Low Cost Home Toilets to Prevent Open Defecation

-


http://www.nation.co.ke/lifestyle/DN2/The-indignity-of-open-defecation-in-the-21st-century/-/957860/2659386/-/9o4ot5/-/index.html
Defecation in open is widely prevalent in poorer parts of the world. It leads to inconvenience, torture of making their way to a distant field for sick and aged,  pollution of water bodies, several health problems and security issues particularly for women. There have been cases of women venturing out alone in the dark to ease themselves that have been way laid by a gang, raped and even murdered in the worst of cases. Presently an active program is underway in India led by the Narendra Modi Government to eradicate this practice through the building of squat flush toilets at homes across rural India.

The government offers financial help for the purpose. However in talking to villagers, this author discovered that villagers are spending much more than the assistance provided and this is slowing down the program. Huge expenditure is being incurred because of lack of knowledge and greed of contractors and masons who construct these toilets. This note is written with an intention to provide a low cost solution.

The largest part of the expenditure was being incurred by villagers in construction of septic tanks. Many were constructing tanks that were far too huge, in fact sufficient for an entire primary school rather than just a home. The large septic tanks required masonry work on sides to prevent the pits from collapsing and an expensive cover that added to costs that ran into tens of thousands of rupees for some.

This note describes a septic tank that is easily constructed within a day at home at a cost of approximately six hundred rupees only. It is an improved version of the septic drain described in an earlier note of this blog. It is simple to construct and does not require a mason. Any adult family member may construct it within a day. Because of its size and depth there is no danger of a child falling in to the pit and dying in case it collapses and also of any adult that might die in a large pit if they enter for cleaning. Exposure to methane gas in septic pits leads to swift death and many such cases are reported in media from time to time.

The Improved Septic drain:



The improved septic drain is a pit of length six feet that is 2 feet and 3 inches deep with a width of 1 foot and 3 inches covered by three stone or concrete slabs of size 2 feet by 2 feet. This size is sufficient for a family of six members not requiring cleaning more than once a year. The layout of the toilet of size 4’ x 4’ and the pit is shown in the figure above.

Materials required

15 kg Cement
15 bricks
3 square stone or concrete slabs of size 2’ x 2’

A cost of 150 rupees per stone slab has been assumed here (the current cost of Kota Stone slabs of size 2’ x 2’ and 1 inch thick ) leading to expenditure of 450 rupees. The total cost of the rest of listed materials would be under six hundred rupees. No other materials are required except a third of a bucket of sand if available; otherwise soil may be used to prepare the mortar for jointing.

Steps of Construction


Steps of construction are summarized in the figure above. This note provides further explanation

Step 1

At a distance of about two feet behind the toilet, wet the ground and mark out a rectangular area of size 2’ by 6’ feet with a sharp object. A long straight edge and some care are required here to try and ensure a perfect rectangle. Measure the diagonals to see they are equal. An inverted bed placed on ground can be used as a guide.

Next scrape out the soil from this rectangular area to a depth of six inches. Ensure sides are neat and vertical. In case they break a wet mud plaster may be used to repair and straighten them.


Step 2

Wet the ground and in the central portion of this scraped ground mark out a rectangular area of 1’ 3’’wide along the six foot length. This comes from leaving 4.5 inches on each side (the width of a standard brick). Now begin scraping out the soils from this central area with a sharp spade slowly, wetting the ground from time to time, to a depth of two feet. Once again if edges break, finish them with mud plaster.

Next make the pipe connection of the pit with the toilet. A four feet long, 3’ dia plastic pipe or cement pipe should be more than sufficient. See that the outlet of the pipe is a few inches below the top of the two feet deep pit and ensure that there is a gentle slope from toilet to pit. Once again finish off any breakage with mud plaster.

Step 3

Now on the four and a half inch wide sides put a little sand and cement mortar and place on it a single layer of bricks on the sides. Seven and a half bricks will be required on each side with a little space in joints to cover the six foot length. If bricks are not available this step can be skipped but adding the bricks will increase life of pit. About five kilograms of cement would suffice for the purpose.

Set aside a kilo of cement from the remaining ten kilograms and make a thick solution of the rest in water. Pour this with a mug on the sides of the two feet deep mud pit to line it with a cement solution. Some cement will flow to the bottom of the pit. Scrape it out and keep aside.

Now at the bottom of the pit throw in some broken brick rubble of size smaller than three inches and about a kilogram of chopped potatoes. If potatoes are rotting all the better. The potatoes help speed development of anaerobic bacteria that digest sewage later and reduce the time a foul smell will emanate from the tank. Septic tanks emit a foul smell for a few weeks after usage begins. Adding a gas pipe does not help to eliminate it. However after this initial period the tank shall function for decades without emitting any foul smell.

Next cover the pit with the three stone slabs. These will rest on the bricks on sides. Let the cement on the bricks set before placing these slabs or place some folded newspaper on them otherwise the slabs will stick when cement sets and it would not be possible to remove them later for cleaning or repairs. Finally cover the stone slabs and bricks with soil to bring the ground up to grade level or higher as a slightly raised mound so that the area is marked and heavy activity prevented over it. Any gaps in the joints of slabs may be filled with a cement (from the remaining kilo of cement) and mud mortar in ratio of 10:1. Do not use sand for mortar or it may become too strong for removing slabs later at time of cleaning.

Grass can be grown on top of the pit and plants like grape wines on the sides will grow well without watering or fertilization.

When the septic drain gets filled up as will be revealed if water from the toilet does not flow, the soil can be scraped, one of the stone slabs removed (the one furthest from inlet) and the compost taken out with spade for use in farms. Depending on usage this may be once a year or once in several years.

Comments

Ashok said…
In some areas where stone slabs are not available wooden pieces may be used to cover the drain if the area is not infested with termites.
January 21, 2018 at 10:36:00 PM PST
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

An Exhaustive Review of WriterBay.Com - My Experience

-
R ecently, through a Google search, I discovered WriterBay.Com. It is an online website that provides help to anyone who might wish a written report on just about any topic, for a fee. It also provides freelance online work to anyone who may wish to undertake such work. I applied to this website and have been with them for about a week at the time of writing this review. This review is based on my experience with them in this period. Before writing this post, I grappled with the question if I should write a review at all because it has criticism. However, I decided in favor writing it so that it would help huge number of persons who scout for freelance online work as well as numerous students that approach this website for help. My criticism is a constructive one with suggestions for improvements. If Writer Bay took it in this light, this report shall help them to reinvent themselves into a productive outfit that helps the world rather than the other way around and the
Read more

Possible scientific reason why water of River Ganges does not spoil

-
   River Ganges in Rishikesh F or long those living in the shadows of Himalayas have heard and experienced that harmful microbes do not survive in the water of Ma Ganga or River Ganges and that water brought from the Ganges and stored at home does not spoil. This was even more true in earlier times when there were fewer dams and pollution on the river to change its quality in drastic ways. Could there be a scientific reason for that? The possible scientific reason is that some of the dissolved minerals in this water are silver (perhaps also copper). It would exist in the ores that lie in it path in the Himalayas and silver even in very microscopic quantities does that as proven by recent scientific studies. The principle is employed in some municipal towns in Mexico of ridding municipal supply of dangerous bacteria. See this note in a companion blog on silver and these studies, http://someitemshave.blogspot.in/2015/06/antibiotic-of-gods-silver.html In some plac
Read more

Era of Inequality since 1985 – Causes and solutions

-
From: https://agenda.weforum.org/2015/01/the-key-factor-behind-the-rise-in-income-inequality/ from https://agenda.weforum.org/2015/01/the-key-factor-behind-the-rise-in-income-inequality/ A recent excellent article by Scott Bixby at the World Economic Forum has brought out some startling facts about the world economy, led by the US.   The data is illustrated in two graphs, repeated here for discussion. The graphs show that an era that may be termed the era of economic exploitation, an era in which the rich get richer while the poor get nowhere or poorer began in 1980. It is an era of rising inequalities. The trend appears to have begun with the richest 0.1 percent in 1980 and then spread on to the 1 percent by 1985. For some reason that is not fully clear or merely coincidental this era of inequality has begun around the time of creation of the World Economic Forum and its meets in Davos. Perhaps the forum provides for a sharing of techniques or a
Read more

On Revival of Soma plant of Rig Veda

-
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Path_between_sugar_canes_%285216462193%29.jpg Similar Document also available for view or download at: https://www.scribd.com/doc/290825034/On-Revival-of-Soma-plant-of-Rig-Veda Abstract An ancient plant was described as a god amongst plants in the Rig Veda, an ancient sacred text of Indo-Aryans. The proper identification of this plant has been lost to mankind since ancient times. Scholars have made several diverse attempts to identify what this plant might be but none of the proposals come near the original Soma plant. In the present note a possible identification of this plant is made with a likely extinct variety of a sugar cane plant. It is suggested how an existing varieties may be genetically modified to yield a variety close to original Soma 1. Introduction There was a plant of earth that grew around the Himalayas known as Soma. It was regarded by ancient Indo-Aryans as godly plant. Ancient Indo-Aryans
Read more

Hemp, a possible wonder crop for food, fodder, bio-fuel, paper and more

-
Image Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:La_Roche_Jagu_chanvre_1.JPG P rior to nineteen thirties, hemp plant was grown widely in the world as a profitable crop. In the years since, it seems, because of other competing commercial interests and banning of cannabis, the shorter cousin of hemp under false propaganda perhaps with a motive of profit for some, this plant too is not as widely used. Now that it has been discovered through modern science that the propaganda was false its re-legalization has begun in the world, various countries where climate is suitable for its growth must re-examine this crop. It may turn to be a highly profitable and useful crop because of its use for bio-fuels, food, fodder and paper pulp. Hemp does not contain as much of  intoxicating chemicals that cannabis does. Hemp produces most biomass of any crop, which is why it is a natural choice for an energy crop. Hemp converts Sun’s energy into cellulose faster than any other plant, through
Read more

Some FAQS about city water supply that must be known

-
Q. Will our cities become short of water with expansion? As cities expand a greater pressure is being put on water resources required to meet the needs of urban populations in cities around the world. There is a need to maintain adequate water supply as well as the quality of the water supplied so that health of urban dwellers does not deteriorate. It must be remembered that water for the most part is not destroyed by use. With proper recycling and management, urban dwellers need not suffer water shortage. This point needs to be highlighted before we proceed, With proper management and recycling, urban areas can avoid shortages and poor quality of water Q. What is the proper and inexpensive way to recycle water? There is a proper way to recycle water and an improper way. The proper way mimics natural processes through which water has been recycled on land for millions of year, which is collecting it in ponds where an initial purification takes place by aerobic and anaero
Read more

Postmodern Designer Villages

-
This note is useful for developed as well as progressive developing countries How to take farm lands to town and generate sustainable green employment and create shelters for the homeless, unaccompanied minors, employment for the unemployed and a resort for the aged too. A Postmodern designer Village S everal developed and even some of the developing economies are undergoing a change, leading to a loss in manufacturing jobs and employment opportunities. It has been proposed that some new jobs in future could come from a return to land and undertaking modern agricultural activities on it. Certainly a rural setting does offer a much healthier and greener environment compared to traffic and concrete filled modern cities. However in the traditional rural setting other difficulties arise that can make life and living difficult especially for those who have not been used to that from childhood. Traditional rural agricultural areas are primarily of two types. On
Read more

Three Effects of Deforestation on Climate Change

-
Widespread deforestation has taken place on the planet over the last century due to human activity. While this deforestation affects the planet and all life that dwells upon it in numerous ways, this note mentions three effects on climate change that includes climate extremes 1. Atmospheric Turbulence The greater the atmospheric turbulence, greater are the chances of unexpected climatic phenomenon i.e. climate extremes. Winds move over the surface of earth in what scientists call as atmospheric boundary layers. It is well known phenomenon in turbulence science that turbulence in such boundary layers is damped when roughness exists on the surface. Forests with tall trees are one such roughness. Therefore the fewer the forests on land the greater the atmospheric turbulence and greater the chances of climate extremes. 2. Evaporation from Trees Evaporation from tree leaves absorbs the sun’s heat that falls on the planet. It is for this reason, during day ho
Read more

Maha Shivaratri

-
May the Lord known as Shiva bless all mankind today on the auspicious occassion of Maha Shivarari. Just returning from a visit to a Shiva temple and the fair outside it. Picked up a lot of things needed at home as shown in the picture. Everything was at prices much lower than in stores, about a third. They are indeed gifts from the Lord.
Read more

Need For Dehydrating Onions and other Vegetables in India

-
NOTE: The present note emerged as a result of educational initiatives to reduce hunger and malnutrition in India by https://facebook.com/ohmm11 Scroll towards end for curry and cocktail recipes V egetable prices tend to fluctuate widely in India depending upon season and climate and when prices of essential vegetables like onions, tomatoes and potatoes suddenly shoot up they result in great stress on most households. On the other hand, in some seasons there is a glut and farmers are forced to destroy vegetables. A similar situation prevails in several other countries around the world leading to expensive vegetables in some seasons and wastage in others. This note is therefore relevant for almost all countries. Food processing has been suggested as a means to avoid wastage and reduce price fluctuations. However, while some food processing does not produce very healthy food, particularly when it involves much process and addition of chemicals, the simplest form of foo
Read more