SuSanA - Forum

Re: re.source: Mobile Sanitation Services for Dense Urban Slums (Stanford University, USA) - by: gitum

Sun, 12 May 2013 21:43:59 +0000

Dear Kory,

Thanks for all the information, it is a very interesting project. I also have two questions for you.

How do you plan to develop a business on sanitation as you mentioned? What are your steps on this? Have you achieved any results on entrepreneurial service?

Also, I am curious on which part of the project are you responsible? I see that this is a big scale project and I am curious in which part you focus on your research.

Thank you in advance,

Gökce

Re: Power auger modification to empty pits - by: FrancisdelosReyes

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 18:17:02 +0000

Field Testing in South Africa
In March 2013, our modified design was tested on a range of wet and dry pits in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, with the help of Partners in Development. Field testing of the extraction auger generated the following conclusions.
1. The hydraulic powered extraction auger was easily carried to all of the pits investigated. While it was not possible to drive a vehicle close to many latrines, access with the equipment was not a problem. Fig 3 shows use of the extraction auger down a narrow alley.
2. Clogging with trash and other debris was not a problem. Reversing the auger ejected most debris. While elastic bands (presumably from disposable diapers) did occasionally get wrapped around the auger, they did not result in jamming of the equipment. When trash was caught in the auger, the machine could be easily reversed, ejecting most of the trash and other debris.
3. The machine was very effective at pumping medium viscosity wastes containing a mixture of liquid and solid material. Fig 4 shows five containers pumped out of a pit in Durban, SA after about 20 minutes operation.
4. The equipment was not very effective in removing watery, low viscosity waste. This characteristic was identified early in the laboratory testing. However in this field, it is not a significant drawback since other available technologies (Gulper, Vacutug or a simple trash pump) are effective in removing this type of waste.
5. The equipment was not effective in removing solid waste in dry pits without some liquid material. The auger was able to drill into the solid waste. However, this just formed a ‘posthole’ in the non-flowing solid waste. Additional work is needed to develop an effective method to empty ‘dry’ pits. This could include mixing the solid waste with liquid, followed by augering or use of other equipment.
6. There is an incredible variation in the composition of waste in these pits. One pit may contain semi-solid material that is easily removed with the extraction auger, while another pit 30 m away contains very hard, floating material that is difficult to penetrate. No single technology will be appropriate for this wide range of conditions. To be effective, operators need a range of tools to manage the broad range of conditions encountered.
7. It is difficult to determine the amount and character of waste through the toilet, prior to breaking the pit seal. Assessment methods are needed to determine when pits need to be emptied and to identify the best approach for removing the waste. This evaluation needs to be performed through the toilet, without excavating the actual pit and breaking the seal.

The design developed in Phase I of this project was effective in emptying semi-solid waste from difficult to access pits, even when the pits contained trash and other debris. The extraction auger system has met all listed criteria for Technology Readiness Level ITRL) of 7. We have demonstrated the use of a fully functional prototype assembled from commercially available components in an operational environment (wet and dry pits in South Africa).

While the extraction auger was effective in emptying wet pits containing semi-solid sludge, additional work is needed to develop tools and procedures to safely and effectively empty the broad range of pits present in many areas. Needs identified in this project include:
• Modify our current design to improve the performance, durability and sanitary use of this equipment for pits containing semi-solid waste.
• Develop equipment to efficiently mix dense solid waste with liquid to form a semi-solid material that can be more easily extracted.
• Modify the existing auger design to facilitate its use with currently available vacuum technologies to remove both the dense material and free liquid from the pit.
• Develop methods to assess the amount of waste in a pit and its general composition without significant excavation or breaking the seal on the pit.

Great challenges remain in safely and effectively removing wastes from pits. A variety of different tools are needed to safely and effectively empty pits. Currently available vacuum technologies and the extraction auger developed in this project can help. However, additional tools and equipment are needed to expand the range of pits that can be emptied.

Waste extracted from pit in Durban, SA:

Re: Power auger modification to empty pits - by: FrancisdelosReyes

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 18:16:09 +0000

Hydraulic powered auger being tested on a simulated pit containing cattle manure:

Initial Prototype Development and Testing
Phase I involved development of an initial prototype and experimental facilities to evaluate the system. Our initial design was a simple modification of a standard earth auger with a machined coupling, PVC pipe and Tee.
Once a functional prototype was developed, the auger was tested to evaluate the effect of auger rotating speed (rpm), auger length, and waste viscosity on pumping rate and discharge head (pressure). The minimum speed to effectively pump the 5 and 6% bentonite simulant waste was 300 rpm, which is the maximum rotational speed of many earth augers. Based on this result, an alternative power drive was developed to generate higher rpm and increased flow.

Equipment Modification to Improve Performance
Based on the insights gained during RTTF and FSM2 conferences, we identified several modifications to improve the versatility and performance of our design. In fall 2012 and early winter 2013, these improvements were incorporated into our prototype and tested in the laboratory and in a simulated pit constructed on the NCSU farms. The improvements included:
1. The upper portion of the extraction auger was modified by replacing the ‘Tee’ fitting with a ‘Wye’ fitting and including a section of reversed flighting at the top of the auger. Together, these changes improved discharge of non-fecal material into the collection container.
2. Several different auger tips were developed to improve performance for a variety of site conditions including tips to reduce trash entry, reduce damage to concrete pit bottoms and break up compacted solids.
3. The auger body was modified allowing the auger to be shortened or extended depending on site conditions. When entering a building, the auger can be taken apart to negotiate tight areas, and then assembled to empty the pit. When dry solids are present, the outer pipe can also be shortened, exposing more auger to solids in the pit.
4. The standard mechanical drive was replaced with a hydraulic drive. This increased the pumping rate and allowed the auger to be easily reversed to discharge fecal material and/or trash that had entered the auger.

Hydraulic power is provided to the auger from a separate gasoline powered hydraulic pump. The hydraulic fluid travels through rubber hoses to the hydraulic motor that drives the auger. When the pit is located within 100 ft. of a vehicle, the hydraulic pump could remain on the vehicle and the hydraulic hoses would run from the vehicle to the pit. The hydraulic pump is also fitted with rubber tires allowing transport to more remote locations.

Video of the field testing on the farm with waste surrogate:

Power auger modification to empty pits (North Carolina State University, USA and South Africa) - by: FrancisdelosReyes

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 18:11:42 +0000

Here is a description of the grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation that I am leading:

Title of grant: Power Auger Modification to Empty Cess Pits
Subtitle: Developing a Pit Extraction Auger
Name of lead organization: North Carolina State University
Primary contact at lead organization: Robert Borden and Francis de los Reyes
Grantee location: Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
Country where the research is being or will be tested: South Africa

Goal(s):
The overall objective of the Phase I project was to modify and test a portable, gasoline powered earth auger that can be used to more efficiently and hygienically empty septic tanks, cesspits and latrines.
Start and end date: end date 31 December 2012, final report due 30 April 2013
Grant type: GCE Round 7
Funding for this research currently ongoing (yes/no): No
Research or implementation partners: Partners in Development, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa

Links, further readings – results to date:
Presentation at FSM-2 conference: www.susana.org/images/documents/07-cap-d...e-university-usa.pdf

Video of my presentation:

Our tests in South Africa has also been mentioned in this thread here on the forum:
forum.susana.org/forum/categories/53-fae...lper-and-others#3720

Francis L. de los Reyes III, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering
North Carolina State University

Re: re.source: Mobile Sanitation Services for Dense Urban Slums (Stanford University, USA) - by: kcrussel

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 02:55:23 +0000

Dear Christophe,

Thanks for your comment. As far as we can tell, MobiSan is fundamentally different from our system. Mobisan is a semi-mobile public/communal toilet with on-site feces dehydration. Our system provides household level toilets with a regular service that assures removal and transport of waste-containing cartridges to an off-site thermophilic composting facility. Our service integrates treatment into the entire supply chain and business model. In our view, it would be negligent to deploy toilets without a viable strategy for revenues, operations, and robust waste treatment. While it is true that the underlying idea of a dry toilet is present in both projects, we see little else in MobiSan that is comparable to what we are doing. That said, there can always be lessons learned from other projects and technologies. Addressing your specific points;

1) the conditions of informal settlement (with reference to density and land tenure) are not permitting the implementation of individual sanitation system (regardless of the technology)

We respectfully disagree with this generalization. The work that WSUP, X-runner, and we have been doing in Ghana, Peru, Haiti, and other locations shows that household-level sanitation in informal settlements can in fact be a viable solution that responds to the needs and aspirations of residents. Just as we do not claim that household-level sanitation is a panacea, we view blanket statements about the nature of informal settlements to be incorrect. We have deployed household-level sanitation in Cap Haitien because there is user demand for it, because we believe we can deliver it, and because there are numerous documented safety reasons why household sanitation is preferable to public facilities in Haiti. The very real and present plague of sexual assault cannot be ignored; forcing women to leave their homes at night to use a public toilet is not only sub-optimal but also flat out dangerous in many locations.
Let me be clear, we are not saying that public toilets should be excluded from the sanitation solution toolbox. Far from it, in a different context, the Sanergy team concluded that pay-per-use public toilets are more viable in their environment. However, each of these approaches must be driven by its context, and must incorporate a deliberate revenue and operations strategy.

2) The proposed treatment (if done on-site) may be another issues given the lack of space and inconvenience (such as odour etc.) it may cause. If off-site, access to the settlement, transport cost etc. may be another issue of concern

Our composting is not done on-site. If you are using composting as your primary method of treatment, then certain steps must be taken to ensure that the treatment facility is properly separated from the community, or that proper odor and hazard control is implemented. There are several examples where composting has been successfully deployed in urban areas. However, based on our and SOIL's experience in Haiti, as well as close collaboration with the Haitian government, the compost site is located outside of the urban center. Transportation is indeed a cost, so we focus efforts on maximizing efficiency. We use simple tracking systems to minimize trips and maximize the utilization of our equipment, lowering our unit costs as much as possible without compromising the quality of our service.

There are emerging treatment technologies that could enable treatment of larger quantities of waste on-site with minimal space requirements and no public nuisance. One of those that we are watching with interest is Biochar (www.susana.org/docs_ccbk/susana_download/2-1624-von-herzen.pdf). While biochar is a relatively old process that can be done with very rudimentary techniques, researchers are now finding ways to mechanize it for high-moisture substrates like fecal waste. The potential is substantial for reducing space and distance in treatment facilities.

3) Informal settlement dwellers (being categorised as poor of the poor) may not be able to pay any fee for the service;

This is of course true. However, the family expense associated with our system are often comparable or lower than other technologies such as composting toilets, pit latrines, and fee-for-use public toilets. Outside of major subsidization from governments and aid organizations, we believe it will be difficult to deliver any sanitation solution at a cheaper price. We also disagree with a broad categorization of informal settlements as too poor to pay. Wealth distribution within informal settlements is not homogenous and in the settlements we have been working in there is significant willingness and ability to pay for effective sanitation.

4) Reuse (of waste products) emerge as current trend in the sanitation field. Its acceptance should be carefully studied. In South African context, users are reluctant to use anything generated from human waste for cultural or any other reasons. Therefore, potential users of waste products should be identified.

We agree that proper understanding of the cultural context and demand for the end-products of resource recovery is paramount. In Haiti, we have found that thermophilic composting yields a sufficient transformation such that compost does not have the negative associations of human waste. To date, our friends at SOIL have sold compost in bags and in truckloads locally, such that currently the limiting factor on compost sales appears to be supply rather than demand.

5) Treatment technology for human waste should also consider operation and maintenance, skills of operators and related cost.

Absolutely. That is why SOIL implements Standard Operating Procedures at their compost sites including protocols for weighing the waste containers, emptying waste containers and building compost piles, checking compost pile temperature at multiple locations on regular time intervals, and cleaning the containers. All staff are trained, supervised, and required to wear proper personal protective equipment. Our research incorporates the costs associated with these necessary practices, and will be documented in future publications. You can follow our continued research @resource_ful and SOIL at @soilHaiti

Thanks so much and good luck with your work.
Kory

Re: re.source: Mobile Sanitation Services for Dense Urban Slums (Stanford University, USA) - by: muandac

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 06:30:07 +0000

Thanks David and appreciate your reply
My main concerns are related to the nature of informal settlements. Because the model being developed is for replication to other slums (in India, America or Africa), the general charactristics of the slums (regardless of their geographical locations) should be be explored. As you know, the global trend is towards achieving zero waste while providing business opportunities to local...but the context of application of this model (sanitation as service and business) should consider the conditions of the slums in terms of density, level of awareness, constraints (access, topography, transport etc).
Prior to the piloting, I hope these issues were addressed, if so fine; but if not, I'm worried about working with business considering that collection, transport and even treatment (if done on-site)and other issues are not solved yet. I'm responding from my personnal experience with similar model.

Thanks
Chris Muanda

Re: re.source: Mobile Sanitation Services for Dense Urban Slums (Stanford University, USA) - by: DavidAlan

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 10:35:25 +0000

Christopher, as some know we have been trialling a peri-urban solution using SPUs (semi-permanent units) for the past two years in Cuddalore, India. This involves a collection, storage and composting system, whereby the eventual sale of the compost generates enough income to pay for the workers involved and put a small amount into a maintenance fund. We have now expanded this to our rural 'fixed' units as well. In India we do not have a problem selling the compost and this model is proving very successful. In fact, we are just about to be given circa $100,000 to expand this trial by replicating it in another Indian State (this will enable us start from scratch and monitor far more closely). The eventual hope is that we can prove this could become some form of social enterprise that will attract investors rather than donors.

I think we also have to consider working with organisations who are not necessarily sanitation based, but agricultural-based. If we cannot sell compost on the open market, I believe we have to extend our involvement to perhaps take a share of a finished crop if we give the compost away. This is actually what Monsanto (the devil in disguise!) does – it gives away seeds to show an improved crop yield and once farmers see the benefit they then have to buy them. Many obviously cannot, but we could explore this possibility as becoming just a different investor.

It's a thought!

Re: re.source: Mobile Sanitation Services for Dense Urban Slums (Stanford University, USA) - by: muandac

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 21:15:01 +0000

Very interesting project and appreciate much your contribution. In 2007 a similar technology called MobiSan was developed by a Dutch consortium and piloted in Cape Town and still working today. Few issues emerged from one of our research conducted around this type of saniation system and would like to provide few comments (see also a previous thread about the MobiSan here: forum.susana.org/forum/categories/52-mob...rom-the-mobisan#2749):

1) the conditions of informal settlement (with reference to density and land tenure) are not permitting the implementation of individual sanitation system (regardless of the technology)
2) The proposed treatment (if done on-site) may be another issues given the lack of space and inconvenience (such as odour etc.) it may cause. If off-site, access to the settlement, transport cost etc. may be another issue of concern
3) Informal settlement dwellers (being categorised as poor of the poor) may not be able to pay any fee for the service;
4) Reuse (of waste products) emerge as current trend in the sanitation field. Its acceptance should be carefully studied. In South African context, users are reluctant to use anything generated from human waste for cultural or any other reasons. Therefore, potential users of waste products should be identified.
5) Treatment technology for human waste should also consider operation and maintenance, skills of operators and related cost.

I still believe that what you are working is useful but should think carefully by looking at number of issues raised by colleagues in this forum. I would like to share our personal experience of the MobiSan if requested.

Regards

Christophe Muanda

Re: re.source: Mobile Sanitation Services for Dense Urban Slums - by: Ekane

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 09:20:01 +0000

Dear Kory,

It is good that you are addressing comfort, cleanliness and convenience which are universal aspirations. Thanks for the links to twitter and Facebook. I will follow the updates. Looking forward to reading the publication when it is out.

Best wishes,

Nelson

Re: re.source: Mobile Sanitation Services for Dense Urban Slums - by: kcrussel

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 20:43:36 +0000

Dear Nelson,

At present, the demand we have met is far greater than the scale can meet. Our research includes an effort to quantify that demand and enable a bottom-up market analysis, however that information is not ready for publication. We have found in Haitian cities that clean, effective toilets are a highly aspirational amenity to have. Our entire user experience is designed to cater to that desire. Time will tell how well we have succeeded, but our initial results are promising.

SOIL is committed to making sure there is a solid base and sustainable plan for the service before any scale-up is attempted. This is and will continue to be an evolving effort with community-based organizations and local entrepreneurs. It is important to remember that this service is still in its initial stages of development and many aspects are constantly being adjusted. However, as new information becomes available we will be sharing it, so I would recommend that you follow both re.source (@resource_ful) and SOIL (@SOILHaiti) on twitter and on facebook.

Thanks so much
Kory

Re: re.source: Mobile Sanitation Services for Dense Urban Slums - by: Ekane

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 13:37:01 +0000

Thanks for the detailed response Kory! I very much appreciate the way you discuss the issues. It is good that there is exchange between both projects in Port-au-Prince and Cap Haitien and that SOIL operates in both locations.

Following the approach of the project, scaling up services would depend on demand. Certainly, in this context, there are many people who cannot pay or refuse to pay for services such as those SOIL is offering and prefer different options. How large is the present demand for the services and what are the efforts SOIL is making to ensure that the current service delivery levels are maintained before scaling up?

Best regards,
Nelson

Re: re.source: Mobile Sanitation Services for Dense Urban Slums - by: kcrussel

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 20:07:40 +0000

Dear Nelson,
Thanks for your questions. We have been in contact with Andrew and have compared notes with him. His use of billboard tarp is especially innovative, and after discussing it with him we tested it in several models of our toilets. Andrew has been working in Port-au-Prince while we are working in the northern city of Cap Haitien. Our collaborators, SOIL, work in both locations and know Andrew and his work as well.

Are your toilets also made of locally available material?
For the pilot, all toilets were manufactured by local carpenters using locally-sourced wood, formica, waterproof tarp, and off-the-shelf containers. In the future, we aim to mass-produce the toilets out of plastic, thereby reducing manufacturing time and costs while improving durability and consistency. In this manner, we expect to produce a better toilet for a 1/3 the cost, improving the appeal of the toilet and minimizing costs for users.

Since your toilet is portable and i guess not heavy, what are the specific design considerations that makes this possible?
The toilet is rather lightweight, people carried them home on their heads. This is a result of our efforts to make the toilet as compact as possible, to fit in the tight spaces in homes. People in dense urban slums are often living in small one-room homes with tight corridors that are sometimes less than shoulder width. Our goal was to produce a toilet that is only slightly larger than the collection containers it holds. In many ways we imitate the look and size of a flush toilet. We learned from our very first interviews and conversations in the community that the aesthetics and ergonomics of flush toilets are highly appealing and aspirational, so we seek to emulate that experience with different materials and service.

Please share pictures of the toilet.
Pictures of the toilet and process can be seen at our website (www.resourcesantiation.com) and on facebook (www.facebook.com/resource1111)

How much is the monthly subscription fee? How often is human waste collected from households?
The monthly fee is currently set to equivalent of $5 USD per household per month, which includes the toilet, and twice-a-week collection of wastes and delivery of fresh cover material. However, as this is a service that needs to remain viable that price could change as the market changes. SOIL continues to work with local entrepreneurs to foster a sustainable long-term service. Part of our research is to produce an extensive analysis of the cost drivers of such a service and produce tools that make start-up analysis and appropriate pricing feasible in other locations.

What is the level of acceptance of this subscription-based service approach?
People understand that there cannot be a service without a fee. Several of our customers in the pilot specifically advocate for the fees because they see fees as a way to ensure the continuity of the service. That said, people will also want the lowest fee possible. From our experience and talking with others, specifically Ghanasan and X-Runner, we feel that a price in the range of $5-15 USD per month will be accepted. However, as with any market, attaining a 100% of households is not likely. There will be people who simply cannot afford the service, and there may be people who prefer alternative sanitation solutions. Our goal is to establish a viable, cost-recovering service that serves the vast majority of slum residents, and then to continuously seek innovative ways to expand access to our service.

What are the factors influencing acceptance?
In the dense urban slum we have worked in, where there are no options other than public toilets, open defecation, and “flying toilets", we have found that household-level sanitation is not only accepted but highly desired. Marion W. Jenkins and Sandy Cairncross published a very interesting article in the Journal of Water and Health about the drivers of demand for sanitation entitled “Modeling latrine diffusion in Benin: towards a community typology of demand for improved sanitation in developing countries.” Our experience in Haiti and other locations matches their observations.

The fact that the toilet is a urine-diverting dry toilet does take education. SOIL has well-established and long-tested programs to provide this education, and we know our friends at X-runner place similar emphasis on user outreach and education. We view these programs as a critical success factor for an effort like ours. A benefit of twice-weekly collection is that you have numerous interactions with your users in which you can provide additional outreach at minimal extra cost. That said, our toilet and service were very well accepted and we feel this is in part because we designed the toilet to appeal to our users aspirations rather than making something that was just better than the current situation.
The randomized control trial that was an integral part of this pilot should allow us to answer many of these questions in much greater detail in the future.

How is human waste transported to processing site(s)?
Human waste is sealed in a collection container and retrieved by a door-to-door collector. The collector uses a cart to transport the containers out to the edge of the community where there is vehicle access. The containers are loaded onto a truck and transported to the waste processing facility outside the city. Some of our blog posts on our website, resourcesanitation.com, show different elements of this collection process.

What composting methods are used?
Waste undergoes thermophilic composting by SOIL with sugarcane bagasse as a bulking material. The compost piles reach temperatures above 130 degrees Fahrenheit. For more information on the specifics of composting I would recommend you visit SOIL’s website (www.oursoil.org).

How is the composted human waste used? Does subscription imply that households get to receive the composted material?
Subscription does not imply that households will receive composted materials. Currently, SOIL has programs to use finished compost for projects within the community and has an extensive education program concerning the benefits of compost. Finished compost is being used for a number of agricultural studies as well as being sold to interested buyers. SOIL's website (www.oursoil.org) and staff can provide more detail.

When did the project start and when is the expected to end?
We specifically began working in Haiti in late 2011 however SOIL has been working in Cap Haitien since 2006. The pilot phase of this project began in October 2012 and ran through February 2013. The intensive research phase has been completed, but the service is ongoing and efforts are being made to take the service to scale.

All the best
Kory

Re: re.source: Mobile Sanitation Services for Dense Urban Slums - by: Ekane

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 15:23:17 +0000

Dear Kory,

Thanks for introducing your project to the Forum. The subscription based approach is very interesting since it is driven by demand. I am glad that the discussion kicked off already while we were still on holidays here in Sweden.

Your project is yet another urban sanitation project in Haiti being discussed on the Forum. The other project (User-interface category) is implemented by Andrew Larsen of Fontes Foundation. You can share experiences on waste transport and waste processing with Andrew. The discussion is available at: forum.susana.org/forum/categories/106-us...serve-areas-in-haiti

In Andrew's project, they use local lumber using reused vinyl billboard fabric as construction material for the toilet. Are your toilets also made of locally available material? Since your toilet is portable and i guess not heavy, what are the specific design considerations that makes this possible? Please share pictures of the toilet. How much is the monthly subscription fee? What is the level of acceptance of this subscription based service approach? What are the factors influencing acceptance? How often is human waste collected from households? How is human waste transported to processing site(s)? What composting methods are used? How is the composted human waste used? Does subscription imply that households get to receive the composted material? When did the project start and when is the expected to end?

Best regards,

Nelson

Re: re.source: Mobile Sanitation Services for Dense Urban Slums - by: kcrussel

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 02:04:47 +0000

Dear Mr Mughal

There are ongoing hygiene promotion and education programs in the community. Likewise everyone who was using one of the toilets was trained on how to use them hygienically and to wash hands after each and every use. One of the advantages of a collection service is that the collectors can give feedback to user on a regular basis, which could ultimately be a good way to improve hygiene education programs and sustain behavior change.

I appreciate your interest in my dissertation and assure you that I will send you information when it is ready.
Thanks again.

All the Best,
Kory

Re: re.source: Mobile Sanitation Services for Dense Urban Slums - by: kcrussel

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 02:02:24 +0000

Dear Christian

Our efforts do indeed have common themes with MoSan and Ghanasan. We have been in contact with both projects and we think there is a lot to be learned from comparing notes. A special shout out to both Andy Narracott at WSUP and Mona Mijthab at GIZ. I would also recommend you check out the great work X-Runner is doing in Peru (www.xrunner-venture.com/).

We are currently sifting through all the data collected during our research on our pilot. We hope to have a few publications ready in the near future that will give more complete information.

The toilets and service were received very positively. However, just because people like it does not necessarily ensure that it is a good idea, which is why we are being very careful to do rigorous research and evaluation of our toilet and service before scaling it up.

All the best,
Kory