Methodology, cost and design of latrines

By East Meets West Foundation Posted on Wed 20 Jul 2011, over 13 years ago

I am pleased to review this project application. Overall, I found it to be well organized and thorough. I also like the fact that there are matching funds from other sources, including government and participant contribution. The monitoring and evaluation includes both random verification of households and data collection at health institutions. Accordingly, I have three questions regarding the following:

Re: Community organizing methodology
In your proposal, it is stated, "The community will be trained in community organizing techniques and will have a functioning potable water and sanitation committee." Please describe the approach and rationale for the sanitation committee. How will the sanitation committee utilize organizing techniques on behalf of the committee, both short-term and long-term? Do they have an active role with O&M? If so, please describe.

Re: Cost of latrines
Looking at the budget for latrines, $8,600 is set aside for 20 latrines, which breaks down to $430 per latrine. Please explain the cost of this latrine in a budget narrative and the rationale for the total amount.

Re: Design of latrines
Complementing the cost of latrines, please provide an example of the latrine design and how it is appropriate for this particular project (i.e. environment, size, durability and etc.).

Thank you and I look forward to your response.

Best,
James

Methodology, cost and design of latrines

By El Porvenir Posted on Mon 25 Jul 2011, over 13 years ago

Sorry for the delay in responding, we were in the field last week.

Re: Community organizing methodology
The community usually forms (or already has an existing structure) a local water/sanitation committee prior to requesting assistance from El Porvenir. They submit a proposal of the communities’ need along with a map of the community and a community census to El Porvenir (EP). Local EP staff then go to the community and survey/verify the need.

The importance/rationale for the committee is that they are taking the initiative to help their own community and will be the main actor in the maintenance (O&M) of the project in the long term. We do not initiate projects; we respond to requests and empower the communities to help themselves creating lasting, sustainable results. If the committee does not exist in the community, or even if it does, EP staff will provide/offer training to the community/committee on how the different roles such as coordinator, treasurer, etc. function and also on the importance of a well functioning committee.

The water and sanitation committees will be trained on the repair and maintenance of the well and latrines, providing them the knowledge to maintain their clean water and sanitation projects. Also, since the community themselves build, they learn about the maintenance as the project proceeds. Several committee members will also be trained through our train the trainer program on basic hygiene and health education practices. Once trained the committee members will then take on their role as trainer and share these practices as well as maintenance techniques with other community members.

In the short-term the sanitation committee will utilize organizing techniques through the training of their community. The community members will see long-term benefits in the improvements of their health and well-being as a result of these trainings.

Re: Cost of latrines
A latrine typically breaks down in this way, with the transport percentage varying from 20-35% depending on community distance and access:

29% metallic superstructure (tin)
28% cinder blocks, sand and cement
14% slab and bench
28% transport to the community
1% Misc items: ventilation tube, fly screen, etc.

The superstructure is expensive, but it is longer lasting, designed to stand up as pits are switched back and forth. Cinder blocks are used to line the pits to avoid latrines from collapsing in rainy season.

Re: Design of latrines
The VIP latrine is the national government standard in Nicaragua and well received culturally. It is a durable design and lasts. The problem has been with having a single pit and the lack of sustainability around that. This double pit design, while new for Nicaragua, attempts to overcome the sustainability question while fitting into the current culturally acceptable VIP model.

Environmentally, our staff evaluate the water table to ensure that the latrine will not contaminate any water sources.

Under photos in the below PWX application link is the double pit latrine design.
http://peerwater.org/apps/391-Double-pit-VIP-latrines-in-Guayabita-Camoapa/

Thanks for the great questions, James!

Drilled Well

By Team Blue Posted on Fri 22 Jul 2011, over 13 years ago

Hi,
I had a couple questions:
1) How is the water drawn from the well? Hand pump or electric pump? Is that included in the budget for the well? Could we get a breakdown for the well budget?
2) Is the contamination of the ground water mainly from human waste or is there chemical run-off?
3) What treatment or filtration will be used to attain potable water? I'm assuming that cost is included in the maintenance budget.
4) You mention reforestation, is that being addressed through community workshops and education?
5) Is there anything to be learned from latrines built in 1990? Did they fall in to bad shape because of lack of maintenance/training, lack of acceptance by the local community or a design that was not appropriate for the territory?

thanks,
Madan

Drilled Well

By El Porvenir Posted on Mon 25 Jul 2011, over 13 years ago

Hi Madan,
1) The water is drawn up using a rope pump (hand pump) which is included in the budget. Below is a breakdown of the budget for the well:
75% Drilling rig
6.5% PVC well installation (below surface), sand, gravel
6% water testing, pumping test, etc.
12.5% surface infrastructure: cement, bricks, rope pump

2)Currently in Tule Oriental the community is collecting water from water holes which are contaminated as they are not protected from outside sources. They are vulnerable to animal waste, dirt and bacteria. In this community, many are defecating in the open as these 20 families do not have latrines.

Generally in this area, ground water at the levels of the planned drilling have been found to be safe for drinking, but water testing will be completed in this case. The installation of sanitation will help ensure this. Chemical runoff has not been a problem in this area.

3) We believe in protecting the water at it’s source. Providing latrines to each family in the community plays a large role in that. When people have a clean, sanitary place to go to the bathroom they will no longer be forced to go outdoors which contaminates the ground water. Once the well is finished it will be sealed and capped which will prevent contaminants from entering the well. We also do frequent water tests to determine the quality of the water. If needed the community members will chlorinate the water; we teach them this process as well.

4) Yes, as part of our holistic approach to clean water we encourage each community to reforest. We have a reforester in each region who works with the communities to strategically plant trees in the micro watershed.

5)The latrines built in 1990 fell into bad shape by a combination of them filling up and a lack of maintenance. They were built by an organization that gave away the latrines without any community contribution, leading the community to wait for another organization to come and build them more. We hope to break this cycle by getting communities involved in the labor and financials.

Earlier this year we switched from using a single-pit VIP latrine to using double pit latrines. Single pits worked well, but they have a finite capacity and fill up in 5-7 years. We found that after they filled up, families weren’t taking the initiative to build another and were returning to open defecation. We had been piloting double pits since 2007 and earlier this year we switched to using them completely. The beneficiary can use one pit until it fills, then move the superstructure to the second pit. Once the second pit fills, then the first pit can be emptied as the bacteria will be dead by that time (usually 2-3 years later) The superstructure can be moved back and forth between pits endlessly. This will be much more sustainable going forward.

Thanks,
Rob

Re: Drilled Well

By Blue Planet Network Posted on Wed 27 Jul 2011, over 13 years ago

In your application you say you will have a hand dug well. And here you say drilled. Which is it?

How do you locate the well?
Are you using a hydrological study or a water diviner?

Thanks,
Rajesh

Re: Drilled Well

By El Porvenir Posted on Wed 27 Jul 2011, over 13 years ago

Hi Rajesh,
Sorry if there was any confusion. The application also states it is a drilled well. In the Approach and Technology I mention that we generally work with hand dug wells, but then further explain that in some instances like that of Tule Oriental, the water is too deep to reach by digging so the best option is to drill.

For drilling, 90% of the time we locate the well by using a hydrological study, but in some cases it is not necessary as we are able to indicate by the topography of the land.

Thanks

Re: Drilled Well

By El Porvenir Posted on Sun 31 Jul 2011, over 13 years ago

To clarify, yes, this well site(s) was located using a hydrogeological study carried out about 6 months ago. Actually all of our drilled wells, although few, have been located in this way. 90%+ have been successful drills.