ECOSAN: A Sustainable Solution for Sanitation

1. Society for Community Organization and Peoples Education Trichy A solution for Sustainable Sanitation in all kinds of geographical areas ECOSAN

2. Ecosan aims at A holistic approach • Sanitation needs holistic sustainable Ecosystem approach. • It involves several cycles to ensure public health. • Human excreta & wash water are not a waste. • They are resources to be reused for improving agricultural production and prevent contamination of the environment. • ECOSAN approach aims at sanitizing the products and not transfer problems from one cycle to another cycle.

3. Present sanitation options: Open defecation Pit latrines Septic tank toilets Under ground sewage system Acceptance through IEC : • Make the people aware of the problems of the above systems. • Understand the negative aspects of mixing of fecal and urine together

4. Understand the water shortage and demand in future

5. Solution to any problem (open defecation) should not lead to new problem (conventional toilets) Positive aspects of ECOSAN • Usage of water is only for body cleaning (2 to 3 liters instead of 0 to 12 liters. • Pollution less (No contamination in soil, air, water) • Collecting the urine Separately people will come to know the value of urine which is reusable, no harm and can be used for agricultural purposes instead of chemical fertilizer which is very expensive

6. Research results • Using urine as fertilizer in paddy and banana fields at Musiri the research results encouraging the farmers as well as the researchers in the field of Agricultural and officials who involved in Water and Sanitation.

7. “Use toilet and get money”First time in the country at Musiri in Tamilnadu • The implementation of “use toilet and get money” instead of pay and use has a tremendous response from the public. • The number of users is increased every day. • The MSTP received more than 300 application for construction of Ecosan toilets. • People who are having Ecosan toilets started collecting the urine in the Jerry cans, instead of letting out in to the mud pot. • They are using the collected urine for near by kitchen garden. • The government also diverted their attention in this ECOSAN field and prepared to give subsidy for this kind of sanitation

8. MSTP – ECCT • Open defecation by the residents is minimized near cauvery river area due to this Ecosan toilets • The ECCT saves the town panchayat by way of O 7 M cost Rs. 50,000/ per year. • The number of users has increased by 100 to 300 per day. • The enquiries about paying money for the users have come from all over the world. • There was a wide coverage of the new scheme in international and national Television network and broadcasting • Print media representatives wandering a the new scheme, the first time in the world flocked to Musiri to know more about the Ecosan • About 300 liters urine is collected every week and used for farming and research.

9. Attracted many visitors • The wide spread response to this new scheme has resulted an increase in the number of visitors from various states in India and foreign countries. • Senior government officials and sanitation experts are visiting the ECCT. • Increased number of visitors has created a sense of pride and achievement among the MSTP who are in charge of maintenance of the toilet. • They pay greater attention for the proper up keep of the toilet. Mr. Somanathan Secretary to CM, Tamilnadu visited ECCT on 23rd October 2008

10. Geographic areas fit for Ecosan • ECOSAN toilets fit for • flood pruned areas, • high water table areas, • coastal areas, • hilly rocky water scarce and sandy areas.

11. Quality of construction and usage practices • Well trained masons to be involved in the construction • Usage practices to be taught to the users of the toilet • Monitoring to be their at least 18 to 20 months after the construction that means a staff to be involved at regular intervals visit the families enquire about the usage problems they come across, availability of ash, closing of the first chamber when it is filled up, commencement of use of second chamber, opening of the first chamber for removal of the compost. • use of compost for farming, testing of the compost for finding out its nutritional efficiency, quality analysis of the farm produce, closure of the first chamber with detachable block etc. • Importantly the children to be put into the practice of usage

12. Problems faced by SCOPE • It was very difficult to change the mind set of those who were in a practice of flush and forget . • At the initial stages dearth of trained masons for ECOSAN toilet construction • Cost wise ECOSAN is little bit higher than pit latrines. • After the study of the problem faced in some toilets we have changed the Design. • To prevent the water entering in to the chamber (avoid bad smell and better quality of composting) the collection of urine and wash water goes through pipes above the squatting slab.

13. Construction of different models of toilets • Using Ferro Cement which will cost Rs.6,000/- • Using Hollow Blocks : Rs. 8500 to 10,000 (different areas) • Using locally available materials for the construction like thatches, bamboos, gunny bags etc. • Note : The roof of the ECOSAN toilet should be water proof (Rain)

14. Achievement of SCOPE in the field of ECOSAN • In Musiri so far 1000 ECOSAN toilets constructed (Seventhilingapuram 100% toilet coverage) • So far 200 compost chambers opened. • 3 ECOSAN Community Compost Toilet (ECCT) constructed • 1 school UDT (Urine Diversion Toilet) is under construction • 4 School UDT toilets have been constructed in Krishnagiri • So far given masonry training for construction of Ecosan toilets in Eight states • Two paddy research completed (using urine as a liquid fertilizer) and the result received from TNAU is encouraging – supported by WASTE Netherlands. • Banana research completed by NRCB and the results are expected – supported by UNICEF-SEI. • Research on short term crops is going on –supported DDWS, New Delhi

15. Collection of urine from ECCT for research purpose • The urine filtered through a sand and charcoal filters collected in a tank. • Then urine pumped in to another tank and carried through a tricycle to the research field.

16. Research is going on to convert the urine as a STRUVITE (crystal formation) to avoid overcome the transportaion problems of Urine.

17. Policies needed to tap in to this potential • Incorporating in to the government programmes • ECOSAN can be a part of TSC or a separate campaign • Subsidy to be enhanced • Ecosan should not be seen as only a toilet promotion • It is involved in many aspects of water saving, pollution control, food security, health and agricultural improvement.

18. Human urine contains NPK… • Human urine contains … • 4.6g N, • 0.6g P2O5 and • 2.2g K2O per litre.

19. It is calculated that the urine generated in 1.5 months from rural areas may be sufficient for supplementing • 100% of N and P2O5 requirement and • 25% of K2O requirement of total banana cultivation in India. • Thus, Rs. 445 crore worth of fertilizer may be saved.

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21. Start with school children They will grasp easily, Try to put into practice what they learn. Propagate the messages of importance of sustainable sanitation through child to child, child to family and child to community especially from the schools.