When it comes to conventional wastewater treatment then my first thought is also Metcalf & Eddy, like you have both said already (www.amazon.com.au/Wastewater-Engineering...-ebook/dp/B00I51KMZE). For onsite sanitation, I would also say the EAWAG Compendium (www.susana.org/en/knowledge-hub/resource.../library/details/454) and probably the FSM book by Strande et al (www.susana.org/en/knowledge-hub/resource...library/details/3591)

Personally, I have gone completely paper-free though. I don't have any more hard copies of any books in my office (due to the fact that I have moved houses relatively often in recent years).

Since your original question said "an island without internet" but didn't say "an island without electricity" I would take with me the "Wikipedia internet-in-a-box" which gives you the entire healthcare and sanitation content of Wikipedia on a USB stick (see here: forum.susana.org/198-wikipedia/21796-int...ontent?setGT=0#22853).

Regards,
Elisabeth

Thanks Paresh

that's really interesting - and I guess you work in urban areas! I have a very old copy of Duncan Mara's book too - it's good for the underlying theories behind WWT. Metcalf and Eddy is a good design guide (and keeps you fit if you have to carry it!)

I had to do this exercise for real a few years ago before there were many online resources and I was working in a rural area. Books that I had found good for introduction and teaching were not always the most practical ones to use when faced with digging a hole.

I also find it interesting how some books are much more user friendly than others. Your list of "other books" is interesting as I haven't come across them before - I'll add them to my reading list!

Brian

Dear Brian
That's a very interesting question.

Since, I am the first to respond, can list some of the obvious; Assuming I am not carrying my laptop I'd carry the following books

1. for planning processes
- Guidelines for Community-Led Urban Environmental Sanitation Planning (CLUES) available at www.eawag.ch/en/department/sandec/projects/sesp/clues/
- Sanitation 21: A Planning Framework for Improving City-wide Sanitation Services available at iwa-network.org/publications/sanitation-...sanitation-services/

2. For technology related reference
- Domestic Wastewater Treatment in Developing Countries by Duncan Mara www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9781849771023
- Wastewater Engineering: Treatment and Resource Recovery by Metcalf and Eddy
- Compendium of Sanitation Systems and Technologies available at www.iwa-network.org/wp-content/uploads/2...and-Technologies.pdf
- Faecal Sludge Management: Systems Approach for Implementation and Operation edited by Strande, et al. (2014) available at www.eawag.ch/en/department/sandec/publications/fsm-book/

3. Other books
- Pipe Politics, Contested Waters: Embedded Infrastructures of Millennial Mumbai by Lisa Bjorkman
- Where India Goes: Abandoned Toilets, Stunted Development and the Costs of Caste by Coffey and Spears
- Hydraulic city by Nikhil Anand
- The Politics of Sanitation in India: Cities, Services and the State by Susan Chaplin

There are many more, but these would be my minimum

regards
paresh

I'm just helping an NGO sort out their library - selecting what can go and seeing what needs to be added. I'm wondering what publications WASH professionals have to hand all the time? This is not introductory or training materials, but those standard texts that you refer to again and again. It might be where you go for an authoritative quote or that has a useful checklist. These might be old or new, internal documents or a widely available text.

I doubt there is a "perfect" publication - they may not cover the whole subject or some bits may be a bit out of date, but you work around that.

So here is my question; if you were stranded on a desert island without the Internet, what sanitation books would you want to take with you - assuming you were still going to working on sanitation!

I look forward to hearing some interesting suggestions...


regards

Brian Reed