Where can I find out what this abbreviation or acronym means?

  • For a full list of sanitation-related abbreviations in Wikipedia, click here (you are very welcome to add to the list!).

Probably the top 14 abbreviations used in the discussion forum are (for a full list and explanations of the terms follow the link above):

  • ABR - Anaerobic baffled reactor
  • BMGF - Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
  • CLTS - Community-led total sanitation
  • CW - Constructed wetland
  • DEWATS - Decentalized Wastewater Treatment System
  • FSM - Fecal (or faecal) sludge management
  • MDG - Millennium Development Goal
  • MHM - Menstrual hygiene management
  • NGO - Non-governmental organization
  • O&M - Operation and maintenance
  • ODF - Open defecation free
  • SDG - Sustainable Development Goal
  • UDDT - Urine diverting dry toilet
  • WASH or WaSH - Water, Sanitation and Hygiene

Where can I find a good sanitation glossary?

  • For technical terms of the sanitation system we point you to the glossary of the Eawag-Sandec Compendium of Sanitation Systems and Technologies.
  • You could also use Wikipedia itself as a glossary. The sanitation-related content on Wikipedia is getting better and better all the time thanks to the activities of countless volunteers and the WikiProject Sanitation since October 2014.
  • Wikipedia also has dedicated glossary pages, see here.