Page 6 - Discussion Paper on Faecal Sludge Management in Urban India
P. 6
Discussion Paper
and disposal/reuse), as depicted in Figure 5. tanks are either simple self-built having one or
This poses a significant health and two compartments or are prefabricated ones,
environmental hazard for the population as well connected to a simple soak away pit. Pour-flush
as the environment. toilets are basically offset pit latrines, with the
At the access level, despite the guidelines of faecal waste being flushed into the pit through a
CPEEHO 1993 and 2013, the construction of short sloping PVC soil pipe. Improved pit latrines
septic tanks or pit latrines is not monitored by are characterized by a concrete slab, while
the ULBs and is left at the jurisdiction of the traditional pit latrines are typically covered by soil
households. As a result, generally the septic or a precarious arrangement of assorted waste
Figure 5: Current FSM practices in India
Pour Flush Containment Suction Emptier Treatment Dumped in
Toilets Septic Tanks- Trucks/Manuaily No treatment Open
Quality not facility drains/fields
Access monitored Conveyance
Disposal/Reuse
building materials, with the pit sometimes lined their fees are quite high and their services are
or sometimes not lined. not regulated. Mostly faecal sludge is dumped
into open urban areas or into surface drains or
In addition to this, the regular cleaning and nearby areas to save cost and time as most of the
maintenance of septic tanks, which should ideally be treatment plants are located in the outskirts of the
done in 12 months as per the NBC 2005 guidelines, city and suitable dumping or treatment sites are
are mostly neglected. The households do not not located in areas near collection sites.21
bother about it till the tanks get full and usage gets
restricted. Many a times, the traditional pit latrines In densely populated urban areas, truck
are too weak to be emptied by mechanically mounted desludging systems can have limited
powered equipment. The water flushed types access. Moreover, the typical amount of sludge
produce a more watery sludge, which is easy to generated per household will vary between
pump but needs to be removed in relatively larger 3 m3 and 6 m3, which may not necessarily be a
volumes (typically 2–3 m3 ), while pit latrines have viable operation for a mechanized desludging
thicker sludge that require the use of scoops and system with a capacity between 2000 and 8000
buckets as they are too heavy to pump. litres. This creates an unintended market for
manual scavenging despite being banned as
Some ULBs provide septic tank cleaning as a per Manual Scavenging Act 2013. The manual
municipal service but generally as a complaint scavengers also dump faecal sludge into nearby
redressal activity when the septic tank/pit surface drains or lakes.
overflows and a complaint is registered with the
ULB. Many of the ULBs do not have adequate Evidences suggest that uncontrolled improper
number of emptying trucks and are unable to construction and usage of toilets with septic
provide prompt service.20 As a result, many private tanks/pit latrines is a potential threat to
operators have come up to fill the gap. However,
21 Kumar S, et al., 2016, Urban Shit: Where Does it all Go? From http://
20 Urban Development Department, 2016. Guidelines for Septage www.downtoearth.org.in/coverage/urban-shit-53422, Accessed on
Management in Maharashtra. Government of Maharashtra. July 25, 2016.
6 DECEMBER 2016
and disposal/reuse), as depicted in Figure 5. tanks are either simple self-built having one or
This poses a significant health and two compartments or are prefabricated ones,
environmental hazard for the population as well connected to a simple soak away pit. Pour-flush
as the environment. toilets are basically offset pit latrines, with the
At the access level, despite the guidelines of faecal waste being flushed into the pit through a
CPEEHO 1993 and 2013, the construction of short sloping PVC soil pipe. Improved pit latrines
septic tanks or pit latrines is not monitored by are characterized by a concrete slab, while
the ULBs and is left at the jurisdiction of the traditional pit latrines are typically covered by soil
households. As a result, generally the septic or a precarious arrangement of assorted waste
Figure 5: Current FSM practices in India
Pour Flush Containment Suction Emptier Treatment Dumped in
Toilets Septic Tanks- Trucks/Manuaily No treatment Open
Quality not facility drains/fields
Access monitored Conveyance
Disposal/Reuse
building materials, with the pit sometimes lined their fees are quite high and their services are
or sometimes not lined. not regulated. Mostly faecal sludge is dumped
into open urban areas or into surface drains or
In addition to this, the regular cleaning and nearby areas to save cost and time as most of the
maintenance of septic tanks, which should ideally be treatment plants are located in the outskirts of the
done in 12 months as per the NBC 2005 guidelines, city and suitable dumping or treatment sites are
are mostly neglected. The households do not not located in areas near collection sites.21
bother about it till the tanks get full and usage gets
restricted. Many a times, the traditional pit latrines In densely populated urban areas, truck
are too weak to be emptied by mechanically mounted desludging systems can have limited
powered equipment. The water flushed types access. Moreover, the typical amount of sludge
produce a more watery sludge, which is easy to generated per household will vary between
pump but needs to be removed in relatively larger 3 m3 and 6 m3, which may not necessarily be a
volumes (typically 2–3 m3 ), while pit latrines have viable operation for a mechanized desludging
thicker sludge that require the use of scoops and system with a capacity between 2000 and 8000
buckets as they are too heavy to pump. litres. This creates an unintended market for
manual scavenging despite being banned as
Some ULBs provide septic tank cleaning as a per Manual Scavenging Act 2013. The manual
municipal service but generally as a complaint scavengers also dump faecal sludge into nearby
redressal activity when the septic tank/pit surface drains or lakes.
overflows and a complaint is registered with the
ULB. Many of the ULBs do not have adequate Evidences suggest that uncontrolled improper
number of emptying trucks and are unable to construction and usage of toilets with septic
provide prompt service.20 As a result, many private tanks/pit latrines is a potential threat to
operators have come up to fill the gap. However,
21 Kumar S, et al., 2016, Urban Shit: Where Does it all Go? From http://
20 Urban Development Department, 2016. Guidelines for Septage www.downtoearth.org.in/coverage/urban-shit-53422, Accessed on
Management in Maharashtra. Government of Maharashtra. July 25, 2016.
6 DECEMBER 2016
