Thanks for sharing this. Could you share a case study or something to have more insights?

That sounds very interesting. Do you have some pictures of the construction of these staircases with simplified sewers in them?
Any issues with too much slope?

Also, what is the plan for dealing with the solids in the household retention tanks? Manual emptying and transport also on these staircases?

I think from a solid waste etc. perspective many of such places would really benefit from simple electric cargo only cable cars.

Edit: see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Container-based_sanitation
But this sounds more like the above described simplified sewers would do.

Grey water from these settlements is let to flow in open drains (constructed). Only waste from Toilet Flows into Septic tanks. The term used here is septic tanks but they are just lined tanks which are not constructed as per standards. Thus big tanks holding waste which is not emptied for almost 10-15 years. The effluent from these tanks also flows out in open drains.

Could you elaborate on container based sanitation systems?

Mwanza city government in Tanzania has taken a lead role to achieve sustainability by managing transition process from slum typical conditions to provision of urban basic services mainly water, sanitation and improved paths by constructing outdoor staircases. Mwanza city is using a multilevel model of governance which shapes processes of co-evolution using visions, transition experiments and cycles of learning and adaptation. The city is the first in Tanzania to implement simplified sewer as innovative sanitation technology which can be adapted and scaled to up and replicated in settlements which have the same topographical settings ( steep hills, characterized by large boulders of granite).

The Mwanza Water and Sanitation (LVWATSAN) integrated project exemplifies how city governments can adapt inclusive and sustainable incremental urban development planning strategy. The idea of improving sanitation service provision infrastructure and facilities by means of increasing access to basic sanitation is fundamental to showcase how basic service provision act as an enabler to provision of other basic services such as mobility and accessibility. Upgrading unplanned settlements in Mwanza exemplifies that there is a greater potential for achieving equitable access to sanitation in cities through interventions that explicitly aim to promote access to basic services.

Technology Interventions:
The city introduced the first simplified sewerage system (SS) in Tanzania on 30 November 2017 through integrating the design of the system with other forms of existing sewerage system while improving access for pedestrians by constructing outdoor staircases. The city’s simplified sewerage system has helped increase access to basic sanitation at the same time connecting low-income residents amongst themselves and to their city by way of putting accessibility as a priority during construction of SS system. Whereas SS piping route followed existing paths, it meant that access paths became narrower for pedestrians and physically unsafe as the pipes are laid above ground covered with concrete making walking difficult. Therefore, during construction, all paths which had become narrower due to their multi-function as both paths for walking and sewer pipe routes; were improved by building outdoor staircases. In instances where SS pipe routing covered the whole path, alternative paths nearby the houses were upgraded to outdoor staircases to ensure that individual households have easier, safer and wide enough spaces for walking and accessing their houses. Therefore, the project not only increased access to basic sanitation, but at the same time ensured enhanced accessibility and mobility by means of improving access paths and replacing them with outdoor stair cases.

Somewhat difficult to give an opinion on this if we don't know more about the setting and what is acceptable to the users...

But just a a starting point for discussion: convert existing septic systems into basic graywater treatment and switch to container based sanitation for the urine and fecal matter?

The challenging conditions of topography and geology makes it difficult to plan a sustainable onsite sanitation for a dense settlement developed on a hilly terrain. Due to the rocky nature, containment system are not successful nor these can be easily connected to centralized sewer system. What are the suitable options available to convert existing system (Toilets

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>Septic tank/Holding tank----> Effluent flowing in open).