Latrine Construction Training

LENGTH: 4 days

 WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION

Sanitation aims to protect and promote human health and well-being by safely managing human excreta and breaking the cycles of diseases. Latrines are an essential component of sanitation, but sanitation is more than just building latrines. It is a system that addresses human excreta from the moment it is collected in a latrine through treatment and use or disposal of the sludge.

In this workshop, participants would learn how to design and construct latrines for low-income communities not connected to a sewerage system. The focus is on designing technically and environmentally appropriate and user-friendly latrines.

The workshop will explore the relationship between sanitation, disease transmission, and health. It will give participants experience in selecting appropriate latrine parts, such as the toilet, slab, superstructure, pit, tank, or chamber. It will also address technical and environmental topics, including siting latrines and sizing latrine pits. Modifying latrines to make them accessible for different user groups, including children, women, and people with limited mobility, will be discussed. Aspects of hygiene, such as hand-washing and menstrual hygiene, will also be discussed as they relate to sanitation. Finally, participants will learn a framework for implementing a sustainable and successful project.

The theory in the course is balanced with practical design exercises and hands-on construction work. Participants may work with concrete and construct basic latrine components and hand-washing stations. However, this workshop is not intended to provide full training on the construction of latrines or masonry training.

OBJECTIVES

 Upon completion of the workshop, participants will be able to:

• Discuss local and global issues and how sanitation is connected to the poverty cycle
• Identify pathogens related to sanitation and explain how to prevent disease transmission
• Discuss the five components of a sanitation system to properly manage human excreta
• Identify the parts of a latrine and describe their function
• Identify technology options for each latrine part and describe their basic design, advantages, and limitations
• Explain user-focused design and how it can be used to design latrines that people want and will use consistently and sustainably
• Calculate the required size of the latrine pit
• Explain how to excavate and line a latrine pit
• Construct some basic latrine components, such as a slab, superstructure, or pit lining
• Explain the factors to consider when siting a latrine
• Discuss different options to manage full latrines
• Describe how latrine sludge can be safely treated, used, or disposed of.
• Discuss the importance of hand-washing with soap, describe the critical times and procedure for proper hand-washing, and discuss the need for hand-washing hardware and software
• Discuss latrine options for challenging environments such as areas with high groundwater, flooding, high population density, cold climates, or fragile ecosystems
• Identify the materials required and basic costs to build a latrine
• Discuss the purpose of the project framework and describe the five components needed for a successful and sustainable sanitation project
• Establish a network of contacts with other project implementers.

METHODS OF INSTRUCTION

 The participatory workshop includes a theory, activities, demonstrations, open discussion, case studies, design scenarios, and hands-on construction. Active participant engagement in all learning activities will be encouraged.

CONTENT

The following is a tentative list of the topics that will be covered in the workshop. A specific agenda will be developed based on consultations with the organiser and participants. In general, one to two practical construction sessions listed below will be selected for each workshop.

Theory

• Local and global sanitation issues
• Pathogens and transmission of sanitation-related diseases
• Sanitation systems for managing human excreta
• User-focused latrine design
• Latrine parts and functions
• Selecting latrine technologies
• Designing latrine slabs
• Sizing, excavating, and lining pits
• Siting latrines
• Emptying latrines and transporting sludge
• Treating, using, and disposing of sludge
• Handwashing with soap
• Estimating costs of building a latrine
• Introduction to the project framework

Practical

• Constructing latrine slabs
• Constructing a superstructure
• Constructing a toilet seat and pedestal
• Designing and sizing a latrine pit
• Excavating and lining a latrine pit
• Constructing a hand-washing station
• Latrine design scenario exercises
• Next steps in project planning

“Note: The following topics are outside the scope of this workshop.”:

• Sludge treatment, use, and disposal
• Animal excreta management, solid waste management, vector control, and domestic wastewater management
• Implementation approaches for sanitation projects (for example, ways to create demand, supply products and services, or finance latrines)

For more information on these topics, please see the following CAWST workshops:

• Sludge Treatment, Use, and Disposal
• Environmental Sanitation
• Latrine Project Implementation

PARTICIPANTS

 Participants may be individuals or groups who are:

• Working in water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), community development, or health projects seeking solutions for sanitation
• Program organisers or project managers with the responsibility for organising projects and making decisions
• Engineers or technicians with responsibility for designing and constructing latrines
• Community liaison people or sanitation promoters who educate households about sanitation and select latrines
• Motivated to start or strengthen projects for improving sanitation

It will be advantageous if participants have the following:

• Source of funding in place to begin implementation (as this will allow for immediate application of the knowledge and skills gained in the workshop)
• Support of their organisation, which recognises that sanitation may be beneficial for the communities where they work

Participation by women is encouraged. Preferably, two or three people from each organization would attend to ensure that they learn together and benefit most from the workshop.

This is an introductory-level workshop. It is NOT intended for people already trained in latrine design and construction. However, the workshop can be a refresher training for those interested.

TRAINING MATERIALS

The following materials will be provided:

• Participant resources, including technical briefs and fact sheets