1. Examples of successful implementation
of Water and Sanitation projects in
EECCA region
Bistra Mihaylova,WECF
Ljubljana, 4-5 April 2014

2. Outline
• Who is WECF
• Ecological sanitation in Rural schools in EECCA
• Implemented projects in EECCA
• WHO – Tools for the implementation of WSP/The WSSP
Compendium
• Policy and other activities

3. International network: 150 Member organisations in 50
countries
3 Offices : The Netherlands, Germany and France
Our mission is: working for a Healthy environment for all
Our overall goal is: Achieving an Equitable and Sustainable
Future
WECF: a Non-Governmental non-profit
international organisation

4. Our policy work at national, European, UN and international
level brings women’s perspectives to policy makers.
WECF works on 5 key issues
• Safe Chemicals for all
• Safe Energy for all
• Safe Food for all
• Safe Water and Sanitation for all
• Gender and Human Rights
WECF: a Non-Governmental non-profit
international organisation

5. As 2.6 billion people around the world still lack basic
sanitation and 900 million lack access to clean drinking water,
the MDG 7 target to halve the number by 2015 is unlikely to
be met. Worldwide, lack of safe sanitation and water cause
1.4 million preventable deaths every year, mostly among
children under 5.
Even in the European Union, more than 20 million citizens still
lack safe sanitation.
Water and Sanitation

6. 6
From 2002 to 013
1000 individual UDDT
52 UDDT in Schools

7. School toilets in rural areas
• Far away
• Smelly, flies
• No toilet paper
• No hand-washing nearby
• No privacy, no waste-bins
• Groundwater pollution

8. How to improve the situation?
Why should we mix what
Nature did separate?

9. More than 50 rural school toilet-buildings in
10 countries since 2003
• 16.000 pupils and teachers using UDDT
• Total direct cost per user: 37 euro (average)

10. First outdoor UDD school Toilet for 200 pupils in
Romania: 10 years in use
Trainings
Construction
Urine storage

11. Indoor school toilet for 350 pupils and teachers in
Armenia
Waterless urinals at different
heights Urine storage tanks in the
basement
Built by AWHHE
Quelque Chose architects
and TUHH
Wash basins and the toilet caretaker

12. School and kindergarten UDD toilet in Kyrgyzstan
Realised by Unison, Alga, WECF
Realised by KAWS, WECF

13. School UDD toilet in Tajikistan
Realised by ASDPNau, WECF

14. All school toilet buildings use Dry Urine
Diversion Systems
Because in target villages:
• No central water supply to flush
• No central sewage system
Benefits:
• More hygienic
• No smell - can be indoor (climate!)
• Re-use of nutrients
• Drinking water source protection

15. Girls very satisfied
satisfied
neither satisfied nor
dissatisfied
dissatisfied
very dissatisfied
Boys
Girls very satisfied
satisfied
neither satisfied nor
dissatisfied
dissatisfied
very dissatisfied
Boys
In Central Asia
In Eastern Europe and the Caucasus
Impact Assessment Study
Reference Schools:
„Are you satisfied with the school toilet?“

16. In Central Asia
In Eastern Europe and the Caucasus
Ecosan Schools:
„Are you satisfied with the school toilet?“
Girls very satisfied
satisfied
neither
satisfied nor
dissatisfied
Boys
Girls very satisfied
satisfied
neither
satisfied nor
dissatisfied
Boys

17. Results
• No significant difference between boys and girls
• Intervention with ecosan led to an average decrease in
absenteeism of 42% - needs more data!
• Good acceptance of school toilets can be translated into
sanitation conditions providing comfort, cleanliness and
privacy.
• Girls benefit more from the intervention as they suffer more
than boys from the inadequate sanitation

18. Individual UDD toilets in the EECCA region

19. Project in Kyrgyzstan
Improving sanitation standards in the household,
providing organic fertiliser and protecting groundwater
resources

20. Producing solar dried fruits which can be
eaten and sold around the year

21. Gender Trainings in the Villages
Involving women and men
Raising awareness about gender, roles of
men/women and stereo types

22. Constructed Wetland in Bulgaria
In an Home for Children with mental retardation in Vidrare
Pravets Municipality
Planning for Vidrare -the wetland in planned for 100 p.e., 67 people personal
on shifts, 266m2.

23. Constructed wetland in Vidrare,Bulgaria
Vertical constructed wetland

24. Constructed Wetland in Bulgaria
Placing the rubber isolation Discussion with the constr. company
Open lecture for stakeholders

25. Constructed Wetland in Bulgaria
Pre-treatment settling tank Placing the drainage pipes

26. 26
Constructed wetland in Bulgaria
Inauguration of the facility

27. Water Safety Plans – WSP
Initiated in 2004 by the World Health Organisation (WHO)
and International Water Association (IWA)
WSP can be developed from small and large scale drinking
and sanitation water systems
The principles of safety plans can be transferred to other
systems such as rainwater, wastewater, surface waters or
sanitation systems
Water Safety Plans

28. WHO tools for WSP for water operators
• Water Safety Plan manual (2008)
Step by step risk management for drinking water supplies – 11 modules
http://www.wsportal.org/ibis/water-safety-portal/eng/home
• Excel based “WSP Quality Assuarance“ Tool + user manual (2009)
http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/publications/wsp_qa_tool/en/index.html
• Water Safety Planning for Small Community Water Supplies (2012)
Step by step risk management for Small Community Water Supplies
http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/publications/2012/water_supplies/en/index.html
• Water Safety plan: a field guide to improving drinking water safety
in small communities, WHO (2014)
http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/243787/Water-safety-plan-Eng.pdf

29. 29
• The Compendium consists of 3 parts (A, B and C) with modules with background information and
working materials for developing WSSP for small scale water systems – including sanitation (WSSP
Compendium)
• Part A, consists of 8 modules, explaining the approach of developing water and sanitation safety
plans (WSSP) for small-scale water supplies, and provides basic and practical guidance for
developing a WSSP.
• Part B, consists of 8 modules, providing technical and regulatory information on for example
possible drinking water sources.
• Part C, consists of 6 modules, and is an additional part, prepared especially for youth and schools.
• Target groups: Schools, youth groups, water operators and national/local authorities
• Authors: WECF and partners
• Publication received financial support of German
• Environmental Foundation DBU.
WSSP practical tool for improving public health situation -
small scale water supply and sanitation systems
Providing structural and background information

30. 30
Schools and Community mobilisation for Safe water
Since 2008 WSP projects in cooperation with schools - 35 schools in 8 countries in EECCA))
• Testing water quality (nitrate,
turbidity, pH)
• Risk assessment of the environment
and water sources
• Cooperation with
authorities/stakeholders
• Communication and dissemination
• Awareness raising
• Planning and taking actions

31. Policy and Other Activities
• Promoting Water and Sanitation Safety plans
- WSP Compendium included in the WHO WSPortal
current DBU project in Romania and Macedonia
- Adaptation WSSP compendium to target group authorities small communities
• Supporting European Citizens Initiative – water and sanitation is a Human Right
• Supporting UNICEF initiative – Raising clean hands
• Civil society representation under the Protocol on Water and Health
– Working group “Water and Health”
– Co leading 3-Year Programme on “Small scale water supply and sanitation”
– Working group on equitable access

32. Policy and Other Activities
• EWA program in KYR: lobbying for improving WASH in the country with a gender
focus
• Temporary advisor for WHO
– Elimination of soil transmitted helminths in the EURO region
– Monitoring WASH in schools
• German WASH network and Coalition Eau: lobbying for WASH as sustainable
fundament for sustainable development
• Co-organiser of the Terra Preta Sanitation conference in August 2013 in Hamburg
• Lobbying for sustainable sanitation through SuSanA

33. Thank you