Dear friends of the network very sorry for my silence, we have much material related to our activities, and we will share with you. In English in 2016.
I attached the numbers 1 and 2 of our 2015 REUSSO piblicacion in English.

Greetings to everyone

Raul D. Silveti

Dear Elisabeth,

After going through the documents posted by Raúl I could answer some of your questions:

SNV-NODE Project stads for "Decentralized Sustainable Sanitation NODE Project as a knowledge and Impact Generation of Sustainable Solutions Platform" and do have a relationship with the SEI node.

SEI promote and develop pro-poor sustainable sanitation in the developing world through capacity development and knowledge Management. SNV is hosting the knowledge node of Bolivia with cooperation funds from the Embassy of Sweden using the national sanitation collaboration platform for local, regional, and national government entities, DINESBVI, NGOs, educa-tional institutions, and the private sector.

find more Information in this document: www.ecosanres.org/pdf_files/ESR-factshee...atinAmericaNodes.pdf

The Reusso Magazine (find them in Raul´s post) is the first mensual publication specialized on ecological sanitation in Bolivia (I was not able to find all the publications in English or Spanish). It has a technical and informative character addressed to policy makers and the beneficiaries of the SNV-NODE Project.

Regarding your question about the Technology used for the decentralized wastewater Treatment I found this: Biofilters or Imhoff tanks (primary treatment) are common for the wastewater treatment in rural communities of Cliza: Retama, Ucureña, Huasa-calle, San Isidro y Villa Surumi. But, the treatment plant of Cliza urban area is constituted by an UASB reactor (Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upflow_anaerobic_sludge_blanket_digestion) and a Horizontal Subsurface Flow Constructed Wetland (akvopedia.org/wiki/Horizontal_Subsurface..._Constructed_Wetland). so far These are the technologies they have provided but it can Change according with the conditions of each place.

For the other questions, I suggest to wait for the comments of our SNV colleges.

Regards,
Evelyn (on behalf of the SuSanA secretariat)

SUSTAINABLE SANITATION:
A CLEAR CHOICE FOR BOLIVIAN FAMILIES
[attachment:1]C:\fakepath\09 Sustainable Sanitation a clear choice for Bolivian families (1).docx[/attachment]




María Sol Bagur D’ Andrea
SNV Project Consultant

What is Integral Sustainability Model of Wastewater Treatment Plant for Water Reuse?

The Integral Sustainability Model of Wastewater Treatment Plant for Water Reuse, represents a clear choice to enhance the quality of life for many Bolivian men and women who lack sanitation services in populations under ten thousand inhabitants. The Integral Model of Sustainability has been proposed and developed by the Decentralized Node for Sustainable Sanitation Project, of SNV Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV) over the technological expertise developed in the Municipality of Cliza (Cochabamba) by AGUATUYA. It is aimed to increase the implementation of Wastewater Treatment Plants for water reuse in irrigation; education and training on the efficient use of water resources as well as generate new policies for the efficient use of water facing current impacts of climate phenomenon. This project has been facilitated with cooperation funds from the Embassy of Sweden.

Why Decentralized Sustainable Sanitation represents a clear choice for community development?
Sustainable sanitation focuses on the collection, separation and treatment of wastewater (gray and black) and sludge in nearby places to its generating sources, allowing the located reuse of treated water and, thus, greater proximity and involvement on the part of the population to treated water management.

Decentralized Sustainable Sanitation -as an alternative approach- has the following advantages:

• Lower investment costs, operation and maintenance.
• Greater and faster coverage utreach.
• It has a more holistic view of the water cycle and contributes to Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM).
• Allows establishing closer contact and more direct involvement of target population.
• Its systems facilitate the performance of the role of direct implementation or control to third parties, by the local governments.
• Involves treatment of a smaller range of wastewater volume
• Boosts innovation in environmental technology and economically is more efficient.

Decentralized Wastewater System (DSS) is a clear solution and allows providing basic sanitation to populations where it is not possible to have conventional sewerage systems, at least in short term. So also due to excessive pollution existing for most people by the lack of sanitation, the Decentralized Wastewater System bets the care of the environment.

“The Integral Model of Sustainability has been proposed and developed by the Decentralized Node for Sustainable Sanitation Project, of SNV Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV) over the technological expertise developed in the Municipality of Cliza (Cochabamba)”

What are the components of Integral Model ?

Decentralized Sustainable Sanitation Integral Model focuses on a comprehensive social strategy with elements of Community Development (COMDEV), transversely, accompanying each of the components to be mentioned further, in order to motivate the development of the project and its sustainability.

Generating demand, technology and construction, operations and social management, and reuse of resources as the basis of decentralized sanitation system, constitute the main components of Integral Sustainability Model. It also focuses on aspects related to the closing of the cycle of sanitation and water reuse from a technical-environmental, social, economic and institutional approach.
“Decentralized Wastewater System (DWS) is a clear solution and allows providing basic sanitation to populations where it is not possible to have conventional sewerage systems, at least in short term”

Demand Management

Aimed at promoting the interest of potential service users under appropriate sanitation technologies. Based on the ongoing dialogue between users and suppliers of DSS technology solutions to build good relationships .

Demand Generation is possible through:
• Market exploration on the offer.
• The promotion and dissemination of technology offer.
• Preliminary identification of potentials and interests for the reuse of treated water.
• The expression of demand and consensus. The latter contemplates the definition of the project idea and ownership demand

Technology and Construction

Try to have a system of wastewater treatment including alternative technologies with low investment, operation and maintenance costs, and is consistent with the socio-economic and environmental context of the population. Furthermore, it focuses on the various demands of gender regarding the potential use of treated water.

This component is considered from a project idea, subsequently agreed by the funding sources and technology providers. This component allows:
• Selection and validation of alternative technology.
• The preparation of feasibility studies and completion of the funding source.
• Organization for the execution of the infrastructure works.
• Setting up mechanisms of social control of works and (where appropriate) the mechanisms of transparency in the bidding process and contracting.

Operational and social management

Referring to the governance structure for the management, operation and maintenance of sanitation systems and with reuse treated water. This component involves determining roles and responsibilities of stakeholders and contractual and financial arrangements capable of ensuring sustainability of service.

Within the operational and social management should consider three fundamental aspects:
• Administration management.
• Legal arrangements.
• Economic Finance Sustainability.

Resource reuse

It is concerned to incorporate wastewater to water resources at the local level under the lower risk for products, consumers and media production. The treated wastewater is part of an adaptation measure to climate change through the efficient use of water, even more in those areas of water stress. Finally, the reuse of wastewater is aimed to:
• To meet local water demands.
• Reduce potential risks to health and environment.
• Support sustainable development of productive and service sectors.

muench wrote: What makes El Alto special compared to other towns in Bolovia? Why are there so many UDDTs there but not elsewhere? It is a bit like the "eThekwini" (Durban) of South Africa? Do you have a particularly good municipality there or was it just because for some reason Sweden picked that place to support with this project?

Well Raul can probably answer that better, but having been there just a few months ago I can see why it was chosen. El Alto is basically the part of the capital (La Paz) where the poorer people live. It is located in the upper part at about 4000m and is cold and very dry for most of the year. So good conditions for for UDDTs especially because the water-supply of this high up part of the city is quite a challenge.

Dear Raul,

Thanks for this information. Always good to hear from someone in Bolivia, and glad that you can bridge our language divide (English/Spanish) so well! So thank you!

For those who haven't seen it yet, we have a SuSanA case study from 2012 about the UDDTs and composting in El Alto, La Paz, Bolivia (which Raul mentioned in his post) in English and Spanish here:
www.susana.org/en/resources/case-studies/details/1583

I have a few small questions for you:

(1)
When you speak of dry toilets and ecological sanitation, you are referring to the urine-diverting dry toilets (UDDTs) and reuse, right? Just to be sure.
You mentioned: "More than 6.500 inhabitants were beneficiated with ecological sanitation" in El Alto.

(2)
What makes El Alto special compared to other towns in Bolovia? Why are there so many UDDTs there but not elsewhere? It is a bit like the "eThekwini" (Durban) of South Africa? Do you have a particularly good municipality there or was it just because for some reason Sweden picked that place to support with this project?

(3)
You mentioned decentralized wastewater treatment but didn't say which technology. Is it constructed wetlands?

(4)
What kind of reuse activities are popular in Bolivia for the urine, fecal matter and the treated effluent from the wastewater treatment plants? Which crops do the people grow and how does it fit with the Bolivian legislation? Are the crops just for own consumption or also sold on the markets? If sold, how do the buyers react of they know about the reuse activities?

(5)
You mentioned: "An important document related to Dry Toilets Program in Bolivia was recently presented by the Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation. This document which is now part of the public policy of the country had the active participation of the three implementing partners of the NODE project."
Could you make this document available via the SuSanA library?

(6)
And what are your experiences with Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS)? Could you please comment on that in the other thread where it was said that CLTS was not successful in Bolivia? This is the thread (go to my post on page 2 from 5 May 2015 if the link doesn't take you there exactly):
forum.susana.org/forum/categories/5-clts...it=12&start=12#13206

Thanks a lot,
Elisabeth

Dear Elisabeth

Attached information on SNV-NODO-Bolivia, activities and challenges for the future.

Ecological Sanitation, Sustainable Solutions and Climate Change in Bolivia

Bolivia has one of the biggest challenges in water and sanitation agenda, which is to attenuate the percentage gap, in terms of existing coverage between the two services: water (82%) and sanitation (57%). Besides Bolivian agenda raises the universality of services for 2025. This challenge requires putting a special emphasis on the dissemination of unconventional options that corresponds precisely to the initiative of Decentralized Sustainable Sanitation Node Project. Project has the expertise and service management of the Dutch Development Cooperation (SNV), and is supported financially by the Swedish Embassy
Decentralized NODE Sustainable Sanitation Project, works Ecological Sanitation vision based on a holistic approach rather than a purely technical concept. It contains five components that work simultaneously: Demand Generation, Technology and construction, operational, corporate and social management, reuse of resources and social strategy, this last one is cross-cutting to the other four components.
This requires, promoting environmentally friendly, accessible and participatory technologies, and also generating greater capabilities, for the implementation of decentralized sustainable sanitation systems in different areas of Bolivia. Project interventions have focused on the following areas:

a)Dry Toilets, where it has been developed an approach to service chain whose links consist in Providers, Users, Collection and Transport, Treatment and Production and Marketing of compost.
Each of these links has been developed specifically in a closing cycle vision that promotes sustainability concept both in institutions and beneficiaries.
Dry Toilets are Innovative alternatives facing the lack of improved sanitation and they contribute the compliance with the human right to sanitation.
Dry toilets promote efficient savings in water usage (District 7 El Alto saves 36.748,20 m3 per year)
More than 6.500 inhabitants were beneficiated with ecological sanitation and more than 15000 thousand people is sensitized about the usage of this type of sanitation systems.

b)Decentralized wastewater treatment plants, have developed a proposed management model that identifies three key parameters: system ownership, operation, maintenance and monitoring.
Decentralized Waste Water Treatment Plants face the lack of treatment (78% not treated) focusing reuse and food security.
These plants have several advantages, such as lower investment costs, operation and maintenance (O & M) required with smaller pipe diameters and lower volumes of excavation and movement land for lying. Because of its lower degree of technological sophistication, they require a lower level of technical expertise and less continuity and permanence of staff for O & M systems, lowering costs and reducing tariffs.
This attributes make the approach more accessible to rural areas, small cities and peri urban areas with potential for reuse of treated waste water for different purposes. Also contributes to strengthen and increase sanitation services with a medium- and long-term vision; to seek greener cities and reduce the effects of climate change on populations which by their condition of resources are more vulnerable not only to climatic events, but the aggressiveness of a changing climate.
More than 10,000 people have benefited through the implementation of D-WWTP.

Key Notes about Decentralized Sustainable Sanitation

• Demand generating of technology and construction, operations and social management, and reuse of resources as the basis of decentralized sanitation system are the main components of the Holistic Model of Sustainability.
• DSS promotes human health; it does not generate environmental degradation, makes rational use of water resources and returns nutrients to Earth, through an integral approach that addresses from demand generation, appropriation of technology, operation and maintenance, to the reuse of final products.
• Through management and coordination, Project has had a strong impact on the decisions of local, municipal governments.
• NODE Project is creating new ways of associativity in sustainable management models, those implying public and not public entities participation along the service chai in dry toilets systems, and public and private participation concerning operation and maintenance to Decentralized Waste Water treatment Plants.
• An important document related to Dry Toilets Program in Bolivia was recently presented by the Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation. This document which is now part of the public policy of the country had the active participation of the three implementing partners of the NODE project.
Dry toilets program is planning to implement 320.000 units across the country over the next years. Therefore there is ample scope for the support of international cooperation.

Challenges on Implementation Strategy

- Include in the public agenda non-conventional systems, as an effective option to increase sanitation access and coverage in Bolivia.

- Improve public investment, in order to narrow the differences between urban and rural areas (up to 2008 MM of US $ 399 invested in the urban area and $ 96MM of us in rural areas)

- Reduce inequities in coverage, between departments - some departments with water and sanitation coverage close to 100% (Tarija, Santa Cruz); and other barely reach to 50% (Chuquisaca, Beni, Pando).

- Addressing metropolitan peri-urban areas; La Paz - El Alto; Cochabamba and Santa Cruz, with peri urban deficit in both water and sanitation. poverty belts; vulnerabilities; insecurity. Health problems and environmental pollution.

- Increase the systematization and knowledge - Improving water and sanitation indicators related to aspects of quality and enable effective and safe public policies; including migration, growth and urban planning.

I also attached some of our publications to readers in Spanish.

Raul D Silveti


[attachment:1]C:\fakepath\ESTUDIO DE MERCADO SNV baja.pdf[/attachment]

Dear Raul,

Could you please say a few sentences about these publications (in English or in Spanish)? Please tells us something about the content and who should read these publications and why.

I don't speak Spanish but I had a look at them and they look very nice! I see lots of photos of UDDTs (urine-diverting dry toilets) and reuse activities, also I saw the LaDePa process depicted for fecal sludge processing.

I have moved the thread to this category here on urine diversion because I thought it fits best (although some of the work might fit better into the category on reuse activities).

Also could you please explain to us what SNV-NODE-Bolivia is?
I know SNV is Netherlands Develpment Organisation (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SNV_Netherlands_Development_Organisation) but what is NODE?

Is that the same node that was once supported by SEI and which Madeleine has told us about in the past? (e.g. here: forum.susana.org/forum/categories/34-uri...it=12&start=12#11111)

Regards,
Elisabeth

Publicaciones del SNV-NODO de conocimientos en Saneamiento sostenible en Bolivia.