Blue Diversion Toilet
Connect with us
  • home
  • News
    • Blue Diversion exhibited
  • toilet
    • ...appealing
    • ...affordable
    • ...safe >
      • water quality and energy
    • ...recovers resources >
      • on-site recovery
    • ...industrialized
  • business model
  • field tests
    • nairobi field test
    • kampala field test
  • who we are
  • resources
    • downloads
  • Awards
  • blog

Promoting sanitation governance in Moshi - Tanzania

2/11/2015

7 Comments

 
In Moshi, Tanzania, the public authorities Kilimanjaro Regional Secretariat (RS), Moshi Municipal Council (MMC) and Moshi Urban Water & Sanitation Authority (MUWSA) with the support of GIZ invited around 80 local stakeholders from the 28 to 29 of January 2015 for the workshop Sanitation in Moshi, where Rahel Künzle, our Blue Diversion Engineer presented the toilet to the public.

The workshop agenda included critical discussions about national sanitation approaches and programs, the illustration of Moshi’s sanitation situation reflected in the famous ‘Shit Flow Diagram’ and the presentation of new technical sanitation solutions. The participants considered the blue toilet as a highlight that clearly shows a modern sanitation solution with the additional benefit of opening business options by selling urine as fertilizer. Such options can be valuable for towns like Moshi where estimates show that over 80% of waste water and fecal sludge ends up untreated in the environment: being dumped in gutters, streams or percolates into the ground water. At the end of the workshop the Regional Secretariat Moshi and the Municipality signed a Memorandum of Understanding to formalize and intensify collaboration on hygiene and sanitation issues in the municipality of Moshi.

Read more on "
Support to the Water Sector Development in Tanzania"

by Stefanie Enssle

Bild
7 Comments

Blue Diversion@Deutsches Museum Munich

12/11/2014

1 Comment

 
An intriguing exhibition on the future of our planet in the worlds largest museum of technology and innovation: the Deutsches Museum
The first working model of the Blue Diversion Toilet which has recently returned from field testing in Nairobi is currently on exhibit at the new exhibition “Anthropocene – The Earth in Our Hands” (German title: Anthropozän – Unsere Verantwortung für die Zukunft der Erde).

The term Anthropocene was coined in the year 2000 by the Nobel laureate Paul Crutzen (Chemistry, 1995) and alludes to the fact that human-induced changes to the Earth´s ecosystems are so deep and with long-term impact that since the dawn of industrialisation we now live in a new geological era: the Anthropocene – or the Age of Humans [1] (German: Menschenzeitalter).

On 1450 square metres the exhibition explores the past, present and future consequences for humanity with a focus on climate change, urbanisation, food & nutrition and biodiversity. Of course the show doesn´t only feature grim forecasts – there are several possible solutions presented, among them our next generation source separating toilet (see image). Blue Diversion is set behind a set round white table featuring plates (showing videos) and glasses (audio) that feature animations on food, nutrition, consumption patterns worldwide, etc.

Interactive multimedia tools demonstrate the consequences of our human footprint today and in the decades to come and provoke each visitor to answer the question for him/herself: are we really entering a new geological era and how can we preserve our life support systems that guarantee our very existence?

The exhibition in Munich runs until January 2016. More information about the exhibition on the museum webpage.

by C. Lüthi, Eawag-Sandec

[1]  Crutzen, Paul: The Geology of Mankind (Nature 415, January 2003)

Bild
1 Comment

Visit to the 14th Venice Architecture Biennale

6/13/2014

1 Comment

 
I had the pleasure of visiting the opening of the 14th Mostra Internazionale di Architettura in Venice last week. The prestigious Architecture Venice Biennale is held every two years and showcases innovations and tendencies in the built environment. The guiding theme of the 14th Venice Architecture Biennale was “Fundamental Elements of Architecture”, re-examining the fundamentals of architecture: “the floor”, “the façade”, “the door”, … and of course “the toilet”. While not seen as a primordial element of architecture, the exhibitors note that “The toilet might be the ultimate element…the great unspoken driver behind much architecture and urban planning” (Koolhaas, 2014).

The Blue Diversion Toilet has been selected for exhibit in the main “Fundamentals” exhibition, curated by the renowned Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas. It stands prominently next to a Japanese high-tech toilet and one of the first commercialized flush toilets - the Optimus Valve Closet developed in 1870 by Stevens Hellyer. Eawag’s Blue Diversion was selected as an example of a “21st century outhouse” that seeks to push the frontiers of technological innovation beyond the flush-and-forget solution invented 240 years ago (by A. Cummings in 1775 – it took almost 100 years to reach commercialization!).
Bild
Blue Diversion was selected by the Biennale for its great design appeal but also because it was the first “re-invented” toilet to hit the tough realities of the Global South – two photos at the stand show the initial working model being installed in a slum in Kampala, Uganda. While the Blue Diversion Toilet has not been industrialized yet, witnessing it in this historical context of centuries of sanitary development gives hope that we’re on to something bigger – the next sanitary revolution. 

The Architecture Biennale can be visited till 23th November 2014   www.labiennale.org

by C. Lüthi, Eawag-Sandec
 
Koolhaas, R. 2014. “Toilet - Elements of Architecture”. Harvard University Graduate School of Design, Edition Marsilio, Italy.
1 Comment

The Blue Diversion Toilet finished its second field test

6/9/2014

1 Comment

 
After intensive field testing the Blue Diversion Toilet was transported back to Sanergy's premises where it was dismantled and prepared for shipment back to Switzerland. 
Bild
Challenging the reengineered toilet

We are satisfied with the results of the field test, although it was very challenging. The goal of the field test was to validate the totally reengineered working model under real conditions. Therefore, 10 people were asked to use the toilet over a period of one month and the public was invited to use it on public usage days and to provide their feedback as well.
The results of the previous field test in Kampala, Uganda, in 2013 led to a complete reengineering of the Blue Diversion Toilet. The reengineering focused on reducing the toilet size and simplifying the use of the toilet because both attributes were criticized by the users. The latter included replacing the foot pump by electrical pumps which led to a more sophisticated electronics set-up. We knew from the beginning that more electronics would pose a challenge, but we wanted to try it anyway, because electronics are comparatively cheap components for an envisaged large volume production. We were also aware that the toilet base (containers) had not yet reached prototype stage. However, early field testing proved to be very valuable and was a reason for conducting this field test with a toilet that was not yet a full prototype.

Let's have a closer look at the results. The field test in Nairobi was accompanied by a social science study funded by Eawag. Sixty interviews with regular users and 300 interviews with one time users were collected. The evaluation was largely positive and showed that people
- like the look of the toilet (100%)
- think it’s easy to use (95%) and
- would also recommend it to friends and family (94%).
Furthermore, a household survey with 1’400 people was conducted to gather information about the current sanitation situation in two informal settlements of Nairobi (Mukuru and Kibera).

Retrofitting possible in 50% of the toilets

The working model was successfully retrofitted in an existing Sanergy superstructure which was a major goal of the field test. However, moving different features for maintenance and servicing was challenging because of the extremely limited space within the latrine. Observations of 227 toilets during the household survey showed that retrofitting is possible in 50% of the toilets. For the field test the doorframe had to be removed temporary to install the toilet. This minor adaption is necessary for most of the superstructures as only 10% of the doors are large enough to fit the Blue Diversion toilet. Yet 72% of the eligible latrines are built with iron sheets and are therefore easier to adapt than other superstructures. Additionally the roof would also need to be raised in 30% of the toilets with a suitable surface area. These minor adjustments would allow avoiding the construction of an expensive new superstructure (~40% of on-site sanitation costs in East Africa).
Bild
Retrofitting in existing structures does not leave much space for servicing
Hygienically safe water

The recycled water was 
hygienically safe during the entire field test period; meaning the water recovery worked well. The electrolysis cell was able to provide sufficient chlorine to prevent regrowth and proved effective in reducing the color of the water.

The new hydraulic system was leak-proof. Water for hand washing and the hand shower was available during the entire test period. The flush was programmed not to work when the water level in the clean water tank was too low which worked out well and was only the case for short periods with high usage, especially during the public user events.

The electronics posed the biggest challenge of the field test - as anticipated. There was a domino effect that occurred when the electronics and programming went wrong. For example: the level sensor in the treatment tank showed a constant volume above the actual limit of the tank volume. Therefore the water from hand shower and flush was automatically directed to the urine tank. As a result the recovery system constantly lost water to the urine tank. Thus the water recovery system had to be refilled more often and the urine tank had to be emptied more frequently because it filled up quicker.

The urine-water-separation mechanism was challenged by the large amount of thick mud due to the rainy season.  
Bild
No, it's not feces :-)! The large amount of mud challenged the urine-water-separation mechanism
Largely positive evaluations

We conclude that in general the field test was satisfying: The 60 interviews with regular users and 300 interviews with one time users provided largely positive evaluations of the Blue Diversion Toilet and we now have a clear picture about what needs to be improved: 
  • The hydraulic system needs further simplification and the number of components needs to be reduced
  • Further development of the electronics and the software to make it more robust and less vulnerable to failures
  • Further design work should focus on maintenance and servicing aspects. The collaboration with Sanergy gave important insights into the running of a reliable collection system and its challenges.
  • Adapt the pan for muddy and water logged areas e.g. by expanding the product range with sitting module or an in-between sit-squat module to prevent mud from clogging the mechanism.

by Rahel Künzle, Ulrike Messmer and Mark O'Keefe
1 Comment

Installing the Blue Diversion Toilet

4/8/2014

1 Comment

 
Chief field engineer, Rahel Kuenzle, has probably spent more time with the Blue Diversion Toilet than most people will spend with their respective thrones during an entire lifetime.  But, like any anxious parent watching their child grow up and leave home for the first time, at one point she would have to release the blue beauty into the big bad world. That day finally arrived one sunny, hot morning in Mukuru.  The previous months of early mornings, late evenings and many weekends spent by everyone involved in the project suddenly seemed to be weighing on us and the installation team quite heavily. Including all the nuts and bolts, there are over 300 individual parts of the toilet, so the potential for something to be displaced during a rough journey is quite high.
Bild Hand carting the toilet through the busy streets
The toilet was loaded onto a handcart and dragged a mere two kilometres through the winding streets, underneath overhanging power lines and squeezed in between many kiosks. Rahel winced with each bump as she thought of all the potential parts that could be damaged. What would happen to the water filter system and all of the electronics linked that control the functioning of the toilet? After reaching the railway line that divides Mukuru Rueben and Mukuru Kwa Njenga, the transport team decided that it would be best to carry the toilet for the final leg of the journey by hand. These final few metres were only made possible by borrowing some gum boots to enable the team to walk through the muddy street that leads up to the installation site.

Picture
Carrying the toilet through the humps of Mukuru
Bild Installation at superstructure
The toilet was installed next to the home of Joseph and his family. They have kindly agreed to use the Blue Diversion Toilet for a month and provide feedback on the functioning and features of the toilet. In addition, a series of tests will be conducted that will measure the quality of the recycled water and the power requirements of the toilet. Although the toilet hit some bumps it was installed successfully and is now fully operational. The successful installation means that Rahel went home with a big smile on her face when the toilet door finally swung shut. 

1 Comment

Testing the Blue Diversion Toilet in Mukuru

3/12/2014

2 Comments

 
The difficult living and working conditions in Mukuru, an informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya, becomes immediately apparent as soon as you turn off the smooth main highway running east toward Mombassa. The journey becomes slower and bumpier. The large boulders and lack of tarmac suggest that the road would be best tackled in a 4x4 vehicle. But the lack of a tarmac surface does not stop the huge trucks carrying thousands of litres of petroleum, matatus transporting the mass of people and boda bodas (motorcycles) passing by at speeds that make you take a sharp intake of breath as you squeak between them and the nearest stall re-selling their favourite Premier League football shirts. Unfortunately, I’ve not found a Newcastle United shirt for sale as yet.The other noticeable difference is the type of structure where people live and work. You leave the highway and pass the clean glass fronts of the office spaces within the Sameer Business Park. Not more than 100 metres away, you move into the corrugated iron homes and businesses of the working poor. Along with the cheaper cost of building materials, the major reason for using corrugated iron is that the material is not classified as a ‘permanent structure’. Here, people are able to live and set up temporary stalls to sell a variety of wares. However, the majority of the population of Nairobi live within these informal settlements.
Bild
The road to the Sanergy office in Mukuru
We make this daily trip to Mukuru because we are working with Sanergy, a social enterprise that has been improving the sanitation conditions in Mukuru since 2011. Sanergy has a strong community presence, linked to the high impact branding of their Fresh Life Toilets. They have constructed over 343 toilets, and a further 200 installations are planned for this year. This growing business requires a large amount of human resources to collect and manage the waste.

Access to homes and their latrines within Mukuru is difficult at the best of times. Overhanging power cables, puddles that turn into lagoons, narrow, busy alleys and the natural hustle of a densely populated area provide the backdrop against which the collectors wind through the maze of corrugated iron structures (housing on average up to 4 people in one room) towards the Fresh Life Toilets. The waste containers are emptied and replaced every day. This is a demanding job that isn’t made any easier when the heavy rains cause the black cotton (clay) soils to turn into a sticky obstacle course.
Bild
Fresh Life Collector
The majority of the Fresh Life Toilets are owned by local entrepreneurs (there are some at household plots and schools) who earn a viable income with a steady stream of customers who pay between 3 and 5 Ksh ($0.04 - $0.06) to use the FLT. The idea is to provide affordable and aspirational facilities which people want, and therefore will pay to use.
Bild
Children in front of fresh life toilet
And this is what brings us to work with Sanergy: we both seek to develop aspirational, user-friendly technologies is a shared aim for both EAWAG and Sanergy. The evolution of our Blue Diversion Toilet has focused on developing a product that is not only affordable but comfortable and aspirational.

This is the second version of the Blue Diversion Toilet. The first version, designed and tested in April 2013 in two slums in Kampala with our partners at Makerere University, offered some compelling feedback. After interviewing 1500 households, we learned that the toilet was too high so it would not fit into current latrine structures, the foot pump proved difficult to operate for younger children and old or infirmed adults and  we also were challenged by other technical glitches. These issues were tackled by the engineers at Eawag, the design team and new partners Tribecraft. The new collaboration resulted in a re-designed and re-engineered toilet. It is a smaller, more efficient system that can be retro-fitted into existing latrine structures with minimal cost.

Now, with Sanergy, we would like to find out about different issues related to the operation and functioning of the Blue Diversion Toilet within a different informal settlement. The engineers would like to know how the toilet functions during regular day to day usage. The design team would like to find out how users evaluate the features of the toilet. The business team would like to understand the willingness to pay for the new technology. Finally, the social science team would like to understand why households and local business owners decide to invest in sanitation infrastructure. The toilet has arrived and is currently being installed so we are now ready to test the toilet. Watch this space for updates on our progress over the next 3 months.
Picture
The blue diversion toilet installed in a latrine structure in Mukuru
All photos taken by Callum Jelley
2 Comments

    Archives

    February 2015
    December 2014
    June 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed










































































































































































    Bild

    Author

    Mark O'Keefe
    is a social scientist at Eawag. He currently lives in Nairobi, Kenya to test out the second version of the Blue Diversion Toilet.




Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.