Ecosan (ecological sanitation) toilets are improving people's lives and the quality of river water in Nepal. An estimated 1,000 Ecosan toilets have been built in the country, mainly in the Kathmandu Valley, and there is increasing demand in other areas.

Ecosan toilets are a dry system toilet that converts human waste into fertiliser at reasonable cost. After pilot projects carried out by the government, demand has been rising across the country. International agencies like UN-HABITAT and UNICEF, and local organisations like the Environment and Public Health Organization (ENPHO) have stepped in to support further expansion.

The residents of Siddhipur, on the outskirts of Kathmandu, suffered water-borne diseases every summer and knocked on the doors of many organisations before getting a response from the Department of Water Supply and Sewerage (DWSS). The DWSS set up a pilot project in the village with the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2002. 'Water-borne diseases are now almost nil in our village,' said Krishna Maharjan, chairperson of the Siddhipur integrated water and sanitation users' organisation.

As human waste formerly ended up in local rivers, the quality of the river water has also improved through the use of Ecosan toilets.

Related news: Understanding technology types of ECOSAN latrines in Nepal, Source, 19 Feb 2008 ; Nepal: political advocacy - WASH coalition urges government to spend more on sanitation and water, Source, 21 Sep 2007

Related web sites: GTZ - ecosan ; EcoSanRes

Contact: ENPHO, Nepal, enpho@mail.com.np , http://www.enpho.org

Source: The Kathmandu Post / NGO Forum, 03 Aug 2008

Tags: ecological sanitation, on-site sanitation, south asia, water quality, water-related diseases