2. Basic pit latrine, about 5 foot deep. Note brick and mud mortar base for the slab to site
on to prevent movement. The super-structure (above ground) bit here made of local
thatch and round-wood. Cheap and low environmental impact. Cost per unit: £60
Implemented by LHDP, Oxfam’s local partner in Thatta, Sindh
3.
4. The traditional sanitation solution: “Open defecation”. This bush on right on edge
of village is where women and kids would usually come to squat. Faeces would
be cleaned away. Men would go out a bit further. In both cases privacy is
compromised and hygiene low. Shifting from this practice, however, can take
time. New latrine in background.
5. Latrine block: bricks and cement mortar. Flood resistant. Septic tank installed behind.
Very durable and accepted by community who preferred this approach.
NGO: Root Works (local partner of Concern International)
Cost per unit: 25,000 Rps (£185)
6. Another “advanced” latrine block. Likely to survive another flood – though the
mortar between bricks is mud – not cement based – so far less durable.
More expensive than a pit latrine? Yes, but, it will last longer, won’t pollute the
local ground water so much and serves multiple households.
7. View from the back of the same
“pour flush” latrine block. The pit
shown here will be lined with
bricks and concrete to prevent
seepage into the ground where
there is a high water table. An
overflow pipe will allow excess
fluids out into a separate
drainage soak away. A rather
complex system in a village made
of earth/mud brick houses.
Before the floods this village had
no latrine at all. The question to
ask here is why go from nothing
to such an advanced and
expensive system?
Cost: £450 / unit
8. Pour flush latrine by RDF, local NGO partner of CARE in Dadu. Septic tank under
construction on right. Cost: £120 per unit. This is the value of just over 3 pit latrines
which will not last as long as these. So are these more cost effective over the longer
term? Arguably so, if they are accessed by at least three households.
9. A completed RDF latrine block, septic tank underground, out of view. Questions: pour
flush will need water for every use, where’s the local water source, is it realistic that
people will bring water with them every time? (if they don’t it will block up). Secondly,
where will the overflow from septic tank go? How to prevent sewage water pond building
up, or will the outflow go into that standing water behind the latrine?
10. Typical latrine model built by humanitarian organisations in camps for displaced
people or refugees. Cheap plastic won’t last long. Milled timber for structure
expensive and probable high environmental impact. Note ceramic slab on left,
plastic on right. Cost around £32/unit.
11. A good example of how NOT to do latrines in communities. Agency not named,
and it was not UNICEF despite their plastic being used. Why bad? a) plastic will
corrode in the sun within months, b) in middle of village, not appropriate – no
privacy, should be located near some houses, more discreetly. Local thatch or
mud materials for walls would be better. Cost per unit around £35
12. Laundry pad, recently built away into gravel pit (in background). Supposedly to
Laundry pad with soak by OXFAM/ LHDP.
enhance hygiene and reduce workload for women. Cost £200 / unit. Is this a
priority ? Can this kind of expense be justified when people need houses first?
13. Another laundry pad, this time by Rootworks (partner of Concern). Smaller (so less
expensive) and with seating which is a nice addition. Clearly well used.
Cost : £81 / unit
14. Hand pump with concrete “apron” which captures residual water. In this case it is
captured in a pipe which ends up in an animal water trough – shown in the
background. This is a clever use of waste water from wells, which can otherwise
stay in muddy puddles around the pump.
Cost for pump, borehole and water trough: £266
15. Another excellent use of residual water from
a local water pump in Punjab, restored by the
local community. Here the water is directed to
a small vegetable garden for irrigation at any
time. (However without shade cover and
mulch over soil, evaporation will exceed 80%)
16. Local hand-pump
without concrete
“apron”. Potential
here for
contamination of the
well and a muddy
mess around the well
which can also be a
possible mosquito
hatching zone.
17. Hand-pump construction by Oxfam and SAFCO in Thatta, Sindh. Community
involvement is critical for site selection, maintenance and design of apron (and use of
residual water around pump). Note quality of the bore hole lining pipe used: quality steel
instead of cheap plastic. Cost: £137 / installed handpump.
18. Hygiene promotion is about engaging the imagination of people, children in particular in
ways of preventing disease through better hygiene practices. Oxfam are particularly
good in this field – working through local organisations who adopt local music and
19. The hand washing song: every finger gets a scrub! another hygiene
promotion session with a splash of creativity.
