Impact of Public Pit Toilet and Its Associated Problem
Chapter One
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The objectives of this study are:
- To systematically review empirical studies of the impacts of pit toilets on the residents of Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State.
- To evaluate public pit toilets siting standard.
- To identify knowledge gaps regarding the potential for and the consequences of public pit toilets on citizens of Nigeria.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
HISTORY OF THE PIT LATRINE TECHNOLOGY
The practice of human excreta disposal in the ground is a simple sanitation solution that has been used for thousands of years. Burying excreta in shallow holes referred to as the cat method and crude forms of pit latrines where horizontal logs were placed across the holes for support during use have been reported. These human excreta disposal solutions did not require any technical construction. Although these technologies are still used in some developing countries, and are better human excreta disposal systems than open defecation, they are unimproved. The danger of contact with the excreta by humans, animals, and vectors of disease transmission plus soil contamination remain high. The historical use of technical pit latrine designs dates to the early 20th century. They were developed and promoted in rural and small communities of present day developed nations to minimise indiscriminate pollution of the environment with human excreta that had resulted in high incidences of diseases. One very important World Health Organisation publication by EG Wagner and JN Lanoix [18] in the late 1905’s details technical data on pit latrines and ways of achieving successful human excreta disposal programs. The basic components of the pit latrine design are a hole dug in the ground in which excreta and anal cleansing material is deposited, a slab with a drop hole that covers the pit and a superstructure for privacy. To date, a number of design incorporations and modifications to the pit latrine have been developed, each targeted to performance improvement, and the socio-economic status of the communities. One such design, the borehole latrine design with small cross-sectional pit diameter (300–500 mm) evolved during the early 20th century in the Dutch East Indies. The basis of this pit latrine design is not documented. However, it was noted that borehole latrines were at times included in kits prepared for disasters as they can be quickly and easily dug . In order to mitigate the odour and insects, a water seal by the goose neck pour flush was developed in Thailand in the 1920’s. Another advanced pit latrine design aimed at addressing odour and insect problems of simple pit latrines is the Reed Odourless Earth Closet (ROEC) developed in South Africa in 1940’s. The use of a simple pit latrine in SSA dates to the 1950’s–1960’s, during the heyday of the disease control campaigns. However, the pit latrine was mainly promoted for use in rural areas . The major health and aesthetic problems associated with pit latrines then were insects (flies and mosquitoes) and odours. To overcome these shortfalls, the ventilated improved pit latrine (VIP), initially called the Blair Latrine, was developed in Zimbabwe in the early 1970’s. Modifications to the VIP made to date include the Kusami Ventilated improved pit (KVIP) in Ghana and the ‘Revised Earth Closet II’ (REC II), also known as the Ventilated Improved Double Pit (VIDP) latrine in Botswana . In an effort to mitigate insect, odour and cost challenges of VIP latrines, another innovation design, the SanPlat was developed in Mozambique in 1979 [28]. Towards the late 1970’s, sanitation and health crises in developing nations were a result of rapid urban population growth and ‘exploding cities’. For instance, up to 70 % of new inhabitants in some African cities were residing in slums and shantytowns without amenities [29] The World Bank thus undertook research with emphasis directed towards low cost sanitation alternatives to sewerage. The results of the research, presented in a series of publications consider pit latrines as appropriate technologies for waste disposal in developing countries . Some pit latrine designs were then recommended as appropriate sanitation technologies for urban areas.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research design
The researcher used descriptive research survey design in building up this project work the choice of this research design was considered appropriate because of its advantages of identifying attributes of a large population from a group of individuals. The design was suitable for the study as the study sought impact of public pit toilet and its associated problem
Sources of data collection
Data were collected from two main sources namely:
(i)Primary source and
(ii)Secondary source
Primary source:
These are materials of statistical investigation which were collected by the research for a particular purpose. They can be obtained through a survey, observation questionnaire or as experiment; the researcher has adopted the questionnaire method for this study.
Secondary source:
These are data from textbook Journal handset etc. they arise as byproducts of the same other purposes. Example administration, various other unpublished works and write ups were also used.
Population of the study
Population of a study is a group of persons or aggregate items, things the researcher is interested in getting information impact of public pit toilet and its associated problem. 200 staff of Udi local government of Enugu state was selected randomly by the researcher as the population of the study.
Sample and sampling procedure
Sample is the set people or items which constitute part of a given population sampling. Due to large size of the target population, the researcher used the Taro Yamani formula to arrive at the sample population of the study.
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION ANALYSIS INTERPRETATION OF DATA
Introduction
Efforts will be made at this stage to present, analyze and interpret the data collected during the field survey. This presentation will be based on the responses from the completed questionnaires. The result of this exercise will be summarized in tabular forms for easy references and analysis. It will also show answers to questions relating to the research questions for this research study. The researcher employed simple percentage in the analysis.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was to ascertain impact of public pit toilet and its associated problem. In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations made which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefits in addressing the challenges of public pit toilet and its associated problem
Summary
This study was on impact of public pit toilet and its associated problem. Three objectives were raised which included: To systematically review empirical studies of the impacts of pit toilets on the residents of Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State, to evaluate public pit toilets siting standard, to identify knowledge gaps regarding the potential for and the consequences of public pit toilets on citizens of Nigeria . In line with these objectives, two research hypotheses were formulated and two null hypotheses were posited. The total population for the study is 200 staff of Udi local government area of Enugu state. The researcher used questionnaires as the instrument for the data collection. Descriptive Survey research design was adopted for this study. A total of 133 respondents made heads of department, counselors, senior staff and junior officers were used for the study. The data collected were presented in tables and analyzed using simple percentages and frequencies
Conclusion
The sanitation coverage values for Udi local government of Enugu state and other developing countries are low, but still people living there need to respond to the call of nature every day. Inadequate sanitation or lack of access to proper sanitation poses a great threat to human health, taking a heavy death toll especially on children and degrades the environment, especially its aesthetic quality. Provision of public toilets in urban areas of low-income countries is, therefore, an important activity in the field of community health and environmental sanitation.
Recommendation
In addition, the paper recommends strict enforcement of by-laws by the Nigeria codes to ensure that house owners provide household toilet facilities, and monitoring of public toilet operators to ensure regular cleaning of the facilities as well as fee regulation. Again, the Municipal Assembly should consider providing more public toilet facilities, preferably using the flush system, especially in the newly developing areas of the town to meet the needs of the increasing population.
REFERENCES
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- Ayee, J. and Crook R. (2003). “Toilet wars”: urban sanitation services and the politics of public-private partnerships in Ghana. IDS Working Paper 213. Institute of Development Studies, Brighton, Sussex BN1 9RE England
- Benneh, G., Songsore, J., Nabila, J.S., Amuzu, A.T., Tutu, K.A., Yangyuoru, Y. and McGranahan, G. (1993). Environmental Problems and the Urban Household in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA) – Ghana. Stockholm: Stockholm Environment Institute. Ghana Journal of Geography Vol. 5, 2013 30
- Community Water and Sanitation Agency (2010). Water and Sanitation Manual. Accra: Community Water and Sanitation Agency.
- Drangert, O. J., and Greed C. (2010). Sustainable Sanitation for the 21st Century: Public “away from home” Toilets. www.sustainablesanitation.info/upload/5.2_Public-toilets_2010- 09-07.pdf Retrieved: March 28th 2013.
- Ghana Statistical Service (2008). Ghana Living Standards Survey, Fifth Round Report (GLSS5). Accra: Ghana Statistical Service.
- Ghana Statistical Service (2012). Ghana Population and Housing Census 2010. Accra: Ghana Statistical Service.
- Ghanaian Daily Graphic (2009). Many homes have no toilet facilities –CWSA. Published on October 13, 2009.
- Greed, C. (2006). “The Role of the Public Toilets: Pathogen Transmitter or Health Facilitator?” Building Services Engineering Research and Technology, Vol. 27, No. 2: 127-139.
