Shit Flow Diagram (SFD)

A first step towards providing adequate sanitation services in urban areas is to monitor the sanitation service chain, to identify its strengths and weaknesses, from containment, including emptying, transport, treatment and safe disposal or resource recovery. An excreta flow diagram (also often described as shit flow diagram, SFD) is a tool to readily understand and communicate how excreta physically flows through a city or town. SFDs offer a new and innovative way to engage sanitation experts, political leaders and civil society in coordinated discussions about excreta management in their city and identify gaps and problem areas. The SFD can form a sound initial basis for planning investments to achieve citywide inclusive sanitation.