Lic. Phil. Michael Kropac, seecon international (Switzerland)
& Ecosan Services Foundation, Pune

The Problem: No Sanitation…


The Problem: Pit Latrines, Soak Pits…
On-site wastewater disposal systems: groundwater contamination possible (infiltration of wastewater)
Source: (4)

The Problem: Conventional Waterborne Sanitation…
…are “flush and forget” sanitation solutions, where human wastes are flushed away with huge amounts of scarce freshwater, polluting rivers and the drinking water of people living further downstream.

Limitations of Conventional Sanitation
• Unsatisfactory purification or uncontrolled discharge of more than 90 % of wastewater worldwide
• Severe water pollution , unbearable health risks
• Consumption of precious water for transport of waste
• High investment, energy, operating and maintenance costs
• Frequent neglect of poorer settlements
• Loss of valuable nutrients for agriculture
• Linear end-of-pipe technology
Source: GTZ (9)

Eco logical San itation (ecosan) systems aim to:
 Reduce the health risk related to sanitation, contaminated water and waste
 Improve the quality of surface and groundwater
 Improve soil fertility
 Optimise the management of nutrients and water resources
FOOD FOOD
NUTRIENTS closing the loop between sanitation and agriculture
NUTRIENTS
Pathogen destruction

Separation of flow streams: substances urine
(yellowwater) faeces
(brownwater)
Greywater
(showers, washing, etc.) rainwater treatment hygienisation by storage or drying anaerobic digestion, drying, composting, mixing with organic solid waste constructed wetlands, gardening, wastewater ponds, biol.
treatment, membranetechnology filtration, biol. treatment utilisation liquid or dry fertiliser biogas, soil improvement irrigation, groundwater recharge or direct reuse water supply, groundwater recharge

Ecosan Examples: Raika Primary School, Gujarat

Ecosan Examples: Raika Primary School, Gujarat
There are three holes: One for the faeces, one for urine and one for washing water. The faeces hole and the urine hole are covered to prevent flies from entering.

Ecosan Examples: Raika Primary School, Gujarat
An improved Ecosan three hole Indian squatting platform made out of ceramic can now purchased at Shital Ceramics,
Ahmedabad (Gujarat).
Anal washing water
Faeces
Urine

Ecosan Examples: Raika Primary School, Gujarat
Sawdust, or even better ash is used and put into the excreta hole after defecation to dry the faecal matter.

Ecosan Examples: Raika Primary School, Gujarat
Sawdust, or even better ash is used and put into the excreta hole after defecation to dry the faecal matter.

Ecosan Examples: Raika Primary School, Gujarat
There are no water taps to reduce water consumption, as the school does not have piped water. All water has to be brought in by tanker, which is very costly.

Ecosan Examples: Raika Primary School, Gujarat
One toilet is in use, while the other is used for taking baths.
The holes are covered so water does not percolate to the faecal matter.

Ecosan Examples: Raika Primary School, Gujarat
Like that, the faecal matter has time to dry completely.
During this process, most pathogens die.
The faecal matter should be left untouched for at least 6 months.

Ecosan Examples: Raika Primary School, Gujarat
After six months, the dried product can be used as a soil conditioner.
Certain precautionary measures have to be taken during the application though.

Ecosan Examples: Raika Primary School, Gujarat
The urine from the toilets
(urine hole) and the men’s urinals is collected and stored for hygienisation.

Ecosan Examples: Raika Primary School, Gujarat
Greywater from the bathrooms, washbasins and laundry place are collected, filtered through a vertical flow filter and collected in a tank.
Vertical Flow Filter
School Garden Collection Tank

Ecosan Examples: Raika Primary School, Gujarat
Only greywater is used to water the garden as freshwater is too expensive. Urine is added to the greywater as a fertiliser to enhance plant growth.

Ecosan Examples: Raika Primary School, Gujarat
Through proper training, the students have become Ecosan experts and constructed a model of their toilet.

Ecosan Examples: Raika Primary School, Gujarat
With this model, showing the exact stream flows of their toilet, the students even won the first prize in the Ahmedabad
School Science Fair.

Ecosan Examples: Raika Primary School, Gujarat
Urine Diversion Dehydration Toilets (UDD) systems as shown in this example are just one of many possible Ecosan technologies ranging from low cost sanitation solutions to high tech Ecosan systems using vacuum sewerage and membrane filter technology.

Ecosan Examples: ACTS Public Eco-Toilet, Bangalore
 Public Toilet in Slum Area, Urine Diverting
Toilets + Treatment Off-site

Ecosan Examples: ACTS Public Eco-Toilet, Bangalore
 Public Toilet in Slum Area, Urine Diverting
Toilets + Treatment Off-site

Ecosan Examples: ACTS Public Eco-Toilet, Bangalore
Closing the loop: greywater to municipal sewer transport of urine
& brownwater using a vacuum suction truck eco-friendly public toilet baskets from banana leaves urine storage biogas plant local women banana plantation biogas for cooking compost sludge drying

Ecosan High-Tech Solutions: Flintenbreite, Germany
 Vacuum sewerage, anaerobic biogas system, constructed wetland for greywater

Ecosan Training Course at NRTC, Nashik
Ecosan Services Foundation, “Vishwa Chandra”, 1002/42 Rajenda Nagar
Pune – 411030, Maharashtra, INDIA
Tel/Fax: 0091 (0)20 64 000 736,
Mobile: 0091(0)98 230 111 06 or 0091(0)98 925 756 88
Email: ecosanindia@gmail.com