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Hello #WASHTwitter! My colleagues in @wateraid have done great sanitation projects in small towns, and I wanted to learn a bit about that - which is why @MbayeMbeguere and I have come up with a few *short* learning notes.
Summarised below
https://washmatters.wateraid.org/publications/small-town-sanitation
Summarised below
https://washmatters.wateraid.org/publications/small-town-sanitation
(well there is also this blog, which quite frankly isn't that long, but I've heard that some of you like to stay on Twitter...) https://washmatters.wateraid.org/blog/sanitation-in-small-towns-lessons-from-three-successful-projects
OK so most WASH funding goes to urban areas, but most of *that* goes to big cities, and to planned areas in them. Which leaves out informal settlements, secondary cities, and small towns.
And as sanitation is neglected anyway, that's a double neglect whammy.
And as sanitation is neglected anyway, that's a double neglect whammy.
Time for precise definitions:
- Secondary cities: urban areas that aren't the economic capital (Africa) / are <500k residents (South Asia)
- Small towns: urban areas that you haven't heard of, unless you ask someone "Where did you grow up?" followed by "Where is THAT?"
- Secondary cities: urban areas that aren't the economic capital (Africa) / are <500k residents (South Asia)
- Small towns: urban areas that you haven't heard of, unless you ask someone "Where did you grow up?" followed by "Where is THAT?"
Oops I just remembered that most of #WASHTwitter are academics, so scratch that, you need a proper definition to debate: like the Degree of Urbanisation, as on https://blogs.worldbank.org/sustainablecities/how-do-we-define-cities-towns-and-rural-areas
Is this the right way to define cities and towns? You have four hours.
Is this the right way to define cities and towns? You have four hours.
Anyway. 3 great projects:
- 20 towns, Ethiopia with @WaterAidEth, @YorkshireWater and @wateratleeds
- Babati, Tanzania, with @WaterAidTZ, @LSHTM / @SHAREresearch & @NMAIST
- Sakhipur, Bangladesh with @WaterAidBD and BASA NGO
Congrats and thanks to colleagues!
- 20 towns, Ethiopia with @WaterAidEth, @YorkshireWater and @wateratleeds
- Babati, Tanzania, with @WaterAidTZ, @LSHTM / @SHAREresearch & @NMAIST
- Sakhipur, Bangladesh with @WaterAidBD and BASA NGO
Congrats and thanks to colleagues!
Sanitation is hard because the municipality / utility is usually overwhelmed enough and lacks budget for everything, let alone sanitation. "Claim 'n shame" advocacy isn't always helpful. So what works?
Here's a few ideas that worked:
Here's a few ideas that worked:
1. Good tech support
Well, duh.
But actually in the WASH sector we can get lost in frameworks, systems and so on, and we can forget the 4Ps:
Pipes, pits, pumps and people.
(argl, "behaviour" doesn't start with a p, help)
Well, duh.
But actually in the WASH sector we can get lost in frameworks, systems and so on, and we can forget the 4Ps:
Pipes, pits, pumps and people.
(argl, "behaviour" doesn't start with a p, help)
Have I just made the sanmark people sad by using the wrong Ps?
Our frameworks don't impress authorities, but we can help when solving practical problems. Like how to actually deliver WASH.
Good tech support has come from great engineers in-house, and great industry partners. The would-be sanitation heroes (see #2) need this support!
Good tech support has come from great engineers in-house, and great industry partners. The would-be sanitation heroes (see #2) need this support!
2: Identify and create sanitation heroes.
Sometimes the mayor or the utility manager, sometimes a less related civil servant: people who end up caring a lot about sanitation, make room for budgets, etc.
Discover their motivations and what is blocking them. Pinhole advocacy.
Sometimes the mayor or the utility manager, sometimes a less related civil servant: people who end up caring a lot about sanitation, make room for budgets, etc.
Discover their motivations and what is blocking them. Pinhole advocacy.
For instance the mayor of Sakhipur has become a *strong* advocate of FSM, now he has seen the wonders you can do with sanitation. Other mayors come and visit. He likes to talk about his vision for a clean, modern town.
I's a serious boost to the morale to hear that!
I's a serious boost to the morale to hear that!
(a good time to link to this great piece by @LouisaGosling1:
https://washmatters.wateraid.org/blog/making-rights-real-by-supporting-local-government-heroes)
https://washmatters.wateraid.org/blog/making-rights-real-by-supporting-local-government-heroes)
3: Town-wide approach
How?
With SFDs (see 5 below)
With scenario planning: get authorities to look at possibilities to achieve 100% safely managed sanitation, cost them, look at consequences.
By linking solid and liquid waste (often the same muni department)
How?
With SFDs (see 5 below)
With scenario planning: get authorities to look at possibilities to achieve 100% safely managed sanitation, cost them, look at consequences.
By linking solid and liquid waste (often the same muni department)
And... with circular economy!
Which waste products have potential? It may not the trendiest (I'm looking at you, black soldier fly larvae!), but the ones which can sell locally.
Like @aamuyeed was saying, you work through the san chain backwards: demand first, then your system.
Which waste products have potential? It may not the trendiest (I'm looking at you, black soldier fly larvae!), but the ones which can sell locally.
Like @aamuyeed was saying, you work through the san chain backwards: demand first, then your system.
That's how they designed this sweeeeet co-composting plant, a visit of which is fast becoming part of the unofficial WaterAid sanitation induction package. The techies will enjoy more details on https://wedc-knowledge.lboro.ac.uk/resources/conference/40/Al-Muyeed-2684.pdf
4: Good partners.
I know, every report says that. To be more precise: good *support* partners, who will nudge YOU in the right direction. Like bringing a mentor utility in Ethiopia, local researchers in Babati... and the Department for Agricultural Extension in Bangladesh.
I know, every report says that. To be more precise: good *support* partners, who will nudge YOU in the right direction. Like bringing a mentor utility in Ethiopia, local researchers in Babati... and the Department for Agricultural Extension in Bangladesh.
5: Shit-Flow Diagrams!!
Look, they're cheap to do, and great for everything. Baseline. Before/after comparison. Nudging authorities. Starting planning. Scenario planning. They have proven their worth in *all* these projects, and more. Just do an SFD, OK?
Look, they're cheap to do, and great for everything. Baseline. Before/after comparison. Nudging authorities. Starting planning. Scenario planning. They have proven their worth in *all* these projects, and more. Just do an SFD, OK?
That's it! If you enjoy small town sanitation, keep an eye out for @pSEau's guide coming this year, and in the meantime read our learning notes.
