Dear Muchi,

I did my PhD on sustainability assessment of sanitation systems (see also here on the forum: forum.susana.org/forum/categories/54-wg-...ning-tool-susta#9433). For this purpose, I designed a set of indicators to evaluate several technology options, particularly for developing countries. The evaluation is conducted quantitatively and qualitatively, with several dimensions (technical performance, economic, social and environment). The common problem with developing countries is more or less the data availability. Therefore I tried to wrap up several indicators which I think crucial and (should be) operable for regions with lack of data.

You can download the dissertation at:
e-pub.uni-weimar.de/opus4/frontdoor/index/index/docId/2222

If you have questions, please don't hesitate to contact me. I would like to learn as well, whether the set of indicators I proposed appropriate for your case.

Regards,
Tanti

Dear SKATAOL

Thank you so much for this information. It will really make an impact on my studies

regards
Muchie

Dear Muchie
I want to support Arno's view on having a more holistic look if you want to assess the sustainability of a sanitation system such as VIP. The Technology Applicability Framework (TAF) provides you with a tested tool which includes not only technical but also the "other" sustainability related indicators, including those relevant for the scaling up of a technology. You find relevant documents incl. case studies of TAF application on VIP toilets on www.washtechnologies.net. Recently the TAF was used to improve the technical performance of the Biofil toilet in Ghana. In Ghana TREND and KNUST (Dr. Kwabena Nyarko or Dr. Richard Buamah) were involved in the technical part of the TAF work in Ghana. Maybe you can find more data there. Best regards and success André

Muchie
Would be helpful to know at what organisation you are doing this work. From your profile I can see you are in Harare? If you are there I encourage you to contact the world's most accomplished expert on VIPs and dry toilets, Dr. Peter Morgan. It will be useful to read some of the many relevant reports on www.ecosanres.org and www.susana.org. For sustainability indicators you need to go beyond just engineering but to social and cultural parameters too, such as affordability and acceptability. And then there is the systems component of what happens with the contents of the toilet, containment, transport, treatment, reuse, etc.

Best wishes.

Hello Everyone

My research focus is on evaluating sustainability performance of sanitation systems in Zimbabwe. While research of this nature is usually based on assessing indicators either qualitatively and quantitatively or both, I am having challenges to get quantitative data for systems such as VIP and pit latrines. As someone doing research in an engineering faculty, expectations are that I do physical measurements for the indicators. My question is; is there literature out there on technical and environmental performance of dry sanitation systems. Secondly is it enough to use data based on literature findings only without doing any physical tests of parameters like COD, BOD, N&P. Help will be greatly appreciated