UNCCD

Introduction of waterless sanitation [Bulgaria]

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Reporting Entity: Fundazija Zemja Zavinagi

Clarify if the technology described in the template, or a part of it, is covered by property rights: Yes

Comments: Owner of the land is allowed to take decisions as far as small scale sanitation systems are taken into consideration - household level. For larger systems, there is need of special permit issued by the state or local authorities, depending on the size of the system|

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Completeness: 91%

General Information

General Information

Title of best practice:

Introduction of waterless sanitation

Country:

Bulgaria

Reporting Entity:

Fundazija Zemja Zavinagi

Property Rights

Clarify if the technology described in the template, or a part of it, is covered by property rights:

Yes

Please provide relevant information on the holder of the rights:

Owner of the land is allowed to take decisions as far as small scale sanitation systems are taken into consideration - household level. For larger systems, there is need of special permit issued by the state or local authorities, depending on the size of the system|

Classification

Prevailing land use in the specified location

  • Other (please specify)
Specify:

The technology is implemented in the yards and back-yard gardens of houses

Contribution to Desertification, land degradation and drought (DLDD) measures

  • Prevention
  • Adaptation

Linkages with the other best practice themes

  • Capacity-building and awareness-raising
  • Knowledge management and decision support

Specifications

Section 1. Context of the best practice: frame conditions (natural and human environment)

Short description of the best practice

Knowledge building and providing assistance for building, usage and maintenance of waterless toilets with separation of usine and feces, and exclusion of any contact of the human and animal waste with ground or surface water bodies. The safely treated biological waste is safely reused in small scale family agriculture in their own yards.|

Location

Stara Zagora municipality, Bulgaria|

Estimated population living in the location:

24000.0

Brief description of the natural environment within the specified location.

Heavy soil originated on Quaternear bogs in the lowest part of the terrain
620 mm av annual rainfall, 12.3*C av annual temperature; 24*C av temperature of the hottest month|
Flat, 150 m above dea level|

Prevailing socio-economic conditions of those living in the location and/or nearby

Aged retired Bulgarian families; jobless Roma families
Retirement paymen'; social support payment
Households own the land under their houses and the yards.

On the basis of which criteria and/or indicator(s) (not related to The Strategy) the proposed practice and corresponding technology has been considered as 'best'?

This technology prevents pollution of ground and surface water from human and animal biological waste; it saves significant amount of water with drinking water quality from being wasted by flushing this water into the toilets.

Section 2. Problems addressed (direct and indirect causes) and objectives of the best practice

Main problems addressed by the best practice

Pollution of ground and surface water; water borne diseases; decreased annual rainfall; increased annual temperature; unwise use of scarce water resources.

Outline specific land degradation problems addressed by the best practice

Safely treated biological waste (by composting, vermicomposting or appropriate storage) is used to improve soil fertility and strive erosion of degradated crop lands due to overusage.|

Specify the objectives of the best practice

Prevention of waste of water of highest quality by flushing it in the toilets; prevention of water pollution by biological waste; prevention of water-borne diseases; creation of better livelihoods consuming less water resources.

Section 3. Activities

Brief description of main activities, by objective

Scarcity of water is fundamental reason for water-borne diseases; it is also a reason for worse hygienic practices. By saving water of high quality from wasting and preventing water pollution, we improve health conditions to people.|
Storage of biological waste in way that it never gets in contact with ground or surface water bodies; safe treatment and safe application in agriculture.
Promotion of waterless ecosan toilets with separate collection of urine and feces; separate treatment and re-use in agriculture.
Training of population, youth, experts for construction and maintenance of the constructed toilets, filters and wetlands is crucial for the sustainability of the projects.|

Short description and technical specifications of the technology

Waterless toilets are toilets that does not use water for flushing, but use absorbent (saw dust, ash, etc.) to cover the fresh feces. Urine and feces are stored and treated separately to the level of sterilization. Then used in agriculture as natural fertilizer (urine) and soil conditioner (composted feces). The final step is to apply these treated products in crop land.|
The technology is based on separation and separate treatment and reuse of urine and feces; waterless urinals; reuse for agriculture; composting.

Section 4. Institutions/actors involved (collaboration, participation, role of stakeholders)

Name and address of the institution developing the technology


Earth Forever Foundation|77a, Kiril i Metody, apt. 27; Stara Zagora
6000 Bulgaria|Tehnical university|Hamburg, Germany

Was the technology developed in partnership?

Yes

List the partners:

Technical University Hamburg

Specify the framework within which the technology was promoted

  • International initiative
  • Programme/project-based initiative
Specify:

No other

Was the participation of local stakeholders, including CSOs, fostered in the development of the technology?

Yes

List local stakeholders involved:

NGOs, local authorities, women, youth, university students, media.|

For the stakeholders listed above, specify their role in the design, introduction, use and maintenance of the technology, if any.

Hamburg technical university trained earth in the design and maintenance of the technology.

Was the population living in the location and/or nearby involved in the development of the technology?

Yes

By means of what?
  • Participatory approaches
Specify:

No other

Analysis

Section 5. Contribution to impact

Describe on-site impacts (the major two impacts by category)

Prevention of water borne diseases.
Decreases the dependency from the market for food and from monololists for providing sewarage services and wastewater treatment.
Changed attitude to resource consumption and environmental protection.
Prevention of pollution of water resources; prevention of waste of water with high quality.
Prevention of waste of water resources.
Improved hygiene conditions and health, as well as confort of living of the population.|
Increased agricultural production
Increased soil fertility and productivity of people property.

Describe the major two off-site (i.e. not occurring in the location but in the surrounding areas) impacts

Less consumption of water offers better potential for the downstream users to meet their needs.
Prevention of pollution of water resources offers better potential for the downstream users to have access to water of higher quality and prevents water-borne diseases.

Impact on biodiversity and climate change

Explain the reasons:

Prevention of biological pollution of water resources and decreased water consumption for household needs is very beneficial for biodiversity in and around water bosies; it prevents pollution with phosphorous and nitrification of natural waters.
Wastewater treatment facilities in their conventional technologies are a large source of pollution with greenhouse gasses; the proposed technology eliminates greenhouse production in the process of storage, treatment and use of metabolitic human and animal wastes.|
In the area we apply the technology all climate change models emphasis on increased water scarcity: the techlogy we promote does not use water; it saves water of highest drinking quality; it prevents pollution of natural water bodies.

Has a cost-benefit analysis been carried out?

Has a cost-benefit analysis been carried out?

Yes

Specify:

The promoted technology is safer and less expensive in all its stages: construction, operation, treatment. It also has additional benefits to water rresources as a whole; biodiversity; increased soil fertility. The technology is affordable also for poorest communities and poorest households.|

Section 6. Adoption and replicability

Was the technology disseminated/introduced to other locations?

Was the technology disseminated/introduced to other locations?

Yes

Where?

Stara Zagora Municipality|Chirpan Municipality

Were incentives to facilitate the take up of the technology provided?

Were incentives to facilitate the take up of the technology provided?

Yes

Can you identify the three main conditions that led to the success of the presented best practice/technology?

The technology guarantees healthy style of living in conditions of reduced availability of water resources and increased desertification.
Highly motivated local governments (b). This technology gives the chance to the smallest and poorest communities to improve dramatically their livelihoods without dependency on higher political levels and national budgets.
The technology meets the demand of increased hygienic conditions. The proposed sustainable sanitation is affordable for the poorest and most remote communities as well.

Replicability

In your opinion, the best practice/technology you have proposed can be replicated, although with some level of adaptation, elsewhere?

Yes

At which level?
  • Local
  • Sub-national
  • National
  • Subregional
  • Regional
  • International

Section 7. Lessons learned

Related to human resources

There is no experts trained in sustainable sanitation to open chance for scaling-up; the engineers are not trained in sustainable sanitation technologies.

Related to financial aspects

There are no targeted financial mechanisms in the country to encourage application of alternative sustainable sanitation technologies.

Related to technical aspects

Sustainable sanitation does not follow the pattern one size fits all; there is broad variety of technologies that will best fit any specific demand or environment.

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