Cartage
Human-powered and Motorised Emptying and Transport
Beat Stauffer, international seecon gmbh
Cartage: Human-powered and Motorised Emptying and Transport
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Cartage: Human-powered and Motorised Emptying and Transport
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Contents
1. Concept
2. How it can Optimise SSWM
3. Human Powered Emptying and Transport
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Design Principles
Health Aspects, O&M and Costs
Applicability
Pros and Cons
4. Motorised Emptying and Transport
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Design Principles
Costs
Operation and Maintenance
Health Aspects
Applicability
Pros and Cons
5. References
Cartage: Human-powered and Motorised Emptying and Transport
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1. Concept
What is Emptying?
There is not always a sewer system installed, so what happens with
faecal sludge from pit latrines or septic tanks??
Cartage: Human-powered and Motorised Emptying and Transport
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1. Concept
What is Emptying?
It is emptied manually or motorised. Later, faecal sludge must be
discharged and treated correctly.
Proper discharge, e.g.
Transfer station, sewer
station or into a sludge
treatment facility.
Source: EAWAG/SANDEC (2008)
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2. How it can optimise SSWM
Close the Nutrient Cycle and Assure Human Health
It protects the labours, prevents overflowing and spreading of pathogens
and enables reusing sludge as a nutrient source after it is treated.
Source: SuSanA on Flickr (2010)
Cartage: Human-powered and Motorised Emptying and Transport
Source: SuSanA on Flickr (2011)
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2. How it can optimise SSWM
Close the Nutrient Cycle and Assure Human Health
Faecal sludge
does not have to
be touched
Source: HUMBOLDT EDU (2008)
It protects the labours, prevents overflowing and spreading of pathogens
and enables reusing sludge as a nutrient source after it is treated.
Direct use as a soil amendment
for food production
Discharged and treated, e.g.
in a drying bed.
Source: ERIKSEN-HAMEL & DANSO (2008)
Source: IaW (2007)
Food consumption
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3. Human Powered Emptying and Transport
Design Principles
Source: EUTROPHICATION
& HYPOXIA on Flickr (2010)
Human powered emptying can be done via
three main ways:
Source: IaW (2007)
1. Using a bucket and shovels.
1. Using a special designed hand pump (e.g.
poo pump or gulper).
1. Using a portable, manually operated
pump (MAPET)
Source: EAWAG/SANDEC (2008)
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3. Human Powered Emptying and Transport
Design Principles – Bucket and Shovel
Try to avoid it if it is possible,
because there are many risks:
•
•
•
Risk of collapsing pits
Toxic fumes
Direct contact with untreated
sludge
High risk of diseases and
contamination of the environment!
Cartage: Human-powered and Motorised Emptying and Transport
Emptying of a wastewater pit.
Source: EAWAG/SANDEC (2008)
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3. Human Powered Emptying and Transport
Design Principles – Pee Poo and Gulper (TILLEY et al. 2008)
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•
•
•
Effective solution to empty pits, septic tanks, etc.
Similar to a water pump; the handle is pumped, the liquid sludge
rises up through the bottom of the pump and is forced out of a tap
(sludge spout).
Can easily be made out of local material (steel rods, PVC-pipes)
Removed sludge can be pumped into barrels, bags or carts.
The worker push and pulls the
handle and the sludge is pumped
out of the pit. From left to right:
valve, protection strainer,
labours at work. Source: IaW (2007)
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3. Human Powered Emptying and Transport
Design Principles – Manual Pit Emptying Technology (MAPET)
(TILLEY et al. 2008;
EAWAG/SANDEC 2008)
A hand pump connected to a wheeled vacuum tank (three-man team).
The hand pump sucks out air of the tank -> sludge is sucked out of the
pit.
Sludge viscosity may be improved if it is diluted with water.
The MAPET is able to reach a depth of 3 metres.
MAPET equipment in Congo
consisting of a hand-pump
connected to a vacuum tank
mounted on a pushcart. Source:
EAWAG/SANDEC (2008)
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3. Human Powered Emptying and Transport
Health Aspects, O&M and Costs
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•
•
•
•
Don’t forget: you work with fresh,
untreated excreta
Even if less hazardous systems are
emptied (UDDT, compost toilet, compost
filters, etc.), protective equipment should
be worn: working gloves, mask, protection
goggles
Equipment must be cleaned with soap as
well as hands.
Metallic parts should be oiled regularly.
Capital costs are low and it can be
constructed/repaired locally.
Equipped with a pair of working
gloves and a mask: emptying the
bucket of a UDDT. Source: STAUFFER (2009)
Wearing protective clothes to
clean pump equipment with
soap. Source: OXFAM (n.y)
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3. Human Powered Emptying and Transport
Applicability
•
For areas that are not served by vacuum trucks.
•
Where vacuum- truck emptying is too costly.
•
Where narrow streets and poor roads may limit the ability of a
vacuum truck to access the site.
•
The bucket or shovel method is only appropriate for the emptying
of solid products with relatively low health risk (e.g. Compost
toilet).
Cartage: Human-powered and Motorised Emptying and Transport
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3. Human Powered Emptying and Transport
Pros and Cons
Advantages:
• Potential for local job and income
generation
• Provides service to unsewered
areas/communities
• Can access small streets
• Depends less on homogeneity of
sludge
• Not dependent on large
infrastructure
• Can be built and repaired with
locally available materials
• Low to moderate capital; variable
operating costs depending on
discharge point
Cartage: Human-powered and Motorised Emptying and Transport
Disadvantages:
• Depends on willingness to pay for
regular removal of excreta
• The distance to a suitable sludge
discharge point is a limiting
factor
• Only appropriate for small haul
distances and small volumes
• Spills may happen
• Time consuming
• Solid waste etc. may be mixed to
the sludge
• MAPET requires some specialised
repair (welding) and has
relatively high capital and O&M
costs compared to gulpers
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4. Motorised Emptying and Transport
Design Principles (BRIKKE & BREDERO 2003; TILLEY et al. 2008)
•
•
•
•
All vacuum tanker systems use a pump, a tank and a suction hose.
Compacted sludge needs to be broken up before it is pumped out
Some tankers are equipped with high powered (an air stream in the
hose acts as a transport medium for the sludge -> air drag.
technique).
Tanks are emptied by tipping or pressure discharge.
Schematic draft of a vacuum
tank which is emptying a septic
tank. Source: TILLEY et al. (2008)
Cartage: Human-powered and Motorised Emptying and Transport
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4. Motorised Emptying and Transport
Design Principles – Vacuum Truck
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•
•
Service and its O&M are
usually organised and
executed by a professional
organisation.
User fees for the service
are usually set officially
(by the government or the
organisation).
Often ineffective
management and
supervision and not enough
tankers -> poor service.
Cartage: Human-powered and Motorised Emptying and Transport
(BRIKKE & BREDERO 2003)
Vacuum truck emptying a pit in Bharakpur near
Calcutta. Source: EAWAG/SANDEC (2008)
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4. Motorised Emptying and Transport
Design Principles – Vacutuc (UN-HABITAT n.y.; TILLEY et al. 2008)
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•
•
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A small-scaled motorised alternative to trucks.
Designed for areas where big trucks can not enter.
0.5 m3 steel vacuum tank, vacuum pump, gasoline engine.
The vehicle has a speed of 5 km/h (level ground)
Emptied by gravity or pressure
Vacutug mini-tanker
manufactured in
Bangladesh. Source:
EAWAG/SANDEC (2008)
Cartage: Human-powered and Motorised Emptying and Transport
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4. Motorised Emptying and Transport
Design Principles – Small and Large Equipment (STRAUSS et al. 2002)
•
•
•
A large collection tank is placed outside of a community.
Empty latrines, septic tanks, etc. with a mini-tuc.
Nearly 100 % of the houses can be covered, mini-tuc empties slidge
into the collection tank which is transported by a truck.
Mini vacuum tug (350 L) for narrow lanes, used together with a intermediate storage tank
placed in the nearest accessible road. Source: STRAUSS et al. (2002)
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4. Motorised Emptying and Transport
Cost (BRIKKE & BREDERO 2003; TILLEY et al. 2008)
•
•
•
Trucks are expensive: capital costs, maintenance and spare parts
(e.g. tires).
New trucks are hardly affordable, but old trucks can be equipped
with tanks and vacuum pumps.
Vacutuc or mini-tucs are more economical.
Operation and Maintenance
•
•
•
Daily checks: pump (mechanical parts, oil, engine), truck (fuel,
engine), are all necessary materials complete, etc.
Daily after work: drain the sludge and oil separators.
Weekly checks: Truck (tires, oil, lights), tank valves gaskets, leaks
in the hydraulic system
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4. Motorised Emptying and Transport
Health Aspects (TILLEY et al. 2008; KONE et al. 2007)
•
•
•
•
Reduces risk of latrine, septic tank, etc. overflowing
It is less hazardous for workers because they do not have to touch
the sludge.
It is important that sludge is dumped correctly to avoid a
contamination.
One vacuum truck dumping sludge indiscriminately is equivalent to
the open defecation of 5000 people.
Tank truck dumps raw
sewage sludge in Haiti.
Source: SOIL (2010)
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4. Motorised Emptying and Transport
Applicability
•
•
Vacuum Trucks: Urban and or peri-urban areas with roads (trucks)
or reasonable access (mini tankers)
Vacutugs and mini-tug: unplanned peri-urban areas and narrow
refugee camps.
Cartage: Human-powered and Motorised Emptying and Transport
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4. Motorised Emptying and Transport
Pros and Cons
Advantages:
• Fast, and generally efficient
• Potential for local job
creation and income
generation
• Provides essential service to
unsewered areas
• Smaller health risks than
with human-powered
systems
Cartage: Human-powered and Motorised Emptying and Transport
Disadvantages:
• Cannot pump thick dried sludge
(must be manually removed or
thinned with water)
• Garbage in pits may block hose
• Very costs
• Pumps can usually only suck down to
a depth of 2 to 3 m and the pump
must be located within 30 m of the
pit
• May have difficulties with access in
small streets
• Improper discharge of the collected
sludge could generate public health
and environmental problems
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8. References
BRIKKE, F.; BREDERO, M. (2003): Linking Technology Choice with Operation and Maintenance in the context of
community water supply and sanitation. A reference Document for Planners and Project Staff. Geneva: World Health
Organization and IRC Water and Sanitation Centre. URL:
http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/hygiene/om/wsh9241562153/en/ [Accessed: 30.03.2010].
EAWAG (Editor); SANDEC (Editor) (2008): Fecal Sludge Management. Presentation. Duebendorf: Swiss Federal Institute
of Aquatic Science (EAWAG), Department of Water and Sanitation in Developing Countries (SANDEC). URL:
http://www.susana.org/images/documents/07-cap-dev/c-training-uni-courses/available-training-courses/sandectool/05_fsm/index_05.htm [Accessed: 18.02.2011]
EAWAG/SANDEC (Editor) (2008): Faecal Sludge Management. Lecture Notes. Duebendorf: Swiss Federal Institute of
Aquatic Science (EAWAG), Department of Water and Sanitation in Developing Countries (SANDEC). URL:
http://www.susana.org/images/documents/07-cap-dev/c-training-uni-courses/available-training-courses/sandectool/05_fsm/index_05.htm [Accessed: 23.05.2012]
ERIKSEN-HAMEL, N.S.; DANSO, G. (2008): Urban Compost: A Socio-economic and Agronomic Evaluation in Kumasi,
Ghana. In: REDWOOD, M. (Editor) (2008): Agriculture in Urban Planning: Generating Livelihoods and Food Security. URL:
http://www.idrc.ca/EN/Resources/Publications/Pages/default.aspx [Accessed: 23.06.2010].
HUMBOLDT EDU (Editor) (2008): Arcata's Wastewater Treatment Plant & The Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary.
Arcata: Environmental Resources Engineering, Humboldt State University. URL:
http://humboldt.edu/arcatamarsh/compost.html [Accessed: 22.05.2012]
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8. References
IaW (Editor) (2010): The Gulper – a manual latrine/drain pit pump. Phnom Penh/Casteren: Ideas at Work (IaW). URL:
http://www.ideas-at-work.org/pdf/Gulper_pit_emptying_device.pdf [Accessed: 13.12.2010]
OXFAM (Editor) (n.y.): Manual Desludging Hand Pump (MDHP). Various places: Oxfam International. URL:
http://desludging.org/1.%20Manual%20of%20MDHP/MDHP_manual_English_Version.pdf [Accessed: 09.12.2010].
SOIL (Editor) (2010): Sanitation Efforts Target Sea of Sewage in Haiti. AOL News. Sherburne: Sustainable Organic
Integrated Livelihoods (SOIL). URL: http://www.oursoil.org/aol-news-sanitation-efforts-target-sea-of-sewage-in-haiti/
[Accessed: 23.05.2012]
STRAUSS, M.; MONTANGERO, A. (2002): FS Management – Review of Practices, Problems and Initiatives. London and
Duebendorf: DFID Project R8056, Capacity Building for Effective Decentralised Wastewater Management, Swiss Federal
Institute of Aquatic Science (EAWAG), Department of Water and Sanitation in Developing Countries (SANDEC). URL:
http://www.eawag.ch/forschung/sandec/publikationen/ewm/dl/FS_management_GHK.pdf [Accessed: 19.04.2010].
TILLEY, E.; LUETHY, C.; MOREL, A.; ZURBRUEGG, C.; SCHERTENLEIB, R. (2008): Compendium of Sanitation Systems and
Technologies. Duebendorf and Geneva: Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (EAWAG). URL:
http://www.eawag.ch/forschung/sandec/publikationen/index [Accessed: 15.02.2010].
UN-HABITAT (Editor) (n.y.): Sanitation – Vacutug. URL: http://www.un-habitat.org/categories.asp?catid=548 [Accessed:
04.01.2011]
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Water Management & Agriculture”
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