Compost toilets an environmentally friendly solution for schools
Friday, March 12, 2021 - 16:52
Tonga needs to pay attention to our sanitation - a main source of pollutants, says a survey. Compost toilets are an environmentally friendly solution and pilot projects at Kanokupolu and Kolovai Government Primary Schools under the Tonga Integrated Water and Coastal Management Project were launched at an event attended by Prince Ata on March 10.
Comments
This sounds somewhat like
This sounds somewhat like reinventing old solutions to long-standing issues. Some 30-40-years ago two WHO resident consultants, of which I was one, cooperated with MoH working on these types of sanitation issues. We manufactured hundreds of low-maintenance and affordable prefabricated modular ferrocement toilet/shower units for individual homes. Some of these were modified for multiple boys and girls units in primary schools. As I remember, the Fasi GPS was one of those schools. There were others. Some of these prefab units went to the Hihifo area. In any event, other than discarding septic pumping waste, like the sewage drying beds that were installed at Tapuhia some years ago, the potential issue was contamination of groundwater with nitrates. I do not think sand filters will address this.
Hi there,
Hi there,
Would you be keen to have a chat about this? There is a research looking at a more sustainable method using coconut husks as an intermediate filter for septic tanks in Tonga. One of the testing parameters we are looking at in the effluent are the nitrates.
Please email me on selamaka65@gmail.com if you are keen to know more. It would be valuable to have your input as well.
Malo,
Sela Maka