[Dear Colleagues:

This update includes a link to the 6th International Conference on Fecal Sludge Management and a summary of a survey on fecal sludge management in emergencies. 

Sixth International Faecal Sludge Management Conference, May 31-June 3, 2021  - FSM6 will be held online, and will draw experience from Asia to address the demands and challenges of the sanitation sector, while also highlighting best practice and lessons learned from around the globe. This conference will focus on practical solutions to sustainably manage the whole sanitation service chain, covering the toilet, containment, emptying, transport, treatment and reuse, as an essential component of city-wide urban sanitation services.

From Marij Zwart of the Global WASH Cluster, FSM Working Group,

A Summary of Conclusions from the FSM in Emergencies Gap Survey:

The biggest knowledge gaps are in the ‘design, operations, maintenance and monitoring of FSM systems’ (49%) and in ‘technologies for treatment and disposal’ (28%).

41% of respondents think that ‘the full sanitation chain’ needs priority attention, while 38% thinks this should be ‘treatment and disposal or reuse’.

Current capacity and knowledge sets of WASH experts lack ’technical design and plant operation & monitoring skills, including understanding of innovations, environmental and public health impact’ (50%).

56% of respondents think that current guidelines lack practical guidance on ‘Planning, technologies and full sanitation chain consideration (all of the above)’.

Existing guidelines and tools need ‘more practitioner orientation (Standards, BoQs, Design templates, sketches, monitoring, trouble shooting support)’ (38%) and ‘Sphere standards on FSM’ (18%).

67% of all respondents think that their organization needs particular expertise or expert advice in all mentioned areas ‘strategy development, planning and technology selection, design & construction, Operation & Management, assessment, monitoring, capacity development’.

39% of all respondents think that more comparative research is required on ‘technology selection’ and 33% think that ‘sludge treatment, desludging and transportation technologies (to understand design and operations)’ need more applied research.

74% think that ‘protracted dense refugee contexts and/or urban refugee context often with limited space available’ are the most challenging and need particular attention.

86% think that a one-stop shop knowledge platform, linking to existing online WASH libraries and tools, facilitating access to guidelines and tools specifically useful for emergency FSM, would be (very) helpful.[/font][/*][/list]