Some Guidance for Construction of Pit Latrines in Flood Prone Areas.

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Dear friends,

Can we get some suggestions on how to construct safe pit latrines in flood prone areas?

We know that pit latrines are simple to design and economic but they are very problematic during rainy season. Most of the time they create sanitation-related diseases in the rainy season due to heavy rains.This is a common but serious problem in Kano plains of the Kenya.

I would like to get some suggestions from you people about how to construct safe pit latrines in flood prone area so that all the problems related to these latrines can be prevented.

Thank you.

 

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26 Answers

  1. The Water Network research team has consolidated an answer to the above question. 
    Further input from members is welcome and appreciated.    
     

    p317.gifPit latrine is a toilet type which stores human faeces in a hole in the ground.

    They do not use water or use only a couple of liters per flush for pour-flush pit latrines.

    Pit latrines consist of 3 parts:

    • a hole in the ground
    • a slab or floor with a small hole
    • a shelter

    Pits are at least 3 m deep with an area of 1 m2.

    When building a pit latrine a few things need to be taken into consideration:

    • It should be far away from the house so that the odor is not a nuisance but close enough and accessible.
    • It should be as far away from the surface and groundwater as possible to eliminate the risk of groundwater pollution.

    When the pit is almost full (0.5 m of thee top), it should be emptied or a new pit should be constructed.

    If faecal sludge management is not carried out properly, water pollution along with public health risks may occur.

     

    During flooding the following things can happen to pit latrines:

    • Groundwater pollution due to the groundwater level rise and gets contaminated by human excrement and urine, thereby polluting the water wells
    • If the pit design is not adequate, the pit latrine can collapse
    • The pit can overflow due to excess water.

     

    The solutions for pit latrines in flood-prone areas include specific pit latrine designs:

    Raised pit latrines:

    • Earth stabilized raised pit latrine

    Earth stabilized raised pit latrines are raised to avoid the water from the flood getting into the pit.

    Since the pit is raised, the volume of the pit is larger and therefore the periods between emptying the pit are greater.  

    However, the space needed for the pit is bigger because there has to be an area to stabilize the soil around the raised part of the pit.

    The part of the pit above the ground used for rising it can be both porous and non-porous.

    Earth stabilized raised pit latrines are used for all types of flood - river-water flood, rainwater flood, flush flood and tidal flood.

     

    • Step latrine

    This latrine is raised to prevent the floodwater from getting into the pit.

    The lining used above ground for preventing sullage leaking is non-porous. The extended part of the pit is often water-sealed by plastering both sides.

    This type requires less horizontal space but it needs steps for latrine access.

    It is a good solution for flood-prone areas with little space.

     

    • Mound latrine

    Pit lining is above the ground level to prevent the flood water from entering the pit. The extension part of the pit is surrounded by a mound for protection.

    If the lining is made of permeable soil, the lining can be used as a leaching area. 

    It is also used for flood-prone areas with little space.

     

    Sand enveloped latrines

    • Sand enveloped pit latrine

    A sad filter around the pit prevents the disease-causing microorganisms from getting into the water supply from the pit.

    This type of a pit is especially used it drinking water sources are nearby, minimalizing the risks of groundwater contamination.

    A 5 cm thick sand envelope is placed around the pit.

    The bottom needs to be impermeable and can be made of plastic or puddle clay.

    The horizontal distance between the pit and the drinking water source needs to be at least 10 m.

     

    •   Sand enveloped raised pit latrine

    This type of latrine can include any of the three previously explained solutions.

    The extended part of the lining above ground level is water-sealed or surrounded by earth mound in order to prevent the flood water from intruding the pit.

     

    Aditional resource: 

    Sanitation strategies for flood-prone areas 

    Simple pit latrines

  2. issue what is a vacuum sewer system? -biologique- Waste water treated by a process -biologique- rejects a treated water remaining -biologique- which is used for irrigation of any culture garden or certificate or similar biodiveristé vegetated. Your suggestion is still in the spirit of traditional wastewater treatment completely iefficace and rejects improper water in the environment

  3. RE:APPRECIATION TO THE COMMENTS RECEIVED SO FAR ON THE WATER NETWORK

    I would like to appreciate the water network for creating a common platform where people can meet,exchange ideas and learn from each other.I had asked a question on construction of Pit Latrines in flood prone areas.So far,I have received an overwhelming response with valuable suggestions that we are currently analysing for publishing in our first issue of the WEF(Water,Energy and Food Security) Journal to be published in June 2015.

    I have also learnt a lot over the past one year that I have been a member of the Water Network and I would encourage the team behind this noble project to continue with this work since the information that is available within the network is well researched and educative.The Water Network has made the world to be like a small village since we can share with people across the globe.

    I would like to appreciate the professionals across the globe who are part of this network for providing their work for all to see and learn from what they have been doing to improve access to clean water and sanitation.

    Keep it up The Water Network as we look towards THE WORLD WATER DAY 2015.

  4. Why when combined with a network itself is completely autonomous. the water remaining output of the process is immediately dispersed a vegetated outlet. This derneir is set according to the production of treated wastewater. A vegetable garden and a garden largely absorb all the remaining water dun habitat. Regarding the concept of a farm is the farmer who rule the need for water supply of the process. Much of treated wastewater discharged as much water and dispersed on its operations.

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  6. Some guidance for construction of Pit latrines in flood prone areas.

    Dear All,

    The following approach might perhaps be most suitable to construct safe pit Latrines in flood prone areas.

    The Latrines should be constructed over a mound elevated to a certain height and the size of such mound should be as such, so that it does have an area of minimum 1.5 to 2.0 metre excess surrounding the Latrine with a sloping towards outer. The height of such mound should also be determined in such a way so that it's top level is at the plinth level of the dwelling house of the users of the Latrine. In that condition, the Latrine can be used till their Dwelling house is flooded. Because, if the dwelling houses are flooded, then they are to be abandoned and the inhabitants will have to shift to other safer places / shelters. For that they obviously need to look for other temporary options for sanitation.

    The people come back to their original houses, after the flood recedes and then the original pit Latrines can again be in use (if not damaged otrherwise) after necessary cleaning as in the case of their dwelling houses.

    Thanking All.

    Regards.

    Nripendra Kumar Sarma

    Nagaon, Assam, India     

    Some pictures are inserted here-

  8. I am very grateful for your comments.They provide valuable information that I will share during KISUMU WATER EXPO AND CONFERENCE 2014.For more details about the conference you can visit the website www.kisumuwaterexpo.com and I look forward to engaging everyone in the discussion on our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Kisumuwaterexpo or on twitter https://twitter.com/WATEREXPOKISUMU and thank you once more.

  9. It is common practice to design pit latrines for remote areas but during heavy reains it damage,bcz of poor matterial.so fitstly we have to Iinstall standerd quality pit latrines and replace them on quaterly basis. secondly focus on regular cleaning of latrines with acid and soil that can decompose urine and dry excreta so that during rainy reason there would be minimum chances of damages

  10. Hello Edwards, Please find enclosed the following publication from Loughborough University. http://wedc.lboro.ac.uk/resources/conference/25/041.pdf And as well the following publication from UNICEF http://www.unicef.org/eapro/unprotected-EDEchapter6.pdf I hope it will help you. Best regards, Debora

  11. The AAWS Dutch Latrine Bag concept for flood prone areas !

    Dear Edwards,

    During flooding you can expect the following to occur :

    1. Rising ground water levels :  human excrements (and urine) contaminate the groundwater rapidly and people drinking this water and eating cultivated food nearby this source, can get ill in a winck. 
    2. The pit latrine wall can collapse due to instability of the ground :  indicating that the pitdesign is not right.
    3. Overflowing of pit latrine due to influx of rain water from above into the pit: the pit wasn't covered properly, or it might not have been possible. In the latter case the pit was poorly designed.

    We have developed the Dutch Latrine Bag (www.aaws.nl) to prevent option 1 to occur, making it possible to reuse the urine and excrements and make compost and furtilizer out of them. The waste becomes a valuable cheap resource which is a good thing as the prices for fertilizers keep increasing. It also will reduce the foodinstability.

    In Kenya we work in Nakuru (500.000 people+) implementing this concept.

    Please do sent us an e-mail if you're interested in more details : kiki@aaws.nl

    Kindest regards,

    Aqua-Aero WaterSystems BV

  15. Problems faced in constructing latrines in flood prone areas are the same problems faced in rocky areas where pit excavations cannot go deeper than expected depths. the pit lining is also extended some reasonable centimeters above ground level.

  16. Dear Mr Hawi, UNICEF India had developed several designs of twin pit pour flush latrines, and I was a party to this. I think I (and several others ) may be of some help in case some more details like soil strata and type, frequency of flooding etc. are also shared. A concern is the contamination of the water table in case the soil strata is very porous eg coarse sand /gravel and especially open/shallow wells are used for drinking water without disinfection. My ID nandpurohit@gmail.com in case.

  18. http://www.engineeringforchange.org/solution/library/view/detail/Sanitation/S00035 http://search.tb.ask.com/search/GGmain.jhtml?searchfor=construction+of+Pit+latrines+in+flood+prone+areas.&st=kwd&ptb=52802079-1EBD-40F9-A0B8-8034E9323B02&n=780bd53e&ind=2014041406&p2=^BBQ^xdm007^YYA^in&si=COvrtayG4L0CFREIvAod1KwAKA

  20. Hi Edwards Hawi, There are many options available to you including the one Jean Marius is offering which sounds intriguing. I would be interested in exchanging emails with you regarding the job creation projects we do, some of which are related to sanitation. gmarsh@bykagroup.org All the best.

  21. Geraldine is correct. above ground is the best. the sides should be like a dike. rise over run of 0.5 on both sides. with water proofing on the outside. inside throw in some rocks the size of soceer balls and the HRT should large. the rocks will provide geobacters. have vents to allow methane to escape. use them with occasional additions of saw dust. if you can add vent fans, even better. if you want bioaugmentation, try biosix biobuddy. only $600 and it will last 10 years.

    Answered on by

  22. The answer can be yes but also not. I start with not. I privilege the individual but especially biological cleansing for three reasons: it gives a sense of responsibility the users of the habitat who will want to have a biological water to sprinkle their vegetable garden it is of financial costs largely lower than that of the collective cleansing financial damping can be done over a small period what is with dimensions social the very interesting one. Yes but. any connection with a collective increases the cost of general treatment of waste waters. it will also increase the cost of the palliative treatments (treatment of muds) If the performance épuratoire of the biological process is of 98%, that of the collective is quasi worthless close to zero certain establishments of the process can be made on the collective to precisely reduce it its costs of infrastructure and management. but that must be done with much reserve. Conclusion the individual cleansing is largely more advantageous with everyone.

  23. Geraldine Schoeman

    Hi

    Best low cost option would be an above ground double pit composting (preferably including Urine Diversion).  Have a look at the very useful information provided by the Organisation Engineering for Change (http://www.engineeringforchange.org

  24. LATRINES IN FLOOD PRONE AREAS

    PLEASE VISIT THE FOLLOWING LINKS

    VIRAF S MEHTA

    phone no....+91-9022731742

    email....viraf@gtpsonline.com

     

     

    http://www.engineeringforchange.org/solution/library/view/detail/Sanitation/S00034

     

    http://www.engineeringforchange.org/solution/library/view/detail/Sanitation/S00035
        http://search.tb.ask.com/search/GGmain.jhtml? searchfor=construction+of+Pit+latrines+in+flood+prone+areas.&st=kwd&ptb=52802079-1EBD-40F9-A0B8-8034E9323B02&n=780bd53e&ind=2014041406&p2=^BBQ^xdm007^YYA^in&si=COvrtayG4L0CFREIvAod1KwAKA     

  26. It is unfortunately the problems of all the current systems of cleansing. They are not impermables. It is not with the lack of will of all the services of cleansing, but simply by their design which is limited to being receptacles without any function. lyseconcept invented a device of treatment of the waste waters which not only has a function to him but in more this function is powerful in completely tight configuration of water infiltration coming from outside by flood, run-off. It is the process “Biological Pit " lyseconcept of which you can get all documentation by a request made at the address enamel following: lyseconcept@gmail.com. We are already present on 19 African country but not yet at Kénia. Another advantageous praticularity of the process “Biological Pit " lyseconcept it is that it does not produce muddy residues, thus suppirmant the obligation of draining. The icing on the cake: The water of rejection is recycled to be used for watering of the vegetable garden, of the pleasure garden but also on a greater scale for a farm.