Start Up and Commissioning

Ensuring access to adequate sanitation services during emergencies is a core component of humanitarian response. Proper ‘Startup & Commissioning’ (S&C) of sanitation intervention is a crucial element to run the infrastructure and support in achieving sustained sanitation services as per the implemented systems.

Key Actions

1. Conduct Compliance Checks: Ensure a detailed verification of different sanitation systems/components including toilets, hand washing stations and 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,… and wastewaterWastewaterUsed water from any combination of domestic, industrial, commercial or agricultural activities, surface runoff/stormwater, and any sewer inflow/infiltration. treatment systems, to confirm adherence to design specifications. Rectify any variations before commissioning to prevent operational issues.
2. Develop Comprehensive O&M Manuals: Create reader-friendly 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. (O&M) manuals, preferably in the local language, detailing tasks, responsibilities, and crucial activities like pit emptying and desludgingDesludgingThe process of removing the accumulated sludge from a storage or treatment facility.. Distribute these manuals to operators and users for effective system management.
3. Ensure Clear Signage and Accessibility for Toilets and handwashing stations and their usage: Guarantee visibility of clear signage for gender-specific toilets and pathways leading to them as well as handwashing stations. Prioritize user behavior and conduct trainings to increase proper handwashing and to control improper behaviors like disposing solid waste in toilets. Provide supporting infrastructure, such as bins and sanitary napkin disposal in toilets and theft-proof soap dispensers before commissioning.
4. 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,… and WastewaterWastewaterUsed water from any combination of domestic, industrial, commercial or agricultural activities, surface runoff/stormwater, and any sewer inflow/infiltration. Management Compliance Checks: Check/verify compliance 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,… and wastewaterWastewaterUsed water from any combination of domestic, industrial, commercial or agricultural activities, surface runoff/stormwater, and any sewer inflow/infiltration. management systems with design recommendations, review it and it if needed, implement necessary corrections before commissioning.
5. Prepare O&M Manuals for 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,… and WastewaterWastewaterUsed water from any combination of domestic, industrial, commercial or agricultural activities, surface runoff/stormwater, and any sewer inflow/infiltration. Management: Develop O&M manuals in simple language, preferably with graphics incorporating any specific requirements for a specific technology/equipment (review vendor instructions). Impart training to personnel responsible for O&M, providing access to the manual and Personal Protection Equipment (PPE).

Relevance/Importance

Access to sanitation services has multiple benefits – prevention of loss of lives, especially for children, dignity, and the prevention of disease outbreaks. Followed by the Design and Construction (D&C) phase, a proper Start-up and Commissioning (S&C) of sanitation infrastructure is crucial. The S&C phase includes ensuring, that infrastructure for example toilets, handwashing stations, 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,… and wastewaterWastewaterUsed water from any combination of domestic, industrial, commercial or agricultural activities, surface runoff/stormwater, and any sewer inflow/infiltration. management infrastructure, etc. are fit for operations and communityCommunityA group of people sharing something in common. is made aware of their proper usage. The proper S&C interventions can help to sustain the usage of the sanitation infrastructure and minimize the public health risk in the communityCommunityA group of people sharing something in common..

Overview

Upon successful D&C of sanitation infrastructure, the well-built system must be commissioned appropriately to ensure their sustained utilization. The sanitation systemSanitation SystemA sanitation system is a context-specific set of technologies, which in combination manage sanitation products from the point of generation to the point of use or ultimate disposal along the five functional groups of the sanitation service chain. A viable system is one that is… generally entails toilets, handwashing stations, 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,… and wastewaterWastewaterUsed water from any combination of domestic, industrial, commercial or agricultural activities, surface runoff/stormwater, and any sewer inflow/infiltration. management systems (collection, conveyance, and treatment/safe disposal). The type of initiative under the S&C phase can vary as per the D&C phase outcome, however generally entails, checking whether infrastructures are built to the design standards, testing of the infrastructure on it’s operation, developing reader-friendly O&M manual, training personnel responsible for O&M (HPC_0205 Management and Operational Plans); HPC_0404 Operations and Maintenance), and educating communityCommunityA group of people sharing something in common.’s proper sanitation behaviours.

Compliance check involves a detailed check to verify the systems (toilets/pits/septicSepticDescribes the conditions under which putrefaction and anaerobic digestion take place. tanks etc.) are built as per the set design specifications and are ready to be used. A detailed O&M plan shall include, but not be restricted to, the personnel responsible for individual tasks, including detailed instruction on crucial O&M tasks (pit emptying, desludgingDesludgingThe process of removing the accumulated sludge from a storage or treatment facility., etc.), followed by the training of the operators and users on O&M. The O&M plan and training should be made available in the local language.

1. Toilets – are the first component in the sanitation value chainSanitation Value ChainA Sanitation Value Chain - usually referred to as Sanitation Service 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 the… (SVC) and it is crucial that enough care is taken before it is commissioned. The user behavior in toilets defines operations of downstream infrastructure and an inappropriate behavior like throwing solid waste in toilets will hinder the following component of the SVC. Such behaviors are to be controlled by providing appropriate signage and training to users. The supporting infrastructure of toilets such as buckets and dustbins for sanitary napkins etc. are to be provided and secured before commissioning the toilets. Signage related to gender and pathways leading to toilets needs to be clear and visible. Lack of clear O&M instruction accessible to the operators often leads to the failure of sanitation systems, therefore an O&M manual (preferably in the local language) needs to be printed and made accessible to users. Dedicated workers or communityCommunityA group of people sharing something in common. members need to be trained for necessary O&M activities (changing toiletToiletA sanitation facility (or ‘user interface’) used for urination and defecation. Often interchangeably referred to as latrine. papers, washing the toilets, removing bins, etc.) with the support of O&M manual.
2. Handwashing stations– are crucial in emergency settings, when done right can mitigate the risk of faecal-oral contamination, therefore enough care is to be taken to ensure, recommended number of adequate handwashing stations are built and are easily accessible for all ages and gender. Location and height of handwashing station as well as proper disposal of water after handwashing needs to be checked. Signage indicating the handwashing area and the importance of handwashing should be visible at the handwashing station. Appropriate (theft-proof) soap dispensers are to be made available at the handwashing station. The camp residents are generally unaware of handwashing significance, as part of this phase, awareness programs are to be implemented to sensitize the communityCommunityA group of people sharing something in common. on the importance of handwashing.
3. 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,…/wastewaterWastewaterUsed water from any combination of domestic, industrial, commercial or agricultural activities, surface runoff/stormwater, and any sewer inflow/infiltration. management–  implemented as per the recommendation in the Design and Construction (HPC_0401) phase has to be checked for compliance (dimensions, number of units, quality of construction, levels, leakage, etc.). The observations are to be recorded in a report and should be reviewed, preferably by the concerned engineer from the D&C phase. In case of any corrections/modifications needed, the same is to be implemented before commissioning. Start-up of the 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,… and wastewaterWastewaterUsed water from any combination of domestic, industrial, commercial or agricultural activities, surface runoff/stormwater, and any sewer inflow/infiltration. management system greatly varies with the type of technology chosen, therefore it is necessary to review the instruction from the vendors and incorporate them in the O&M manual, and execute accordingly e.g. DEWATS (Decentralized WastewaterWastewaterUsed water from any combination of domestic, industrial, commercial or agricultural activities, surface runoff/stormwater, and any sewer inflow/infiltration. Treatment Systems) needs inoculation with sewageSewageWaste matter that is transported through the sewer. 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,…. The O&M manual comprises schedule for activities and mentions the person responsible. The personnel responsible for O&M are to be trained and have access to the O&M manual and Personal Protection Equipment (PPE).