Sani Tweaks Checklist

Before starting a latrine building programme – consult the users

• How did people dispose of excreta before the crisis, what are they doing now & what would they find acceptable now
• Religious/cultural habits and anal cleansing practice
• Are there any barriers to WASH services and facilities for specific groups of people such as the disabled or elderly
• Segregated communal toilets – what is the minimal acceptable distance between the women’s and men’s toilets – they should never be back to back
• Who will be responsible for cleaning and maintenance of communal toilets – what are the issues involved in paying latrine attendants?
• Shared family toilets – can a latrine be shared between four families? Can they share with other families, even if they don’t know them. If sharing, do they still need separate male and female latrines?
• What are people’s main concerns about using public or shared family latrines?
• What happens to children’s and babies’ excreta – at what age do children use the latrine on their own?
• Are latrines are used to dispose of MHM materials – how else could it be managed
• Consult and explain siting constraints

Design

• What structures did the community use to make Sanitation decisions before the crisis and what are these now? Who participates in decision-making spaces? Do women and men have an equal voice?
• Where possible show users model latrines so they can comment on the design or pictures if that works
• Ensure maximum concentration is given to privacy – if plastic sheeting is used it needs to be opaque – all latrines should always have a method of internal locking even in rapid on-set emergencies – an efficient & easy way of doing this is a string hooking on to a nail technique which is not prone to door warping issues.
• How can the latrines be positioned or screened so people are not seen going into the toilet.
• Using the toilet at night / can lighting or torches be provided* in the toilet or the pathway
• Calculate the time when the pit should be full based on pit volume and no. of users and plan for desludging or decommissioning (+solid waste).  If desludging is planned the pit should be lined and have easy access for a hose or slab removal
• On completion a PHE or PHP needs to sign off the construction quality before payment is made or the latrine is “opened”
• What is the best way of ensuring people wash their hands after defecation (consult)

Monitoring – Regular Repairs

• Most programmes build new latrines aiming for 1:20 or 50 people per latrine while neglecting the many latrines which have fallen into disrepair and are not in use.
• Within a month most plastic sheeting superstructures will be damaged. Regular monitoring and repair – every 2 weeks – is essential to ensure the latrines are still being used.
• What system will you use for people to report damage / design issues and give feedback?