Planning and Designing EcoSan System with Vermi-composting for Village Vidgaon in India

S B Nimbalkar, Non-member P H Sawant, Non-member R A Hegde, Non-member

The present paper deals with planning and design of ecological sanitation (EcoSan) toilets for a village. Sanitation is a critical issue as it is linked to both human health and dignity. EcoSan offers a solution to sustainable sanitation provision as it aims at providing improved sanitation by sanitizing the excreta and re-using it in agriculture. The objective of the project is to study the existing sanitation system of village Vidgaon also to identify the difficulties in use of present sanitation system. The aim is also to change the attitude of people and encouraging them to consider human waste as a valuable resource. The various methods of ecological sanitation system were studied and a new system of vermiculture composting toilet is suggested for the village Vidgaon in Jalgaon District of Maharashtra State. It is found out that the suggested system is beneficial in terms of finance also to the village. This can be a role model for the Nirmal Gram Puraskar given by Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India.
Keywords : Ecological sanitation; Vermiculture; Composting; Human excreta; Urine nutrients; Recovery

INTRODUCTION Poor sanitation is leading directly to a decline in the quality and quantity of available water resources, and the problem is now finally being treated with a greater degree of seriousness than ever before. Ecological sanitation (EcoSan) can be an approach to improve sanitation and recovery nutrients from human excreta and urine. Ecological sanitation regards human excreta as a resource to be recycled rather than as a waste to be disposed off. Recycling returns nutrients to soils and plants reduce the need for chemical fertilizers and restores good soil organisms to product plants. EcoSan represents a new basic understanding of wastewater handling in which faeces and urine are not considered as pollutants but instead as useful resources. The idea that human excreta are wastes with no useful purpose is a modern misconception. It has led to the development of socalled drop and store or flush and forget sanitation solutions, where precious drinking water is used to transport excreta into the water cycle misusing Indian rivers, oceans and aquifers as a sink for untreated waste. Ecological sanitation (EcoSan) regards human excreta as a resource to be recycled rather than as a waste to be disposed off. According to reports, around 2.6 billion of the 6 billion people on the planet have no access to any form of basic sanitation. Sanitation is a critical issue as it is linked to both human health and dignity. Every day, over 2.5
S B Nimbalkar, P H Sawant and R A Hegde are with the Department of Civil Engineering, Sardar Patel College of Engineering, Munshi Nagar, Andheri (West), Mumbai 400 058. This paper was received on September 29, 2009. Written discussion on the paper will be entertained till November 30, 2010.

billion people suffer from a lack of access to improved sanitation and nearly 1.2 billion people practice open defecation, a staggering number, according to a report by the WHO/UNISEF joint monitoring programme for water supply and sanitation. At current trends, the world will fall short of the millennium sanitation target by more than 700 million people3. This was highlighted during the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, 2002, where the existing Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), adopted by the UN in New York in September 2000, were expanded to include the sanitation target of halving the proportion of people without access to sanitation in 1990 by the year 2015. EcoSan system enables the complete recovery of all nutrients from faeces, urine and grey water to the benefit of agriculture, and the minimization of water pollution2. EcoSan systems offer appropriate and sustainable solutions for different circumstances and demands. They permit acceptable and affordable sanitation for poor and rural areas, as well as for high-income areas and industrialized countries. EcoSan, however, this is not true. As long as the sanitation system is environmentally and economically sustainable, it is known as EcoSan system. All in all, EcoSan represents a new basic understanding of wastewater handling in which faeces and urine are not considered as pollutants but instead as useful resources. In nature, there is no waste. EcoSan offers a solution to sustainable sanitation provision as it aims at providing improved sanitation by sanitizing the excreta and re-using it in agriculture. The purpose of sanitizing and re-using excreta is to reduce contamination of the natural environment, such as, rivers and ground water; it also ensures that the valuable nutrients in the sanitized excreta are used for food production.

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SPECIFIC REASONS The village Vidgaon in Jalgaon District is selected as study village for planning and design of EcoSan system. It is nearly eight km away from Jalgaon city. The population of the village Vidgaon as per 2001 census is 2368, out of which male are 1225 and female are 1143. There are total 527 families living in the village Vidgaon and 355 families are below poverty line. There are total 469 survey numbers in the village Vidgaon. OBJECTIVES The objective of the project is to study the existing sanitation system of the village. The objective of the project is also to identify the difficulties in use of present sanitation system. The focus is on improving sanitation conditions and scope of minimizing the risk of disease spreading during monsoon. The aim is to generation of income for the self development of village by selling the products, namely, fertilizers. The aim is also to change the attitude of people and encouraging them to consider human waste as a valuable resource. METHODOLOGY The methodology involves establishing a new system for ecological sanitation. Methodology includes study of vermicomposting for design of new ecological sanitation system. It also includes the preparation of detailed design and engineering drawings and also preparation of the

estimates for traditional sanitation system and ecological sanitation system and their comparision. The situation of the water supply and sanitation in the village was collected from village panchayat and from households. Planning Coverage The detailed survey of the village Vidgaon and its surrounding was carried out. The population data and the village map were collected from the village panchayat. Ninety percent of the total population was doing open deification. The situation of the water supply and sanitation in the village was found out. Their were ninenty five percentage of the total population were doing open defecation. The information was collected from village panchayat and from households. A study was done on the different types of Sanitation facilities that are available. The engineering drawings of common toilet that are feasible for the conditions in the village are prepared. LIMITATIONS OF CONVENTIONAL SANITATION SYSTEM Figure 1 schematically illustrates the main limitations of conventional sanitation systems, that include Unsatisfactory purification or uncontrolled discharge; Pollution of water bodies by organics, nutrients, hazardous substances, pathogens, pharmaceutical residues, hormones, etc;

Figure 1 Limitations of conventional wastewater management system

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 Severe environmental damage and eutrophication of the water cycle; Consumption of precious water for transport of waste; High investment, energy, operating and maintenance costs; Loss of valuable nutrients and trace elements contained in excrement through their discharge into water bodies; Impoverishment of agricultural soils, and increased dependence on chemical fertilisers; Predominance of combined central systems, resulting in problems with contaminated sewage sludge; Also, where there is no sewer network to transport the sewage, and also no access to take out the sludge through vacuum vehicles, which are provided by Municipal Corporations, poor practices are adopted like removal of the sludge manually. This seems very inappropriate, that the human excreta is removed by another human manually. Removal of human excreta is prohibited in India, but still there are these poor practices. Removal of human excreta also imports health hazards, poor environmental impacts in the nature. Figure 2 and Figure 3 show two photographs, describe the storey of the poor practices. ADVANTAGES OF ECOSAN CONCEPT To overcome drawbacks of the so called end-of-the-pipe sanitary systems and manual removing systems, which are based on the modern misconception that human excreta are simply wastes with no useful purpose and must be disposed of, and in order to meet the Millennium Development Goals and achieve sustainability in the field of sanitation a new paradigm is needed3. Ecological sanitation is this new paradigm in sanitation that recognises human excreta and

water from households not as a waste but as resources that can be recovered, treated where necessary and safely used again. In this way, they help preserve soil fertility and safeguard long-term food security, whilst minimizing the consumption and pollution of water resources. EcoSan is a holistic approach to sanitation and water management, representing a break with the too often poorly performing end-of-pipe technologies of the past, and recognising human excreta and domestically used water as a resource that should be made available for reuse. As an integrated alternative, a hallmark of ecosan is its interdisciplinary approach that goes beyond the narrow disciplines of domestic water supply and technological considerations to address issues such as agriculture, sociology, hygiene, health, town planning, economics and small business promotion, institutional administration, and so on. Advantages of ecosan systems are summarized as follows. Improvement of health by minimizing the introduction of pathogens from human excrement into the water cycle; Promotion of recycling by safe, hygienic recovery and use of nutrients, organics, trace elements, water and energy; Resource conservation, through lower water consumption, substitution of chemical fertilisers and minimisation of water pollution; Possibility to integrate on-plot systems into houses, increasing user comfort, and security for women and girls; Contributes to the preservation of soil fertility; Improvement of agricultural productivity and hence contributes to food security; Promotion of a holistic, interdisciplinary approach (hygiene, water supply and sanitation, resource conservation, environmental protection, urban planning, agriculture, irrigation, food security, small-business promotion,); Material-flow cycle instead of disposal. TECHNOLOGIES IN USE FOR ECOSAN SYSTEMS Dehydrating Toilets with Urine Diversion

Figure 2 Manual removal of human excreta

Figure 3 Manual removal of human excreta

This technology is also called dry urine diversion toilet. In a dehydrating toilet, the contents of the processing vault are dried with the help of heat, ventilation and the addition of dry material. The moisture content should as quickly as possible be brought down below 25%. At this level there is a rapid pathogen destruction, no smell, and no fly breeding. The use of specialized collection devices, which divert urine for storage in a separate container, allows the faeces to be dehydrated fairly and easily (Figure 4). Since urine contains most of the nutrients, it may be used directly as a fertilizer without the need for further processing. It is generally difficult

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to dehydrate excreta without urine diversion, although in extremely dry climates2. A Waterless Toilet with One or Two Vaults The toilet is built entirely above ground with the processing chambers placed on a solid floor of concrete, bricks or clay. The floor is built up to at least 10 cm above ground so that heavy rains do not flood it. The processing chambers are covered with a squatting slab that has two drop holes, footrests and a groove for urine. At the back there are two openings, for the removal of the dehydrated material. These openings are kept sealed until it is time to empty one of the chambers. Before the vault is used for the first time, the household members cover the floor with a layer of powdered earth. The purpose of this earth is to absorb moisture from the faeces and to prevent them from sticking to the floor. After each use people sprinkle two bowls of ashes over the faces. The ashes absorb moisture, neutralize bad odours and make the faeces less attractive to flies. Urine drains away through the groove in the slab and collects in a jar behind the toilet. The urine or the urine-soaked ashes are used as a fertilizer. The first vault can be used for about two months by a household of 5-10 persons. When it is twothirds full, someone in the household levels the content with a stick. A person then fills the vault to the brim with dried, powdered earth, and seals the vault. All openings are tightly closed with lime mortar or clay. The dehydrated faeces, now odourless, are used as fertilizer. These types of toilets are commonly used in Vietnam2. In India, vault type toilets are used in Ladakh, which is a dry highland region in the western Himalayas. Composting Toilets Composting is a biological process in which, under controlled conditions, bacteria, worms and other types of organisms break down organic substances to make humus, a rich, stable medium in which roots thrive. The humus produced is an excellent soil conditioner, free of human pathogens when the right conditions are achieved and adequate retention time is allowed in the digester. Odours, if any, can be extracted directly out above the roof through a ventilation system. A composting toilet tries to achieve optimal conditions for biological decomposition. This means that sufficient oxygen should be able to penetrate the compost heap to maintain aerobic conditions, the material in the composting vault should have a moisture content of 50.60%

and the temperature of the composting vault should be above 15C. A variety of organisms contribute to the breakdown of the material in a composting toilet. They range in size from viruses, bacteria, fungi and algae to earthworms and insects. They all play a major role in mixing, aerating, tearing apart and breaking down the contents of the pile in the toilet processing vault. The composting toilets were practiced in Norway, Sweden and Mexico. In India, the concept of use of earthworm in EcoSan toilets is proposed in this study. It seems a good outcome to earthworms in the toilet. If the environment is favourable for them they will multiply, burrowing holes through the compost heap, eating odorous organic matter and thereby converting it into rich organic soil. Vacuum Systems The key elements used in vacuum toilets are vacuum urinals, vacuum conductions and pumping station. The advantages of this technology are saving water, concentrated black water collection, possibility of anaerobic decentralized treatment3. This system is manufactured by Roediger (Figure 5). Anaerobic Treatment with Bio-gas Production Bio-gas originates from bacteria in the process of biodegradation of organic material under anaerobic (without air) conditions. The natural generation of biogas is an important part of the biogeochemical carbon cycle. Methanogens (methane producing bacteria) are the last link in a chain of micro-organisms which degrade organic material and return the decomposition products to the environment. In this process bio-gas is generated, a source of renewable energy5. The general model for degradation of organic material under anaerobic conditions operates principally with three main groups of bacteria, such as, fermenting, acetogenic and methanogenic bacteria, which degrade organic mater in four stages, namely, hydrolysis, fermentation, acidification and methane formation Aqua Culture The wastewater treatment by aquatic plants and fish with nutrient recyling by human consumption is known as aqua culture. This technology offers high quality protein at low cost. This technology is predominantly used in Asian countries. The average fish production of 1t/ha/yr to 6 t/ha/yr can be achieved using this technology.

Figure 4 Urine diversion type toilet

Figure 5 Vacuum system type toilet

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Constructed Wetlands This treatment of wastewater or greywater is effective in the removal of BOD, TSS, pathogen and nitrogen. The effluent can be reused for gardening. This technology is aesthetically appealing all over other technologies. Combined wastewater treatment and bio-fuel production from willow plantations is possble with wetlands. This is very cost and energy effective. Constructed wetlands are common practices in India for treatment of wastewater especially industrial effluents3. Each of the above technology has its application as per the prevailing site conditions. PLANNING OF PROPOSED ECOSAN SYSTEM The detailed survey of the village and its surrounding was carried out. From the the population data and the village map, it is found that, about 90% of the total population was doing open deification. From the survey, a location on the village map is finalized and a new system is designed for this location and for 100 people. Basic Data for Dimensioning and Layout

are different from the earthworms would normally find in the ground. These worms have a big appetite, reproduce quickly, and thrive in confinement. They can eat more than their own weight in food every day. Vermiculture can be a lucrative economic activity for rural women. Design of Proposed EcoSan System for a Vidgaon Village Volume of Urine Tank Number of villagers to defecate at the toilet is 95. Number of villagers go for urination = 95 1.5 = 142.5 Daily volume = Number of villagers urine collected/day = 142.5 1.4 l/day = 199.5 l/day = 0.1995 m3/day A storage time of one month is required during warm season to sanitize the urine with daily volume of 0.1995 m3/day. A urine tank of volume 6 m3, ie, 6000 l should be installed as storage capacity. Volume of Faeces

1. 95% of the total number of villagers uses the toilet for defecation and urination. 2. Villagers use toilet one and half times for urination. 3. Human waste : urine 500 l/year 1.4 l/day; faeces 50 l/year 0.14 l/day Technology Suggested To overcome unhygienic conditions related to malfunctioning of the main wastewater disposal facility and to meet the needs of extension of the locality, a sanitation concept comprising the treatment/reuse of human excreta with earthworm composting. Composting Toilets The technology suggested for this particular project is the vermi composting type toilets. Vermicomposting is the process by which organic materials are converted into humus with the use of specific types of earthworms that breakdown the organic materials. The earthworm species, Eisenia fetida and Eisenia andrei are most commonly used for the vermicomposting. They derive their nourishment form microorganisms that grow upon the organic materials. At the same time, they promote further microbial activity in the residuals so that the feacal matters or casts that they produce, is much more fragmented and microbial active than what the earthworms consume. During this process, the important plant nutrients in the organic material, particularly nitrogen, potassium and calcium are released and converted through the microbial action into forms that are much more soluble and available to plants than those in the parent compounds. The best kinds of worms for composting are red worms, or red wigglers. They are often found in old compost piles, but Volume 91, September 2010

Number of villagers to defecate at the toilet = 100 95% = 95 villagers Yearly volume = Monthly volume 12 months = 399 12 = 4788 l/year = 4.788 m3 A storage time of three months is required during warm season to compost the faeces with daily volume of 0.0133 m3/day. A vermi composting bed volume of 5 m3, ie, should be installed to accommodate this loading. Provision of Toilet Block The toilet block in the village for ecological sanitation is such planned that to accommodate the numbers of persons at a time. There is a provision of total ten toilet rooms, out of which, six toilet rooms for male villagers and four toilet rooms are for female villagers. The outlet of the each toilet room is connected to a main pipe through branch pipes and then to the collection urine tank and to the vermi composting bed. Dimensions for Vermi Composting Bed Total volume of faeces yearly = 5 m3 Number of parts = 2 (for male and female) Volume of faeces/cubicles = 2.5 m3 As the compartments should not be fully filled (filled level = 75%) and to 10% is allowed extra for security. Thus, size of vermi composting bed suggested is 1.0 m 2.0 m 1.5 m depth.

Squatting Pan The most important part of ecological sanitation toilet is type of squatting pan to be used. Squatting pan is used to avoid mixing of urine and faeces. The squatting pan for the village Vidgaon is used as shown in Figure 6. The squatting pan is specially made for urine diversion toilets. The squatting pan has three parts, one for urine collection, second for faeces collection and third is for fresh water.

Manure produced through vermi-composting and urine fertilizer can be sold in the local market or to local farmers and awareness can be made that the human waste is not the waste but is a resource. From planning of ecological sanitation system at the village Vidgaon, Jalgaon, it is found that, the villagers were using open defecation system, which is commonly observed all over in rural India. The places are outside of the village and men and women defecation places were at the different locations. As the places are outside, it was the problem in the night time especially for the women in the village. Also, they contracted diseases mainly during the monsoon season. There are cases of rise in waterborne diseases during monsoon season, this may due to the mixing human excreta with the groundwater, which goes to wells. This is avoided after proper sanitation system like EcoSan. REFERENCES

Figure 6 Urine diversion squatting pot

The dimensions provided at ecological sanitation system toilets at village Vidgaon are 940 mm 415 mm 90 mm. The diameter of hole for entry of faecel matter is the maximum and is 180 mm. CONCLUSION A new system of ecological sanitation with vermi-composting is proposed. The cost comparison is done between ecological sanitation system and conventional sanitation system is carried out and from the analysis, it is observed that cost of ecological sanitation system works out to be cheaper with respect to conventional sanitation system. The total over all saving is 10%.

1. Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation, Progress on Drinking Water and Sanitation : Special Focus on Sanitation. WHO/UNISEF, 2008. 2. Ecological Sanitation. Department for Natural Resources and the Environment Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency. 1998. 3. Christine Werner, Heinz-Peter Mang, Florian Klingel and Patrick Bracken. Ecological Sanitation Programme, Division 44 - Environment and Infrastructure. Deutsche Gesellschaft fr Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ), Germany. 4. Site visits in the slums where no sewer connection facility is available. 5. Innovative Ecological Sanitation Network India (IESNI). Training Material on Bio-gas Sanitation Version 1, Ecosan Services Foundation (ESF) and Seecon, Gmbh.

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