KoroSan: On-site Household Sanitation Guidelines for Fiji

Working in close consultation with 2 partner villages along the Coral coast of Fiji, a range of practical low cost solutions for village wastewater management have been developed and tested. Assessment of village water supplies and soil characteristics helped determine appropriate wastewater treatment approaches. Working with village labour and (at one village) an NGO Rustic Pathways, five septic tank and land application systems (LAS) for the treatment and disposal of household wastewater were constructed to test and demonstrate their practical implementation and performance. Based on gravity-dosed sand-filter trenches, the LASs were adapted to the local soil and climatic conditions, and available resources. An improved ventilated twin-pit latrine (EcoVIP2) was also developed and tested in the villages as a lower-cost, waterless sanitation option. Monitoring has been undertaken to verify the effectiveness of the systems in real-world conditions.

A series of practical KoroSan guidelines have been developed as part of this project to support uptake of improved sanitation services in Fijian villages and settlements. Seven of the guidelines provide technical information for water-flushed and dry toilet options. An eight guideline deals with participatory approaches to engage villages to build knowledge and capacity to mobilise and support water supply, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) improvements their villages and settlements. The KoroSan guidelines were produced in consultation with the Fiji Department of Water and Sewage and the Ministry of Health. The project was supported by the New Zealand Aid Programme through the Partnerships for International Development Fund of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. These guidelines may be freely disseminated provided the source is acknowledged