Sustainable Sanitation Waste to Wealth Approach
Project Street Address
Project City
Project Province/State
Project Postal/Zip Code
Project Country
Field of Work
Sanitation
Year the initative began (yyyy)
2004
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Web site (url)
Which of these barriers is the primary focus of your work?
Public information alone doesn’t change behaviors
Which of the principles is the primary focus of your work?
Move people up the sanitation ladder
If you believe some other barrier or principle should be included in the mosaic, please describe it and how it would affect the positioning of your initiative in the mosaic
Cultural barrier as well as social taboo (phaecophobic nature)is one of the strongest factors hindering the acceptability of the Ecosan approach.Most people have been born into the existing sanitation systems. Ecosan is now a new concept to them since they have grown to accept the current system. Many people have the perception that faecal matter contains lots of pathogens and therefore may get infected when they handle them in agricultural activities. Due to this many people hold different reservations against the Ecosan approach. This view is true, but then when the principles of Ecosan are followed that is sanitizing the faeces before use in any form of agricultural activities the risk of infection will be greatly reduced. Faeces needs to be treated well before use else it may pose health problems.
Many people also have the perception that the ultimate sanitation solutions could be obtained from the water closet and centralized sewer systems. This thought widens the gap between the rich and poor in society especially in the developing countries. The Ecosan concept therefore must be communicated to engineers, policy makers and stakeholders. The lack of political will and favorable policy and regulatory structures as an important barrier to the acceptability of the Ecosan approach. There is inadequate support and advice to the people in order to enable a cultural environment that is favorable for the implementation of the Ecosan methodology.
Name Your Project
Sustainable Sanitation Waste to Wealth Approach
Describe Your Idea
What is your signature innovation, your new idea, in one sentence?
For sustainable sanitation initiative, a paradigm shift leading from the ‘FLUSH & FORGET’ systems to ‘RECYCLE’ in consonance with ‘WASTE TO WEALTH’ approach needed.
Describe your innovation. What makes your idea unique and different than others doing work in the field?
Our innovation is to promote and implement reuse oriented sanitation systems under one roof in such a way that we regain as much of the energy, nutrients and water containing in the wastewater as possible besides saving substantial amount of water and open it for reuse. Making use out of natural forces like gravity, temperature, UV-rays and microbes to design robust and reliable systems which are as less dependent on energy.
Concepts and technologies range from non-flush urine-diversion dehydration toilets where the finished "compost" can be directly applied to farmland or gardens to anaerobic wastewater treatment of total domestic wastewater and high-end technologies such as vacuum sewerage systems for the collection and transport of wastewater. Treated water and nutrients can be regained for agricultural/ irrigation purposes.
We are not bounded on a certain technology, we design solutions tailored for the particular site conditions and reuse.
Delivery Model: How do you implement your innovation and apply it to the challenge/problem you are addressing?
Our innovative solutions are always area specific which have to be derived taking into consideration the different problems and challenges faced by the beneficiaries. The approach for implementation involve several steps like assessement by visit and dialogue with the beneficiaries, feasibility studies, submission of various technological options and taking into consideration needs and priorities of beneficiaries (users, farmers, caretakers, ...) and making sure beneficiaries participation.
making sure beneficiaries participation in maintainance and reuse ,which will in turn becomes the case
How do you plan to expand your innovation?
In India, there is a huge backlog of providing improved sanitation to more than 600 million souls. This improved sanitation can be individual and community sanitation sanitation systems involving various treatment options. Being a one stop shop solution provider we would like to focus on rural and peri urban areas where sanitation systems are yet to be provided. This offers a huge potential and we would like to tap this potential by way of creating more and more ecosan volunteers through out the country. This can be done by having basic as well as advance training courses coupled with more and more pilot cum demonstration projects. In addition we approach now developers of the townships in India. If we can convince them that intelligent engineered eco friendly wastewater treatment and reuse systems are advantageous for them, economic and ecologic, we can make bigger foot print of our innovative solutions. After all ,expansion is a natural phenomenon,which is a reciprocation to the demand.
Do you have any existing partnerships, and if so, how do you create them?
Partnerships always fosters the growth and our inherited all inclusive approach has culminated into various partners of Ecosan Services Foundation, since last years. Considering the large size and geographical diversity of the country,India,we have partnerships on various levels. Most important of this is partnership with Innovative Ecological Sanitation Network of India, which is a virtual network and we,ESF, is the lead constituent organization.Partnership with India's foremost NGO, Indian Water Works Association(IWWA).Technologies and Finance Partnership with German Technical Coorporation(GTZ) and working with seecon International , Switzerland. All these partnerships occurred because of the 'Law of Nature-Law of Attraction' (working for innovation).
More and more partnerships are taking shapes like
* Sustainable Sanitation Alliance
* TTZ, Germany
* Government of India
* Various state Governments
* Urban Local Bodies
* Private Consultants like Paradigm solutions, Roediger Vaccum Systems, Germany
* Friends of Orcha
* Nari Jagran Manch, an Ngo, Bihar
* Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran
All the above partnerships are working partnerships and were created either approaching them or approached by them.
Provide one sentence describing your impact/intended impact.
To make people aware about cost effective alternative sanitation solution which is environmental friendly,water and energy saving,takes care of health and hygiene and food security.
What are the main barriers to creating or achieving your impact?
Cultural barrier as well as social taboo (phaecophobic nature)is one of the strongest factors hindering the acceptability of the Ecosan approach.Most people have been born into the existing sanitation systems. Ecosan is now a new concept to them since they have grown to accept the current system. Many people have the perception that faecal matter contains lots of pathogens and therefore may get infected when they handle them in agricultural activities. Due to this many people hold different reservations against the Ecosan approach. This view is true, but then when the principles of Ecosan are followed that is sanitizing the faeces before use in any form of agricultural activities the risk of infection will be greatly reduced. Faeces needs to be treated well before use else it may pose health problems.
Many people also have the perception that the ultimate sanitation solutions could be obtained from the water closet and centralized sewer systems. This thought widens the gap between the rich and poor in society especially in the developing countries. The Ecosan concept therefore must be communicated to engineers, policy makers and stakeholders. The lack of political will and favorable policy and regulatory structures as an important barrier to the acceptability of the Ecosan approach. There is inadequate support and advice to the people in order to enable a cultural environment that is favorable for the implementation of the Ecosan methodology.
Lack of awareness of reusing urine on a lager scale which has got excellent fertilizer value.
Effective marketing of the concept is not there due to lack of volunteer or skilled person.
How many people have you served or plan to serve?
We should break up these numbers in terms of awareness created and beneficiaries served. As described above ,this has been under promotion since April 2004, the awareness created no directly is up to 1000 and indirectly may easily cross 10,000, considering one person will convey 10 person through workshops meetings and conferences. Then through media and printed material about 10,0000.
Directly
Actual beneficiaries, which are provided with sustainable sanitation solutions by way of providing individual and community projects directly 3200 (implemented and under implementation).
Indirectly
Indirect assessment needs to be done.Since this has got cascading effects influencing many areas and sectors like water,energy, agricultural, environment, minerals and deposits, health and hygiene, human dignity, social aspects. Therefore , indirect assessment may become another innovative study to assess the impact of this "innovative sanitation solutions" which then can be a true exercise for 'Tapping Local Innovation: Unclogging the Water and Sanitation Crsis'.
Please list any other measures of the impact of your innovation?
Inclusion of sustainable sanitation study approaches into the university curriculum, development of model towns/sanitation parks for display of alternative sanitation solution ie ecosan. To promote Ecosan as a business model. Considering the climate change impact on earth environment, if properly adopted and implemented ,ecosan can offer CDM solution which will get qualify for carbon credit.
Water saving impacts of ecosan vis-a-vis CST.....600million X 100lpcd(additional water), where fresh water availability is depleting at an alarming rate-3400m3 to 1900m3 for India/person since last 50 years.
Is there a policy intervention element to your innovation, if so please describe?
Yes,Sometimes this is regard as some form of scavenging. For which, anti scavenging laws are in place, which may have to be properly addressed to describe the vast difference in scavenging and handling of compost matter.
Exactly who are the beneficiaries of your innovation?
Rural and peri urban areas, water scarce and flood prone areas,agricultural producers,surface water and underground water sources, environment and natural resources.
This Entry is about (Issues)
How is your initiative financed (or how do you expect your initiative will be financed)?
The foundation was incorporated with thought in mind that eventhough this a non profit making organisation it should have self sustainable status sooner or later.Initial activities were fully funded through the finances raised by the founders. As a constituent organisation of IESNI and partnerships some portion of financing of the initiative is expected through some grants,although grants are project specific and activities based. The emphasis is given that the received finance will help to grow the initiative in all directions and will have a wide spectrum such as capacity building through training course, pilot cum demonstration projects, consultancy for project implementation and grants from EU and GTZ .The surplus received which will then again be invested for promotion of the concept on sustainable sanitation.
Provide information on your finances and organization:
Budget finance of 2006- 2007 is approx Rs 5 lakhs
Budget finance 2007-2008 is approx Rs 40 lakhs
Consultancy charges , project grants , Training courses fees
Yes, From Navimumbai SEZ , GTZ, Govt Of India and some private clients
What is the potential demand for your innovation?
Staff's cost full time, part time as well as volunteers, establishment cost. promotional material costs,traveling costs for awareness raising, training course facilities or model pilot project support costs
What are the main barriers to financial sustainability?
Even though we do not for see any main barriers to the financial sustainability to run the organisation on long term perspective basis.Being the new concept,under promotion in India, some pilot projects and beneficiaries do expect funds for implementation of this concept.Sometimes the projects are very important from the point of replication on a larger scale. How ever, other potential demands ,then may get compromise if such projects are funded with existing resources. Hence the external grants are necessary for financial sustainability.
What is the origin of this innovation? Tell us your story.
For successfull implement ecological sanitation solutions, a broad understanding is required. Ecosan touches social, cultural as well as economic aspects; it requires knowledge of the local climate, groundwater situation and soil conditions. Furthermore, expertise in ecosan treatment technologies and knowledge of options for reuse are essential as well as a thorough understanding of the underlying philosophy of sustainable water, energy and nutrient cycles. Hence, in cooperation with the Innovative Ecological Sanitation Network India, Ecosan Services Foundation, besides creating awareness and promoting concept through events and the pilot projects, has developed an innovative and interactive ecosan training course especially tailored to the needs of developing countries like India
Since April 2004, after participating in the start up workshop the founders of the non profit organisation ESF have been spreading the concept all over India and have kept on awareness raising drive. Five major workshops were organised within IWWA’S centres and a very successful International Conference in November 2005 brought many organisations to India to speak on subject as well as to discuss their ecosan case studies. This sparked interest all over and as a fall out of these activities, establishment of the NGO, Ecosan Services Foundation took place.
GTZ, Germany under Indo-German bilateral projects promotes ‘ECOSAN’. In 2004, ‘Innovative Ecological Sanitation Network of India (IESNI)’was formed. On joining of the Indian Water Works Association into this network, efforts received the boost. - Ecosan Services Foundation- Pune - Maharashtra, Seecon International – Switzerland, GTZ-Germany, ttz-Germany, +NU – Netherlands are constituent organizations of this network.
Please provide a personal bio. Note this may be used in Changemakers marketing material
Ecosan Services Foundation’s activities are:
• Concept Promotion
• Awareness raising
• Training Courses
• Material in local languages.
Project Planning/ Implementation-
ESF offers full ecosan project packages including:
• Consulting
• Feasibility Studies
• Technical Designing & Project Planning
• Project Implementation
• Operation & Maintenance
• Project Monitoring
ESF provides multitudes of different technological solutions applied in ecological sanitation projects, ranging from simple, low cost and easy to maintain Urine-Diversion Dehydration Toilets to complex high-tech sanitation solutions. Which ecosan technology should be applied has to be decided individually in every case, as different projects have different site conditions and clients have different needs, requirements and financial potentials. We provide tailor-made solutions for specific sanitation problems and help to implement a sustainable sanitation system, which is ecologically sound, socially viable and cost effective
Ecosan Training Courses-
ESF offers improved and full-fledged training courses in ecological sanitation in India and other developing countries. The course consists of two one-week modules, which enables course participants to plan and implement their own ecological sanitation projects. If applicable, a field trip to working ecosan projects is incorporated between the two modules.
Following interactive teaching methods are applied:
• Classic Face-to-Face Lectures explain the concept and shed light on the theoretical background.
• Case Studies give insights from real-life examples.
• Group works & Role Plays reveal creativity and make participants think in a holistic way.
•Technical Exercises help participants to thoroughly understand the various applied technologies and provide them with the ability to design and implement ecosan projects themselves.
• Feasibility Studies of real ecosan projects force the participants to put in their accumulated theoretical knowledge into practice.
They develop a holistic reuse concept, a technical design; do cost calculations and a stakeholder analysis. The results are presented and discussed in the plenary and later often lead to the actual implementation through the participants’ organisations.
Awareness Generation-
To promote awareness in different sectors of the community, ESF plans/ organizes workshops, seminars and conferences. These programs felicitate different eminent ecosan experts to impart knowledge and to increase the number of ecosan volunteers within India.
Funding:
Funding from the organization who are pioneer in this activity of ecological sanitation and grants for specific projects from European Commission, gtz and from the Training Courses which takes place every three months in a year, beginning since April 2007.
Governance:
Ecosan Services Foundation is a section-25 non profit company,
Geographical Spread
The head office of Ecosan services foundation is at Pune and has a branch office at Mumbai. There are six employees working in Ecosan Services Foundation.
Achievements
Courses:
• Six courses have been held since 2007:
- 3 Ecosan Expert Courses
- 1 Ecosan Basic Course
- 2 E-learning Course
- 1 Tailor-made Course for Trainers
• 126 participants have been trained so far
• 6 projects planned/implemented by former course participants
• Further 7 courses in India, Sri Lanka, the Philippines and the Middle East are scheduled until June 2008.
Projects
• Two pilot projects been completed
• Seven projects are going on
Awards
• Awarded Best NGO- Water Education from UNESCO Water Digest Award
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