Sanitation in Emergencies Sanitation in Emergencies Overview 1 Marco Bruni, seecon international gmbh

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Sanitation in Emergencies Find this presentation and more on: Contents 1.Disasters and Sanitation Systems 2.Emergency Phases and Intervention 3.Minimum Standards 4.Selecting the Optimal Sanitation System 5.Emergency Sanitation – More than just Provision of Toilets! 6.The Role of Ecological Toilet Systems 7.References 3

Sanitation in Emergencies Find this presentation and more on: Disasters 4 1. Disasters and Sanitation Systems Disasters Storms Floods Tsunamis Fires Draughts Earthquakes Pandemics Armed conflicts

Sanitation in Emergencies Find this presentation and more on: The Effects of Disasters on Civil Society 5 1. Disasters and Sanitation Systems Disaster Main health problems caused by Insufficient water supply and sanitation Poor hygiene Consumption of contaminated water Main health problems caused by Insufficient water supply and sanitation Poor hygiene Consumption of contaminated water Objectives Minimisation of the spread of faecal-oral diseases Restoration of a healthy environment Objectives Minimisation of the spread of faecal-oral diseases Restoration of a healthy environment Health of survivors is exposed to high risks GWC (2009) THE SPHERE PROJECT (2011)

Sanitation in Emergencies Find this presentation and more on: Emergency Phases are not Time-bound 2. Emergency Phases and Intervention Immediate Emergency Phase Recovery Phase Stabilisation Phase 6 Settlement Phase Emergency phases roughly describe the steps that affected people go through after an emergency. The phases are not time-bound. They depend on the achievement of targets. Usual duration 1 week – 3 months Usual duration 2 – 6 months Usual duration 2 months – several years Usual duration Several years

Sanitation in Emergencies Find this presentation and more on: Managing an Emergency: Building Resilience-Enabling Rehabilitation 7 2. Emergency Phases and Intervention Normality

Sanitation in Emergencies Find this presentation and more on: Managing an Emergency: Building Resilience-Enabling Rehabilitation 8 2. Emergency Phases and Intervention Disturbance Normality

Sanitation in Emergencies Find this presentation and more on: Managing an Emergency: Building Resilience-Enabling Rehabilitation 9 2. Emergency Phases and Intervention Disturbance Normality Rehabilitatio n Objectives Save lives Ease suffering Speed up process of rehabilitation

Sanitation in Emergencies Find this presentation and more on: Managing an Emergency: Building Resilience-Enabling Rehabilitation Emergency Phases and Intervention Disturbance Normality Intervention Rehabilitatio n Objectives Save lives Ease suffering Speed up process of rehabilitation General task Immediate response However, upgrading the system in a long-term perspective has to be considered already at the beginning.

Sanitation in Emergencies Find this presentation and more on: 11 Disturbance Normality Intervention Rehabilitatio n Objectives Save lives Ease suffering Speed up process of rehabilitation General task Immediate response However, upgrading the system in a long-term perspective has to be considered already at the beginning. Tasks in relation to water, sanitation & health (WASH) Provision of safe drinking water Maintenance of basic hygiene Reduction of health risks THE SPHERE PROJECT (2011) Managing an Emergency: Building Resilience-Enabling Rehabilitation 2. Emergency Phases and Intervention

Sanitation in Emergencies Find this presentation and more on: Minimum Standards for Excreta Disposal in Emergencies The international community of emergency response organisations has defined minimum standards that people who are affected by an emergency can expect from organisations providing humanitarian assistance Minimum Standards The most commonly mentioned minimum standards are the Sphere Standards. For excreta disposal in emergencies, they include: A living environment free from human faecal contamination Access to adequate, appropriate and acceptable toilet facilities Source: /9/7/ raemi_C heck_mark.svg.med.png [Accessed: ] /9/7/ raemi_C heck_mark.svg.med.png THE SPHERE PROJECT (2011)

Sanitation in Emergencies Find this presentation and more on: What is a Sanitation System? Establishing an emergency sanitation system is not only about constructing physical infrastructure but also about awareness raising and capacity building (hygiene education) Selecting the Optimal Sanitation System Source: content/uploads/2009/04/p jpg [Accessed: ] content/uploads/2009/04/p jpg Source: content/uploads/2009/04/p jpg [Accessed: ] content/uploads/2009/04/p jpg

Sanitation in Emergencies Find this presentation and more on: There is no One-fit-to-all Solution Selecting the Optimal Sanitation System Source: THE SPHERE PROJECT (2011) Factors determining the individual choice of the sanitation system FactorsE.g. The cause of the emergency eventFlooding, storm, pandemic, draught The type of the areaRural, urban The level of displacement of the affected population In-situ: people staying close to their homes Ex-situ: highly dispersed settlements, mass shelters, self-settlements, planned camps The emergency phaseImmediate-, stabilisation-, recovery-, settlement phase The available capacity and resources Financial, human, knowledge, material, skills, etc. The political and social context of the affected region Stability, corruption, traditions, habitudes, etc. Source: HARVEY et al. (2002); JOHANNESSEN (2011)

Sanitation in Emergencies Find this presentation and more on: Typical Sanitation Systems Selecting the Optimal Sanitation System Source: THE SPHERE PROJECT (2011) In-situ emergency situation TypeRemarks Communal latrinesFast construction, high quality, maintenance required/ no user-responsibility Family latrinesUser-responsibility, simple and cheap construction, more accessible Ex-situ emergency situation TypeRemarks Demarcated defecation area First phase: the first two to three days when a huge number of people need immediate facilities Trench latrinesFirst phase Pit latrinesAlso for long-term Ecological Sanitation (EcoSan) Immediate, medium- and long-term. Yet, context-based: mainly in response to high water tables and flood situations Septic tanksMedium- to long-term Source: THE SPHERE PROJECT (2011) Source: HARVEY ET AL. (2002)

Sanitation in Emergencies Find this presentation and more on: Source: WHO (2011); HARVEY et al. (2002) Management of solid waste Stormwater management (drainage of surface runoff) Management of dead bodies (both health-risk and psychological impacts/trauma) More than just Provision of Toilets! Emergency Sanitation Complementary planning and organisation of hygiene promotion

Sanitation in Emergencies Find this presentation and more on: EcoSan – An Attractive Alternative to Conventional Latrines Examples for EcoSan Toilets: Urine diversion toilet Composting toilet Terra preta toilet The Role of Ecological Sanitation Systems Source: THE SPHERE PROJECT (2011) +++Advantages+++ Resistant to flooding Reduce water consumption Reduce odour Usable also after emergency By-products can be reused (fertilisation) ---Disadvantages--- Require more careful operation and maintenance Handling of excreta poses high health risks Adapted from JOHANNESSEN & BIKABA (2009); OXFAM (2009); RUBERTO & JOHANNESSEN (2009)

Sanitation in Emergencies Find this presentation and more on: References HARVEY, P.A. (2007): Excreta Disposal in Emergencies. A Field Manual. Leicestershire: WEDC Loughborough University.. [Accessed: ]. JOHANNESSEN, A.; BIKABA, D. (2009): Sustainable Sanitation for Emergencies and Reconstruction Situations - Factsheet of Working Group 8 (draft). Eschborn: Sustainable Sanitation Alliance SuSanA [Accessed: ]. JOHANNESSEN, A. (2011): Identifying Gaps in Emergency Sanitation. Design of New Kits to Increase Effectiveness in Emergencies. Stoutenburg: Oxfam & WASTE. conference-2011/stoutenberg-feb-2011-report-final.pdf [Accessed: ]. conference-2011/stoutenberg-feb-2011-report-final.pdf OXFAM (Editor) (2009): UD Toilets and Composting Toilets in Emergency Settings. London: Oxfam Publishing. [Accessed: ]. THE SPHERE PROJECT (Editor) (2011): Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Humanitarian Response. Bourton on Dunsmore: Practical Action Publishing. URL: [Accessed: ]. RUBERTO, C.; JOHANNESSEN, A. (2009): Innovations in Emergency Sanitation. International Water Association (IWA). Stoutenburg: The Netherlands. sanitation-workshop-netherlands pdf [Accessed: ]. sanitation-workshop-netherlands pdf WHO (Editor) (2011): Technical Options for Excreta Disposal in Emergencies. Geneva: World Health Organization (WHO). [Accessed: ].

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