Resources / Identifying Gaps in Emergency Sanitation - Workshop report

Summary

The sanitation solutions deployed in the emergency response are not sufficient or adequate to meet challenges of floods and high water table, unstable soils, urban and crowded areas. The more tailored sanitation solutions which are required are not developed to be available for immediate dispatch in the first phase of the emergency.

 As a response to this gap in available technologies, emergency and sanitation practitioners from different key organizations come together in Stoutenburg, The Netherlands 22-23 Feb 2011 to discuss how to improve gaps in technologies for the immediate phase, understand more about product design process and organize the way forward.

First, the latest experiences from the field were shared as well as tool development for decision support. Then, three key technologies to fill critical gaps in the immediate phase were identified: 1) raised latrines (when digging down is not an option), 2) improved desludging options, and 3) a sludge disposal and treatment kit. For each of these, specific product requirements for a designer brief were discussed.

 The  workshop was organized by Oxfam GB and WASTE.

Presentations and video interviews made during the workshop are available here: www.susana.org/lang-en/working-groups/wg08/presentations-wg-08