Sustainability
According to Global Water Challenge, sustainability is one of the most pressing issues facing the WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) sector today. More than 30 percent of WASH projects fail after two to five years. Resources available to help address this challenge include guidance on operations and maintenance approaches, tools to estimate long-term costs, and other resources to support sustainability.
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Sustainability Resources
Water for the World: Operating and Maintaining Bucket Latrines
U.S. Agency for International Development
Maintaining a bucket latrine is necessary to prevent fly-breeding and to avoid possible health hazards due to contamination from excreta. This manual provides a guide to operating and maintaining bucket latrines.Read more
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United States, North AmericaWater for the World: Constructing, Operating and Maintaining Cesspools
U.S. Agency for International Development
A cesspool is a covered pit with open-joint walls that receives piped sewage. The solids settle to the bottom and the effluent passes through the walls into the surrounding soil. This technical note describes how to construct a cesspool.Read more
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United States, North AmericaWater for the World: Constructing, Operating and Maintaining Subsurface Absorption Systems
U.S. Agency for International Development
A subsurface absorption system is a trench, series of trenches, field or pit that receives effluent from a septic tank and allows it to soak safely into the ground. This technical note describes each step in constructing an absorption system.Read more
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United States, North AmericaWater for the World: Constructing, Operating and Maintaining Sumps, Soakage Pits, and Soakage Trenches.
U.S. Agency for International Development
Sumps, soakage pits, and soakage trenches receive washwater or effluent from an aqua privy and allow it to soak safely into the ground. This technical manual provides step-by-step instructions for constructing, operating and maintaining sumps, soakage pits, and soakage trenches.Read more
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United States, North AmericaWater for the World: Constructing, Operating and Maintaining Non-Conventional Absorption Systems
U.S. Agency for International Development
Non-conventional absorption disposal systems have been developed for soil conditions where absorption is slow and slight, or where ground water is close to the ground surface. This technical note describes the elements involved in constructing and maintaining non-conventional systems.Read more
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United States, North AmericaWater for the World: Operating and Maintaining Compost Toilets
U.S. Agency for International Development
Maintaining a compost toilet involves keeping it clean and periodically changing vaults and removing compost. Maintaining a compost toilet requires monthly inspection and repair damage. This manual provides a guide to correctly using compost toilets and effectively operating and maintaining them.Read more
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United States, North AmericaWater for the World: Operating and Maintaining Privies
U.S. Agency for International Development
A privy consists of a pit to hold excreta, a slab with a squatting hole or a seat and pedestal, and a shelter to give the user privacy. Maintaining a privy involves cleaning the slab weekly, repairing the privy as needed, and eventually filling the pit with soil and moving the slab and shelter to a...Read more
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