THE Global Dry Toilet Association of Finland has pumped K300 million in Lusaka’s Madimba area in Matero to build over 60 dry toilets. The project is aimed at improving the poor sanitation in the area and increase the use of toilet waste as fertiliser.It also targets to educate the people on hygiene issues.
Solid waste/ sanitary specialist Danny Choba said the principle of dry toilets is to conserve water and promote the use of ground water. A dry toilet does not need water to function. They are simple pit latrines or ventilated improved pit latrines that can be covered when full or emptied for re-use after a period of stabilisation.
Ecological dry toilets are a special type of dry toilets that separate urine and human waste. Mr Choba said the association’s objective is to protect the world’s waters and promote the implementation of natural nutritional cycle.
The association’s vision is to make dry toilets an essential part of sustainable development, thus securing clean waters and a healthy environment for future generations.
He said a study was conducted in 2008 by UNICEF that revealed that Lusaka’s ground water is highly polluted as a result of pit latrines.
The study recommended that ecological sanitation technologies such as dry toilet are an option to prevent ground water pollution. “Only 30 percent of Lusaka’s population is connected to conventional central line sewerage systems while 70 percent use pit latrines or soaker ways. This has resulted in ground water being contaminated with people being affected by water borne diseases,” he said.
Mr Choba said with increased population and development in Lusaka, the city is faced with the challenge of clean water. “Why should we continue to transport human waste using clean water, the use of dry toilet is one solution that can address our problem? The dry toilets can serve towards hygienic toilet culture, also increase the use of toilet waste as fertiliser and improve farming conditions,” he said.
He said the dry toilet technology was also introduced in Siavonga, in a village called Mavulele by Harvest Help Zambia with the support from Water Aid to improve on sanitation.
He said apart from improved sanitation, the project has also increased the use of toilet waste as fertiliser to improve farming conditions in the area. Mr Choba cited Sweden and Finland where the project of dry toilet has been used effectively to address challenges of clean water.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
these are very important issues which mushota should be advocating for.
LT, that picture is not nice, why put kids in front of a Toilet. As much as it is good initiative just show the toilets than kids like it’s a house?
Bad manners.
This is pathetic, this is the same as building pit latrines, only this time with a roof and door. If the government can accept anything just becos its coming from donors then its a shame. The should ask themselves whether a white man himself would use this type of facility or where in Finland would you ever find a “dry toilet”? This is ridiculous. As usual, we shall have government officials lined up to officiate at the commissioning of these structures. Africans have are still mentally enslaved and believe whatver a muzungu does or offers is correct. I had hope in MCS but seeing this kind of bullshit that demeans us Zambians and Africans as a whole and government accepting it really make me puke.
CHI TUVI….a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush…just embrace the toilets and start using them responsibly…we know in lsk there is a problem of sewer leading to major disease breakouts like cholera…..let the people have it my friend…
Analyst, why criticize me, its about uplifting standards. why not use that money to develop the sewerage system and then build proper toilets. what will happen when these pits fill up, cover them and dig another hole somewhere else? Bout time you started thinking about long time solutions instead of short term. Get your third world thinking out of your system.
Much as we seem to have limited choices, its high time we started moving with the times. We should be thinking of moving away from pit latrines in this time and era. Ba LT also stop abusing kids!
talk sense iwe tuvi this is not a loan. pipo are helping u to solve a problem u start shooting.wat makes u think this is not a long term solution.too u long term solution comes with a sewer line.
igwee, how about we dig a latrine in your backyard?
BA tuvi these are yo issues going by yo name.ma issue ya matuvi u are an expert.i with draw my earlier statement.i hop my apology is accepted ba matuvi
A dry toilet is always empyted and the waste is recycled as fertilizer. It is a new technology. I stay in Lusaka and thinking of sewer lines through 26 rocky compounds can goble a big chunk from the budget. That donation is drop in the ocean.
This is a donation for the benefit of the poor.it is not coming from gvt cofers. ichabupe taba kana
What’s the technology behind this? Isn’t this just a composting toilet Or has it just got a bucket underneath from the look of the stairs… how does it solve the issue of harmful pathogens in the so called fertiliser….there so much cleaner sanitation solutions out there than this bogue room… fertilizer for what your vegetable garden… you are having a laugh, try this in Finland let’s if it will pass Environment standards there.
bushe abana ebanya fye beka?
How do you stop contaminating underground water in the high water table areas?
Cost K5million for one…is this viable in the komboni? or can the cost be brought down by self construction?
#2,
I agree with you. I don’t understand why African children are not protected by the world’s media, including our own.
Pictures and names are easily released, when it is no longer the case in the West.
Protect our children!
Iwe tuvi (tufi) why are you complaining, this is far better than shitting on the ground, we have failed to get rid of cholera because of water contamination, and in any case blame lusaka water and sewerage who in this age cannot sustain water supply to lusaka residents. my tenants in Nyumbayanga get water for 1 hour arround 01.00hrs , in that 1hr they are expected to wake up and save water for the rest of the day, this is the most annoying of zed development agendas, because I believe it is not a very sophiscated piece of engineering to supply piped water.in this scenario flushing toilets or showers for that matter are decorations!
There are dry toilets even in Japan one of the most developed countries in the world.
donors even for our bogging business? Iyee!!!
We shall always accept every rubbish in the name of donation,some countries even refuse vaccines whichnthey don’t trust. We need to work hard as a country,that type of toilets are meant for the rural areas where they hide in a small bushes to help them selves not in ask. I used them 40 years ago in my home village in kalabo now they are brought to the capital and all you say is it’s a gift. Its like saying Zambia shall never be saved. I wonder what they benefit from my country in exchange with this “technology “.
Lsk times why do you always block my blogs? Who is intimidating you ? Any small criticism you hold my bloggs!
“The bad news is learning from Wylbur Simuusa, the Minister of Mines and Minerals Development, is that the Barrick Gold cash out cannot be traced or it could have been used for something it was not intended for. In Kwacha terms, the money stands at about K850 billion.”
This is in one of the headlines on LT, now compare this missing cash with the total investment of the dry toilets. We do not need these fake donation if only we can account for our money. Shame you call Tuvi names for seeing it the wise way.
We shall always accept every rubbish in the name of donation,some countries even refuse vaccines whichnthey don’t trust. We need to work hard as a country,that type of toilets are meant for the rural areas where they hide in a small bushes to help them selves not in ask. I used them 40 years ago in my home village in kalabo now they are brought to the capital and all you say is it’s a gift. Its like saying Zambia shall never be saved. I wonder what they benefit from my country in exchange with this “technology “.