TAF Pilot Assessment by KNUST, TREND and WaterAid Ghana

pourflush-gh

The pour flush latrine is a toilet technology with a water seal that avoids problems such as odour and flies. Excretment deposited in the latrine pan/bowl is flushed by pouring two or three litres of water over it. In Ghana these latrines are used mainly at the household level, costing about GHS 1,200 (USD $550). The pour flush latrine is common in the Ashanti Region. The Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA) facilitated the construction of pour flush latrines from 2006-2009 under a World Bank sponsored project. The original design of the pour flush has a receptacle that allows users to squat while using the latrine. The pour flush toilets constructed in this project were improvised to incorporate latrine bowls which enable users to sit while using the latrine.

Recommendations

The following recommendations were made for the sustainability and scalability of the pour flush latrine:

  1. The potential for local production of pour flush bowls should be explored and developed in order for the technology to be scaled up.
  2. A viable supply chain for components of the pour flush, such as ceramic bowls, needs to be established – including a system for post-sale follow up to ensure sustainability of the technology.
  3. In the absence of subsidies for provision of sanitation facilities, some funding mechanisms (eg sanitation credit) should be developed within the national sanitation policy to make it easier for the poor to afford.
  4. To make the technology affordable, cheaper superstructure options must be developed to replace the concrete superstructure.
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