U.S. Domestic Resources

Welcome to the H2infO U.S. Domestic Resources Page. On this page you will find U.S. Water Partnership member resources aimed at helping domestic stakeholders address the unique water challenges of the United States.

U.S. Domestic Resources

Water 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
Regional focus: 
United StatesNorth America

Water for the World: Constructing Septic Tanks

U.S. Agency for International Development
A septic tank is a self-operating unit for sewage treatment. The tank receives raw sewage from a building, allows solids to settle out, and discharges effluent to an underground (subsurface) absorption system for final disposal. This technical note describes each step in constructing a septic tank.Read more
Regional focus: 
United StatesNorth America

Water for the World: Operating a Solid Waste Collection System

U.S. Agency for International Development
Operating a solid waste collection system involves removing solid waste from houses, yards, marketplaces, factories or public building and transporting it to a landfill, composting area or biogas plant. This technical note describes how to operate and maintain three types of solid waste management...Read more
Regional focus: 
United StatesNorth America

Water for the World: Constructing Stabilization Ponds

U.S. Agency for International Development
A stabilization pond is a large shallow excavation that receives sewage from a sewage system, detains the sewage so that biological processes can destroy most of the disease-causing organisms, and discharges the effluent as treated sewage. This technical note describes how to construct a...Read more
Regional focus: 
United StatesNorth America

Water for the World: Designing Stabilization Ponds

U.S. Agency for International Development
A stabilization pond is a large shallow excavation that receives sewage from a sewage system, detains the sewage so that biological processes can destroy most of the disease-causing organisms, and discharges the effluent as treated sewage. This technical note describes the basic design of a...Read more
Regional focus: 
United StatesNorth America

Water for the World: Constructing Compost Toilets

U.S. Agency for International Development
A compost toilet consists of a pair of waterproof vaults that receive excreta, ashes, sawdust, straw, and grass. Each vault is equipped with a slab for defecating, a rear opening for removing compost, and a hole for a vent pipe. This technical manual provides step-by-step instructions for...Read more
Regional focus: 
United StatesNorth America

Water for the World: Designing a System of Two or Three Stabilization Ponds

U.S. Agency for International Development
A system of stabilization ponds is an arrangement of two or more ponds connected by pipes that receives sewage, detains it so that biological process can destroy most of the disease-causing organisms and discharges the effluent as treated sewage. This technical note describes the basic features of...Read more
Regional focus: 
United StatesNorth America

Water for the World: Planning Combined Washwater and Excreta Disposal Systems

U.S. Agency for International Development
Combined washwater and excreta disposal systems may be appropriate where large quantities of washwater are generated and where resources are sufficient to establish and maintain such systems. This manual provides a comprehensive guide to recognizing where a combine disposal system would be most...Read more
Regional focus: 
United StatesNorth America

Water for the World: Operating and Maintaining Septic Tanks

U.S. Agency for International Development
A septic tank is a self-operating unit for sewage treatment. The tank receives raw sewage from a building, allows solids to settle out, and discharges effluent to an underground (subsurface) absorption system for final disposal. This technical note describes how to measure scum and sludge depths to...Read more
Regional focus: 
United StatesNorth America

Water 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
Regional focus: 
United StatesNorth America