Field test Kampala, Uganda in 2013

Opening event in the sanitation centre

In the first half of the test phase, the Blue Diversion Toilet was set up in a community sanitation centre of the organization SSWARS in the informal settlement of Kifumbira. During 3 weeks, 30 group discussions took place. Each participant used the toilet once and the participants discussed the toilet features in groups. 204 people gave valuable feedback.

Toilet superstructure for the Blue Diversion Toilet in the Kisalosalo slum

A toilet superstructure was set up on a private property to house the toilet during the second test phase. Over a one-month period, first two Christian then two Muslim families shared the toilet to simulate “real life” usage. These 22 family members were interviewed to assess their user experiences.

The “real world” use of the Blue Diversion Toilet allowed the behavioural scientists of Eawag to conduct a full-scale social acceptance survey with 1500 interviews. People, who received information on the toilet but did not use it showed a willingness to pay $11.50 per month per household, which is lower than the target fee of $15.50/ month. They evaluated the majority of the toilet features positively. The water features were the most positively evaluated feature, highlighting its importance to potential users.

Overall, the two-month field test was instrumental in improving the functionality of the toilet and in identifying some of the weak points that still needed rethinking and/or redesigning. The feedback and critical issues gathered during  the working model test phase can be summarised in three points:

• Improve functionality of the faeces lid to better conceal previous users’ droppings
  
• Reduce size (height) of water wall to ensure that it fits into existing toilet superstructures
• Rethink the foot pump, which is considered too strenuous for use by children and the elderly