Standards Along the Sanitation Service Chain

Key Actions

• Be aware of local legislation and adhere to it. Often legislation exists for only part of the sanitation chain (e.g. treatment of the liquid fraction); other standards may be required for the missing parts of the chain
• Coordinate with humanitarian partners to ensure that the Sphere standards (Sphere 2018) are used as a minimum as well as the Sanitation Quality Standards For Emergencies (FSM TWiG) when required
• Read, understand and discuss the applicability of the full text of the Sphere and Sanitation Quality Standards for Emergencies with all involved actors
• Use the agreed standards to inform the actions and targets in Strategies and Operational Plans

Relevance/Importance

The provision of safe sanitation facilities and services is part of the basic conditions for life with dignity for people affected by a crisis. Badly implemented sanitation facilities and services can create health and safety risks for their users. Unsafe sanitation services often cause environmental pollution.

Minimum standards guide WASH practitioners in planning, coordinating, delivering and evaluating humanitarian sanitation activities that are well-implemented and founded on safe practices. The standards can be used to support coordination and inform Management and Operational Plans and Response Monitoring.

Overview

National Legislation

In every humanitarian context, the laws and regulations of local government are foremost and should be respected. The legislation that is likely to affect sanitation services includes environmental legislation relating to water quality standards, limits on the discharge of waste streams into the environment, legislation on institutional powers and responsibilities, sanitation codes, standards and guidelines and licensing requirements for operators (Tayler, 2016). Often, national legislation only exists for some parts of the sanitation service chainSanitation Service ChainA Sanitation Service Chain - sometimes also referred to as Sanitation Value Chain - is defined as the combination of technologies and services that in combination manage sanitation products from their point of generation to the point of reuse or disposal. The hardware part of…. For example, in some countries, effluentEffluentGeneral term for a liquid that leaves a technology, typically after blackwater or sludge has undergone solids separation or some other type of treatment. Effluent originates at either a collection and storage or a (semi-) centralised treatment technology. Depending on the type… discharge standards exist for liquid treated faecal sludgeSludgeMixture of solids and liquids, containing mostly excreta and water, in combination with sand, grit, metals, trash and/or various chemical compounds. A distinction can be made between faecal sludge and wastewater sludge. Faecal sludge comes from on-site sanitation technologies,… but do not exist for the solid element of the treated faecal sludgeSludgeMixture of solids and liquids, containing mostly excreta and water, in combination with sand, grit, metals, trash and/or various chemical compounds. A distinction can be made between faecal sludge and wastewater sludge. Faecal sludge comes from on-site sanitation technologies,…. Unfortunately, existing legislation is not always actively enforced (Tayler, 2016).

The Sphere Standards (Sphere Association 2018)

In the absence of local standards, the Sphere standards are the most commonly used and globally recognised set of standards. They are the product of extensive inter-agency collaboration. The use of the Sphere standards is not legally binding but supports humanitarian actors to ensure quality, coordination and accountabilityAccountabilityThe obligation to demonstrate that work has been conducted in compliance with agreed rules and standards. Sphere describes accountability as the process of using power responsibly, taking account of and being held accountable by different stakeholders and primarily those who are…. They include minimum standards for Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH). Most of the relevant standards for the sanitation service chainSanitation Service ChainA Sanitation Service Chain - sometimes also referred to as Sanitation Value Chain - is defined as the combination of technologies and services that in combination manage sanitation products from their point of generation to the point of reuse or disposal. The hardware part of… are the standards listed under ‘ExcretaExcretaRefers to human excrements consisting of urine and faeces. management':

ExcretaExcretaRefers to human excrements consisting of urine and faeces. management standard 3.1: Environment free from human excretaExcretaRefers to human excrements consisting of urine and faeces.

• There are no human faecesFaecesRefers to (semi-solid) excrement that is not mixed with urine or water. Depending on diet, each person produces approximately 50–150 kg per year of faecal matter of which about 80 % is water and the remaining solid fraction is mostly composed of organic material. Of the total… present in the environment in which people live, learn and work
• All excretaExcretaRefers to human excrements consisting of urine and faeces. containment facilities are sited appropriately and are an adequate distance from any surface or groundwaterGroundwaterWater that is located beneath the earth’s surface. source

ExcretaExcretaRefers to human excrements consisting of urine and faeces. management standard 3.2: Access to and use of toilets

• Ratio of shared toilets: minimum 1 per 20 people
• Distance between dwelling and shared toiletToiletA sanitation facility (or ‘user interface’) used for urination and defecation. Often interchangeably referred to as latrine.: maximum 50 meters
• Percentage of toilets that have internal locks and adequate lighting
• Percentage of toilets reported as safe by women and girls
• Percentage of women and girls satisfied with the menstrual hygiene managementMenstrual Hygiene ManagementMenstrual Hygiene Management includes the provision of adequate, appropriate and quality menstrual supplies, access to sanitation facilities to manage menstruation and access to information and education on menstruation. options at toilets they regularly use

ExcretaExcretaRefers to human excrements consisting of urine and faeces. Management Standard 3.3: Management and maintenance of excretaExcretaRefers to human excrements consisting of urine and faeces. collection, transport, disposal and treatment

• All human excretaExcretaRefers to human excrements consisting of urine and faeces. is disposed of in a manner safe to public health and the environment

As described in Technology Identification, a phased approach is recommended. Immediately after a crisis, the focus is on controlling open defecationOpen DefecationPractice of defecating outside in the open environment. through shared latrines. Later, household latrines are advocated. In addition to providing a sufficient number of safe shared toilets, the focus should be to ensure that these facilities also correspond to the needs. Inclusive Planning and Participation addresses the importance of inclusive access to ensure that people’s needs are met. Standards should be established for the safe and sustainable emptying, transport, treatment and long-term operation and maintenanceOperation and MaintenanceRoutine or periodic tasks required to keep a sanitation process or system functioning according to performance requirements and to prevent delays, repairs or downtime. of the system as early as possible. Standards related to handwashing and menstrual hygiene managementMenstrual Hygiene ManagementMenstrual Hygiene Management includes the provision of adequate, appropriate and quality menstrual supplies, access to sanitation facilities to manage menstruation and access to information and education on menstruation. can be found under Hygiene Promotion.

Sanitation Quality Standards for Emergencies (FSM TWiG 2021)

Supplementary to the Sphere standards, the FSM TWiG has taken the initiative to create sanitation quality standards for emergencies. These standards address the gaps identified in Sphere’s coverage of the full sanitation service chainSanitation Service ChainA Sanitation Service Chain - sometimes also referred to as Sanitation Value Chain - is defined as the combination of technologies and services that in combination manage sanitation products from their point of generation to the point of reuse or disposal. The hardware part of… and focus on each step of the chain, i.e. not only the toiletToiletA sanitation facility (or ‘user interface’) used for urination and defecation. Often interchangeably referred to as latrine./latrineLatrineA sanitation facility used for urination and defecation including a 'user interface' and an 'onsite storage pit'. Often interchangeably referred to as toilet. but also the different types of containment, the emptying and transport, disposal and potential reuseReuseUse of recycled water or other sanitation products. of faecal sludgeSludgeMixture of solids and liquids, containing mostly excreta and water, in combination with sand, grit, metals, trash and/or various chemical compounds. A distinction can be made between faecal sludge and wastewater sludge. Faecal sludge comes from on-site sanitation technologies,…. There are two standards:

• (1) Environment free from human excretaExcretaRefers to human excrements consisting of urine and faeces.: absence of human faecesFaecesRefers to (semi-solid) excrement that is not mixed with urine or water. Depending on diet, each person produces approximately 50–150 kg per year of faecal matter of which about 80 % is water and the remaining solid fraction is mostly composed of organic material. Of the total… in the environment where people live, learn or work.
• (2) Access is provided to safe sanitation systems: accessibility, distance to water sources, design, health risks for workers, desludgingDesludgingThe process of removing the accumulated sludge from a storage or treatment facility., transportation, treatment and disposal.

The aim of the FSM TWiG is for the standards to be incorporated in the next edition of the Sphere Handbook.

Synergies with Site PlanningSite PlanningSite planning (or settlement) planning is the process by which the spatial allocation of land is decided in support of the protection, access to basic services, livelihoods, and socio-cultural life of displaced people and the host community. For sustainable sanitation service…

Any standards are best applied early, e.g. during Site Planning.

ReuseReuseUse of recycled water or other sanitation products. of Treated Faecal SludgeSludgeMixture of solids and liquids, containing mostly excreta and water, in combination with sand, grit, metals, trash and/or various chemical compounds. A distinction can be made between faecal sludge and wastewater sludge. Faecal sludge comes from on-site sanitation technologies,…

If there is a demand, effluentEffluentGeneral term for a liquid that leaves a technology, typically after blackwater or sludge has undergone solids separation or some other type of treatment. Effluent originates at either a collection and storage or a (semi-) centralised treatment technology. Depending on the type… or sludgeSludgeMixture of solids and liquids, containing mostly excreta and water, in combination with sand, grit, metals, trash and/or various chemical compounds. A distinction can be made between faecal sludge and wastewater sludge. Faecal sludge comes from on-site sanitation technologies,… can be reused after treatment. If reuseReuseUse of recycled water or other sanitation products. of treated faecal sludgeSludgeMixture of solids and liquids, containing mostly excreta and water, in combination with sand, grit, metals, trash and/or various chemical compounds. A distinction can be made between faecal sludge and wastewater sludge. Faecal sludge comes from on-site sanitation technologies,… is considered it must conform to national legislation or standards. Additionally, WHO guidelines on the safe use of wastewaterWastewaterUsed water from any combination of domestic, industrial, commercial or agricultural activities, surface runoff/stormwater, and any sewer inflow/infiltration., excretaExcretaRefers to human excrements consisting of urine and faeces. and greywaterGreywaterTotal volume of water generated from washing food, clothes and dishware, as well as from bathing, but not from toilets (see blackwater). It may also contain traces of excreta (e.g. from washing diapers) and, therefore, some pathogens. Greywater accounts for approximately 65 % of… and sanitation safety planning must be followed (WHO 2006, WHO 2018). The implementing agency is required to prove that the reuseReuseUse of recycled water or other sanitation products. practice is safe for the serviced communities, sanitation workers and users of end products.