Realising safely managed sanitation in Bhutan

The Government of Bhutan’s vision is for all its citizens to have access to improved sanitation facilities by 2022. As to date, there is no baseline or targets for safely managed sanitation. Nevertheless, toilets will fill up and their contents will need to be safely managed to avoid faecal waste ending up in the environment. This paper explores existing regulatory frameworks around faecal waste management, faecal sludge accumulation rates, and associated pit filling rates in the SSH4A programme districts. Key points emerging from the research are: Consider the presence or absence of pit emptying services when selecting the type of toilet to be constructed or installed. Promote toilet designs that meet basic sanitation criteria, but that over time, can be easily upgraded to meet safely managed sanitation criteria. Encourage construction of alternative toilet designs, such as alternating twin pits, that can be safely emptied by owners.