Page 24 - SDG Report

INNOVATIVE SANITATION SOLUTIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Durban, like most cities in developing countries, is recognised as a water-scarce city. A significant portion of the city’s conventional bulk sanitation service infrastructure is old and cannot meet the rising demand for new housing developments or informal settlement upgrades. Consequently, a portion of the city’s population remains unserved as all these challenges continue to stifle the provision and access to affordable basic water and sanitation services The eThekwini Water and Sanitation (EWS) unit has progressively demonstrated and managed to incorporate innovative methods through international and national research collaborations and partnerships.
The Engineering Field Testing Platform (EFTP) is a research and product development collaboration between the municipality, academia and private sector partners. The EFTP provides the infrastructure required to allow the testing of various reinvented toilet technologies to take place within eThekwini Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal. The eThekwini Water and Sanitation (EWS) unit has progressively demonstrated and managed to support the EFTP process through well-established international and national research collaborations and partnerships with organisations such as the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s WASH R&D Centre; Khanyisa Projects; the Water Research Commission; and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
As of May 2019, this platform has 10 technology developers who are currently testing or are confirmed to test, 15 prototypes across 23 testing sites before the end of 2020. Of the 15 prototypes, six are designed for use in a household setting, seven are designed for use in a community setting, and two can be scaled to be used at household or community scale. Seven of the prototypes are treatment systems that can be linked to existing pedestals, five integrate a pedestal and treatment system, and three are innovative pedestal designs. Of the treatment systems, eight aim to recycle flush water, five aim to operate without an electrical connection, two intend to generate energy from waste and three aim to capture nutrients for reuse.
The EFTP provides the infrastructure required to allow the testing of various reinvented toilet technologies to take place within eThekwini Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal.
22 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS GOOD PRACTICE