NGO Forum has extensively worked on ensuring the adequate and hygienic sanitation services to prevent communicable diseases and epidemics while ensuring good health and dignity. Even though the rate of latrine users has increased still coverage on Total Sanitation is not up to the mark. The situation in the hard-to-reach areas because of its geophysical realities is fragile in compare to plain land. In this regard, besides promotional activities, NGO Forum has taken initiatives in two ways to improve the sanitation condition, one is distribution of latrines and another is establishment of Village Sanitation Centre (VSCs). The Forum provides different hardware supports to the community people through VSCs and makes availability of latrines, especially low-cost and appropriate sanitary latrines among the target people. NGO Forum promoted the following sanitation technologies to increase the sanitation.
- Pit Latrine: Pit latrines usually consist of a single pit covered by a slab with a drop hole and a superstructure. The slab made of wood (sometimes covered with mud) or reinforced concrete. Concrete made rings are generally used to cover the drop hole walls. The superstructure provides shelter and privacy for the user. Basic improvements include, a hygienic self-draining floor made of smooth, durable material and with raised footrests, a floor raised at least 0.15 m above ground level, to prevent flooding, an adequate foundation, to prevent damage of the slab and superstructure etc.
- Ventilated Improved Pit (VIP) latrines are designed to reduce bad odors and insect proliferation. A VIP latrine differs from a traditional latrine by having a vent pipe that is covered with a fly screen. Wind blowing across the top of the vent pipe creates a flow of air which draws out odors from the pit. As a result, fresh air is drawn into the pit through the drop hole and the superstructure is kept free of smells. Pit latrines have been constructed in all unions under PWASH project.
- Raised pit latrine: The most common solution for excreta disposal in areas of high water table as well as in flood prone areas is to build raised pit latrines. These can be in the form of simple pit latrines or VIP latrines in which the pit is built upwards above ground level using bricks, blocks, stone, concrete rings, corrugated-iron culverts or earth-covered bamboo or wood reinforced mounds. To prevent contamination of groundwater, the bottom of the pit should be sufficiently above the maximum groundwater table.
- Sealed pit: Groundwater contamination can also be prevented if the disposal pit or tank is fully lined and sealed, so that the contents are unable to infiltrate into the surrounding ground. This can be done using locally available materials such as concrete, cement blocks, bricks, plastic tanks and concrete or metal culvert rings. The construction of fully lined pits is expensive and time-consuming, however, is likely to be impractical where family latrines are desired.
- Floating latrines: Floating latrines are useful in flood prone and waterlogged areas and generally usable during flooding. Floating latrines are designed so that feces fall directly into a river or into floodwaters. The base of the latrine superstructure is commonly made from timber/bamboo so that it floats like a raft. A number of large buckets/containers or barrels with squatting slabs of some sort over the top can be set up so people can defecate in them. A safe system of bucket collection and final disposal of excreta is essential to have minimal negative impacts.
- Eco-san latrine: Eco-san (ecological sanitation) latrines are used in areas of shallow groundwater table and water scarcity areas. These normally consist of two chambers and are raised above the ground to facilitate easy emptying. One chamber is used until it is full, at which point it is sealed and the second chamber is used. If the contents of the first are left to stand for 1-2 years the waste will be relatively safe to handle and the pit can be emptied. Chambers must be sized so that each takes 1-2 years to fill in order to allow the contents of the first to decompose while the second is being used. Once both pits are full the first can then be emptied and used again. The concept of eco-san is built on the idea that human excrement is not a waste, but can be a valuable fertilizer if it is properly treated and composted.
