Mainstreaming Sustainable Sanitation within the National Sanitation Framework

Mainstreaming Sustainable Sanitation within the National Sanitation Framework 9 th September 2009 Arghyam, Bangalore Prakash Kumar SEI-UNICEF

TSC contribution to the Nation • Government commitment at all levels led to significant progress in the water and sanitation sector. • TSC scaled up through out the country and being implemented in 572 of 604 districts in India. • Socially inclusive program to eliminate manual scavenging in rural areas. • Nirmal Gram Puraskar created massive awareness about sanitation and felicitate the local sanitation champions for their good work. • TSC initiates the process of community empowerment and team work. • TSC efforts are breaking sanitation taboos to discuss it openly at all forums.

NGP Evaluation: Major findings • Reason for non-use -Poor / unfinished installation -No superstructure -No behavior change • To make it usable -Training to masons for proper installation -Subsidy/financing for whole structure -Social mobilization for behavior change

TSC : Lessons Learned • The rapid acceleration of NGP has posed the danger of an accelerated construction drive without corresponding behaviour change. • More needs to be done to promote critical behaviours with regards to the use of newly constructed toilets; disposal of child faeces; and hand washing with soap. • States where panchayats have had greater involvement in TSC implementation have been more successful compared to the states where PHED had been leading the sanitation programme. • There is a need to support demonstrations of integrated approaches to water supply and sanitation in order to respond to the increasing water crisis in country especially as this is mainly the result of poor and unsustainable use and management of water sources. • Experiences like the School Water and Sanitation Towards Total Health and Hygiene (SWASTHH plus) in Karnataka and Jharkhand show that water, sanitation and hygiene interventions need to be much more strongly embedded within Education sector policies and programmes, particularly the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), and that hygiene education can be integrated in child-friendly learning.

TSC Major Sustainability Issues • Sustainable sanitation not sufficiently defined and the priority given to coverage rather than safety. • Primarily, one model of latrines is being promoted in all regions of the country irrespective of the local geographic, hydrologic, climatic and socio-economic conditions (high water table, flood prone, rocky ground, desert/water scarce areas and extreme low temperatures) thereby causing water pollution, human morbidity and mortality, wastage and loss of resources, especially water, but also nutrients and humus. • For HH latrines, focus is on single pit, low cost units, which is not sustainable in many locations. The limitations in technology options prevent communities to achieve/sustain open defecation free (ODF) status. • Solid liquid waste management is a non-starter at community as well as in schools. • Capacity of PRIs (Panchayati Raj institutions) and other village level organisations is inadequate to maintain the infrastructure in the postimplementation phase. • Lack of consistent use of facility created under TSC, which defers the intended objective of the campaign.

• State level CCDUs (capacity & communications development unit) lack staff as well as capacity to take up the State level HRD (human resource development) and IEC (information education and communication) activities as well as monitoring of TSC implementation. Thus, significant lack of capacity at state, district, block and grassroots levels for effective implementation of the TSC limits the focus on sustainability. • The availability of water in schools is a major cause of nonfunctionality of many sanitation facilities. And also due to limited technological choices implementation of appropriate sanitation facilities are hampered, which leads to drop-outs, especially among girl child students. • Problems associated with pour flush toilets is not limited to the potential pollution of fresh water resources, but the possibility that the toilet falls into disuse, because the women do not see the point in fetching the many buckets/containers of water a day, if opendefecation is still an option. • Poor / unfinished installation-No superstructure-No behavior change

• • • Ecosystem based system addresses TSC sustainability issues offers the only solution to sanitation in areas of critical hydro-geological and climatic conditions lends itself to safe recycling of natural resources and thereby contributing to environmental sustainability reduces the use of chemical fertilizer food production, improving both soil fertility and reducing economic dependence on phosphate and other chemicals minimizes pollution of bodies of water can be a driver/motivator for installations and the use of toilets provides dignity to individuals, who due to hydro-geological conditions are unable to construct any other type of sanitation enables economic advancement for hard core poor segments of the population. Eco sanitation system can be seen as an investment with “pay-back potential” so that the investment can be amortised Considering that India is a country with diverse hydro-geological features - a vast length of coastline, several rivers in a large swath of the Indo-Gangetic plain, hard rock areas and the water scarce desert districts in the West, one conventional technology, that of leach pits, cannot be the answer to sanitation. It is a blessing in disguise that half of the Indian population does not have access to sanitation that requires water. Imagine a situation when 1. 1 billion Indians require water for their sanitation. From where would the water for the additional 550 million persons will come? Thus, we should attempt to think of a TSC with built-in sustainability aspects – sort of Total Sustainable Sanitation Campaign (TSSC) in order to truly create sustainable infrastructure.

Inclusion of Sustainable Approaches under the TSC • TSC is one of the best conceptualised, centrally sponsored sanitation programs in any developing country with an aim to achieve the open defecation free (ODF) rural India by 2012. This program has generated immense awareness at the highest level. However, there is a considerable need for capacity development at most levels. It is clear that there is a call for improved delivery mechanisms, supervision, monitoring and follow-up supports for long term sustainability of created infrastructure and taking sanitation service delivery efforts beyond the number of toilet installed. Consistent usage, elimination of negative environmental effects and focus on human health are factors that must be incorporated. • For designated sensitive/critical areas/zones, it is clear that TSC incentive basis should be widened so as to include sustainable types of sanitation systems. If the ecosystem-based sanitation system, also know as ecosan or productive sanitation, is opted for when the households and rural schools can also economically benefit from recycling of nutrients and water in agricultural pursuits.

Issues for critical examination for a sustainable roadmap 1. Focus on sustainable sanitation in critical zones Sustainable sanitation systems need to be massively & urgently scaled-up to especially cover the sensitive/critical areas/zones, such as water-logged, water-scarce, deserts, rocky terrain, flood prone, nutrient-scarce areas with an enhanced incentive model. Sustainable sanitation requires focussed funding support, which can be done by streamlining and dovetailing with various existing schemes. 2. Enhanced capability and capacity in sustainable sanitation In the sanitation sector, there is a need to massively increase effort towards sustainability, to include environmental, economical, and socio-cultural aspects. This requires increased capacity and know-how through a range of dedicated capacity development efforts. . Over and above engineering, other professionals, e. g. Town Planning, Public Health, Medical, Social Worker, Administrators, Educational etc. need to be reached both during their education and in their practice to ensure awareness about sustainable sanitation options. Simultaneously and immediately capacity development of CCDUs and PRIs are required to strengthen and sustain the outcome of the TSC program and its impact at the grassroots level. Vocational training of different actors is also called for and includes masons, entrepreneurs, community leaders, etc. so that they are able to understand contribute to the process of installing and maintaining sustainable sanitation options.

3. Need for monitoring and post implementation support To support the scaling-up processes, comprehensive monitoring of the implementation of the TSC in regard to its sustainability is required. Budgetary support should be provided to the PRIs for post implementation support of created infrastructure for sustaining the behavioural change during at least 12 - 18 months. This budget may be utilised for engaging an NGO or an individual as the village- level water and sanitation co-ordinator. 4. Linking sustainable sanitation with education at all levels For enhanced awareness-raising and improved implementation practices it is necessary to properly motivate and teach sustainable sanitation, water management and nutrient reuse in the formal education sector to ensure these approaches are well understood and practised by professionals, staff, local people and above all the up-coming generations. (Anganvadi to University level) 5. Linking sanitation with agriculture Evidence-based advocacy for linking and possibly integrating ecological sanitation/productive sanitation with the agriculture and agro-forestry sectors for food security in nutrient scarce areas and for the substitution of the chemical fertilizers imbedded in human excreta, which safely can be recycled.

6. Technological options Developing a range of installation designs, i. e. different technological options, for individual households, schools and public places as they relate to various critical zones. Specifications for technological options for each zone are to be spelt out in regard to identified needs, quantified and cost-specified in addition to listings of detailed advantages and disadvantages for a particular choice. 7. Public private research partnerships Promoting public private research partnership for facilitation of replication and scaling up of ecological sanitation/productive sanitation in rural areas. 8. Engagement of private sector entrepreneurs Small scale entrepreneurs and crafts people, incl. masons, carpenters, transporters, producers of fixtures, etc. need to have access to information and knowledge about alternative sanitation solutions. They need to be encouraged in order to become drivers of appropriate sanitation installations. 9. Knowledge management Coordination and knowledge management of resources by creating a centre of excellence for sustainable sanitation at state and district levels in partnership with appropriate research institutions.

Linking sanitation to the poverty trap Poverty due to malnutrition and diarrheal disease can be related to the lack of sanitation, safe drinking water and inappropriate hygiene behaviour as well as other socio-economic factors. 11. Sustainable sanitation systems For on-site disposal of human excreta from households and schools, four sustainable sanitation models can be made eligible for incentives within the TSC, namely: • Pour flush system a. Pour flush twin pit alternating system (single pit is hardly ever a sustainable option) b. Pour flush system connected with septic tank and soakage pit c. Pour flush urine diversion system that leads faeces, wash water and flush water into a septic tank and soak pit and collects urine separately • Urine diverting dehydration system - urine, faeces & wash water are separately collected – single vault for collection and treatment of faeces – double vault for collection and treatment of faeces • Toilet connected to a biogas-generating system 10.

Other Options • “Arborloo”, has limited application due to the dense population in most communities but suitable in dry/desert areas and high altitudes. It is simplest single pit compost toilet with a light superstructure and a shallow pit – 1. 0 to 1. 5 meter. Excreta, soil/sand leaves are added to the pit. The toilet site is temporary, since a new pit is created once a pit is filled after app. six to twelve months. The filled pit is covered with soil and left to compost. Subsequently a tree is planted on the old site. • “Fossa alterna”, which is limited to dry/desert areas and high altitudes. It has two shallow, lined pits. Excreta, soil/sand leaves are added to the pit. The toilet site is fixed, but the superstructure is moved to cover the pit in use. When the pit that has been filled and the content has been composted it is excavated – usually after twelve months. The system can be continued for years provided that the pits remain stable. • Improved “Ladakhi” model which is suitable for high altitudes. Traditional Ladakhi toilet has one big lined chamber above the floor in which excreta, soil/cow dung are added. The toilet is fixed. Primary composting done in the chamber and later taken for a secondary composting outside and then to field.

12. Solid and liquid waste management For enhanced impact of the TSC, grey water disposal, solid waste handling, rain water harvesting, day water management and overall tidiness and cleanliness of the village environment and schools continue to be addressed and financially supported. 13. Sustainable sanitation in water scarce communities Compulsory implementation of sustainable sanitation system in water scarce areas where it is not possible to obtain adequate water for domestic use. Rainwater harvesting approaches can favourably be incorporated in order to support hygiene promotion. 14. Implementation framework for success of TSC • Awareness-raising of entire communities in regard to sanitation, hygiene, water, agriculture, health, gender-balancing and livelihoods with emphasis on behaviour change in the communications

• The community should be presented with a minimum of three options, for which TSC staff explains benefits, cost, operations and maintenance requirements and expected contribution from the individual households or schools. Households/schools make informed choices in relation to the local conditions, maximum medium-term advantages and sustainability • Post implementation TSC monitoring and support must be provided for a minimum of 12 – 18 months or until all households are consistently using their installations in an appropriate manner and open defecation is eliminated. • Country-wide identification and mapping of critical zone. This work can expediently be commissioned to for example the Geological Survey of India (GSI). GSI creates maps based on geological, hydrological and temperature conditions.

Promotion of Sustainable Sanitation by SEI-UNICEF Key Objectives: – – – Advocacy Capacity Development Coordination and knowledge management for sustainable sanitation resource development Comprehensive India centric research on sustainable sanitation Demonstration for replication and scaling up

• Thank you prakumar@unicef. org