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Building Resilient Sanitation Systems in Malawi: Pit-latrine Costs, Collapse, and Management

Building Resilient Sanitation Systems in Malawi: Pit-latrine Costs, Collapse, and Management

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Authors

Rebekah Hinton , Modesta Banda Kanjaye, Christopher Macleod, Mads Troldborg, Robert Kalin

Abstract

Despite widespread access to basic sanitation in Malawi, over 75% of the population lacks improved sanitation facilities. This national study investigates the resilience of pit-latrines across Malawi, focusing on the relationship between construction quality, facility lifespan, and collapse frequency. A survey of 268,000 pit-latrines revealed that high-quality latrines (lined and with a slab) collapse three times less frequently than low-quality latrines and last significantly longer. However, cost barriers remain substantial, with high-quality latrines costing five times more than low-quality facilities. Even when accounting for their extend...  more

DOI

https://doi.org/10.31223/X5MD9J

Subjects

Engineering

Keywords

sanitation, open defecation, climate change, resilience, circular economy, water quality, pit-latrine emptying

Dates

Published: 2024-10-19 12:49

Last Updated: 2024-10-19 19:49

License

CC BY Attribution 4.0 International

Additional Metadata

Conflict of interest statement:
Modesta Kanjaye is Director of Sanitation and Hygiene, Ministry of Water and Sanitation, Government of Malawi

Data Availability (Reason not available):
Data is available on request