Off-site sanitation
- Slovak term: Slovenský termín
- System of sanitation where excreta are removed from the plot occupied by the dwelling and its immediate surroundings (WHO 2006).
- Off-site sanitation consists of an authority’s sewer network and a centralised waste water treatment and disposal plant. It can also include the manual transportation or removal of waste from onsite sanitary retention vaults (BGR 2005).
Explanation
Off-site sanitation is normally a water based sewerage system, where the effluent is removed from the site by gravity drains and a conventional sewer network, to a place where it can be safely treated. This system is effective where high population densities exist. This system has advantages and disadvantages,
Advantages.
- Efficient and safe removal of organic matter, nutrients and pathogen bacteria.
- It can be adapted to high population urban areas.
- It can be managed with good control of the system.
Disadvantages
- It has a high cost of construction.
- It requires highly skilled personnel to construct and maintain the system.
- It has a high water demand.
- It has a high energy demand (BGR 2005).
Example
Off-site sanitation is where the onsite waste water and sanitary activities in a building are removed by plumbing fixtures connected to a building drain, which then discharges off site to an authority’s sewer network (WHO 2006).
This sewer network transports the sewerage matter usually long distances by a combination of gravity and pumping, to a treatment plant for safe treatment and disposal or reuse (BGR 2005).
References
- WHO (2006) Guidelines for the safe use of wastewater, excreta and greywater
- Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe (BGR) (2005) General options for ground water protection. Kabul Water Conference and Workshop August 2-3, 2005
