitation committees

• Monitor acceptability of facilities and health impact• Promote key hygiene messages such as hand washing

Hygiene Promotion: Action & Dialogue

11E8

WASH Cluster – Emergency Training E

Other O&M Issues: Anal cleansing

• Culturally appropriate cleansing material (wet or dry)

• What’s available locally

• Hygiene promotion messages (e.g not putting plastic bottles down latrine)

12E8

WASH Cluster – Emergency Training E

Menstrual Hygiene

Screened toilet and bathing unit, Pakistan, 2005.

Women need space to wash privately and cleanse/dry menstrual cloths

• Washing area• Soap provision• Water drainage• Drying lines

From Oxfam, 2005.

13E8

WASH Cluster – Emergency Training E

Other O&M Issues: Fly controlFlies and other insect vectors spread

pathogens from faeces• Physical barriers needed between

flies and faeces – keep the lid on!• Faeces to be covered with soil, ash or

other barrier (or spray with diesel)• Paint latrine walls (lime & salt) to

discourage larvae growth• Keep the latrine dark inside• Use fly traps and screens

14E8

WASH Cluster – Emergency Training E

Other O&M Issues: Handwashing

• Where there is no tap

• Use of soap

• Location

• Promotion messages

From Harvey, P., Ed., (2006), EDIE manual. WEDC.