Dear Chris,

Sorry for this late reaction, but you may have noticed from the discussion posts that the focus was more on management systems and processes rather than technical systems. If we follow IRC's ‘whole-system approach’, technology analysis/selection would be incorporated as a part of city sanitaton planning in phase 1 of process towards a whole system change (fig. 4 in the IRC paper "Towards systemic change in urban sanitation" - www.ircwash.org/resources/towards-system...nge-urban-sanitation).

Hi,

Does this discussion include an analysis of technical aspects of making urban sanitation more sustainable?

I would suggest that some of the big challenges on this front would include:
--Adaptation of UDDTs to multi-storey apartment buildings in an economical and acceptable way;
--Closed-loop recycling of blackwater back to the same toilets after treatment;
--Use in urban agriculture of the fertilizers that are generated (esp. urine).

Or will these subjects have to wait for another thematic discussion?

Best wishes,
Chris Canaday

Very pertinent theme, especially in the context of India.
Had written a short article on this:
sustainabilitynext.in/toilet-special/thi...nd-building-toilets/

We are working on a sanitation tool, that advocates – 1) Think Systems 2) think options

The tool at this stage is a proof-of-concept but soon will be a functional tool.
The link to the current tool :
darpan.cstep.in:9000/all_screens

(edit by moderator: for more information, see also here on the forum:
forum.susana.org/forum/categories/194-ci...p-in-bangalore-india)


The challenge that we are facing is data/information of performance of sanitation systems, especially specific to India.
Open to suggestions and input on this.

Thanks
Sujaya

This discussion is the third in a series of events on urban sanitation co-hosted by IRC. The first in the series was the thematic discussion “ Urban Sanitation Finance - From Macro to Micro Level ” in June, followed by a Round Table Discussion on Urban Sanitation in line with ULCTS in July and the IRC Event “Working towards sustainable urban sanitation” held in September.

1. Thematic Experts

• Erick Baetings (Senior sanitation expert, IRC)
• Marielle Snel (Senior expert, IRC)
• Cor Dietvorst (Programme officer, IRC)

2. Content

The overall theme of this thematic discussion is how to move towards more sustainable urban sanitation. The idea is to initiate a discussion from the perspective of the whole sanitation chain and also the role (or lack of role) which local government has as leaders for change in sanitation. The discussion would focus on case study examples which have worked but also those that have not worked and how these could have been improved given the chance with a focus on the whole sanitation chain. Guiding questions by the thematic experts will help to structure the discussion throughout this e-debate.

Theme 1: Lack of attention to the whole sanitation chain: Why is there a lack of attention to the whole sanitation chain? Given that sanitation is more than building a toilet and includes changed hygienic behaviours, maintenance, emptying, treatment and disposal or reuse of accumulated faecal matter, why are so many programmes and project still only looking at one possible two sides of this multi-sided chain? (Erick Baetings & Marielle Snel)

Theme 2: Lack of leadership for change around sanitation: Sanitation improvements are not the sole responsibility of one entity but is shared between households, private service providers (latrine builders, emptying companies) and/or various line ministries (Min. of Health, Education, Infrastructure, Environment). How can we create a sanitation sector that is more coordinated and aligned with the many players as well providing a supportive and regulatory function? The latter is typically the responsibility of national and local governments. However, in many countries, either there is not a unique institution with the overall responsibility for sanitation, or this designated institution is weak and is not able to lead the sector towards change. Is there a means of creating more substantive governmental leadership in this area for better coordination and harmonisation in the sanitation sector? (Marielle Snel and Cor Dietvorst)

3. Timeframe

Tentative timetable for a thematic discussion around moving towards sustainable urban sanitation:

Theme I: October 13-19: Lack of attention to the whole sanitation chain
with Erick Baetings & Marielle Snel

Theme II: October 20-23: Lack of leadership for change around sanitation
with Marielle Snel & Cor Dietvorst

4. Background Readings

Theme I: Why is there a lack of attention to the whole sanitation chain?

• Towards systemic change in sanitation, Erick Baetings, et al. (2014) IRC www.ircwash.org/resources/towards-system...nge-urban-sanitation
• Local governance for basic urban services : country cases from Burkina Faso, Egypt and Sri Lanka 2003 – 2007, Blankwaardt, B., Casella, D., Smet, J., Snel, M. (2008) www.ircwash.org/resources/local-governan...t-and-sri-lanka-2003

Theme II: Why is there a lack of leadership for change around sanitation?

1. Background information & statistics reflecting the lack of leadership for change around sanitation:

• UNICEF: uni.cf/1TP1tVM
• JMP: www.wssinfo.org/
• WHO: www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/monitoring/en/

2. Blog: Facing the sanitation challenges together: Snel, M. 2015. www.ircwash.org/blog/let%E2%80%99s-face-...-challenges-together

3. Sanitation in India- The final frontier. The economist. July, 2014. www.economist.com/news/asia/21607837-fix...tories-also-changing