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A Study on Situation Analysis and Business model development of Faecal Sludge Management of Faridpur
Municipality
For
Practical Action, Bangladesh
WaterAid Bangladesh
Study Conducted by
Dr Tariq Bin Yousuf & Waled Mahmud
April 2011
1
A Study on Situation Analysis and Business model development of Faecal Sludge Management of Faridpur
Municipality
Study Conducted by
Dr Tariq Bin Yousuf & Waled Mahmud
April 2011
Study Assigned by
Practical Action, Bangladesh
WaterAid Bangladesh
2
Table of Content
1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................... 5
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY ......................................................................... 5
1.2 RATIONALE OF THE STUDY: ............................................................................ 6
2 LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................................. 8
3 STUDY OBJECTIVES: .................................................................................................... 17
4 METHODOLOGY OF THE STUDY ..................................................................................... 17
4.1 QUESTIONNAIRE SURVEY ......................................................................................... 17
4.2 AREA SELECTION AND SAMPLING PROCEDURE ........................................................... 18
4.2.1 SAMPLE DESIGN ................................................................................................. 18
4.2.2 TEAM MOBILIZATION .......................................................................................... 18
4.2.3 ORIENTATION AND TRAINING .............................................................................. 18
4.2.4 PRE-TESTING THE QUESTIONNAIRE ...................................................................... 19
4.2.5 DATA COLLECTION AND QUALITY CONTROL MECHANISM ........................................ 19
4.2.6 DATA ENTRY ..................................................................................................... 19
4.2.7 ANALYSIS OF RESPONSES .................................................................................... 19
4.3 FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSION (FGD) ............................................................................ 19
4.3.1 SELECTION OF DIFFERENT GROUPS ...................................................................... 20
4.3.2 CHECKLIST PREPARATION ................................................................................... 21
4.3.3 COMMUNICATION AND ARRANGEMENT OF FGDS .................................................... 22
4.4 KEY INFORMANT INTERVIEW ................................................................................... 22
4.5 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY ..................................................................................... 22
5 SITUATION ANALYSIS OF FAECAL SLUDGE IN FARIDPUR MUNICIPALITY ............................. 22
5.1 BACKGROUND INFORMATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY .................................................. 22
5.2 SOCIO-ECONOMIC PROFILE OF THE RESPONDENTS COVERED THROUGH THE
QUESTIONNAIRE SURVEY ................................................................................................... 23
5.2.1 TYPE OF RESIDENCE ........................................................................................... 23
5.2.2 RELIGION OF THE RESPONDENTS ......................................................................... 24
5.2.3 FAMILY SIZE OF THE RESPONDENT .......................................................................... 24
5.2.4 OCCUPATION OF THE RESPONDENTS .................................................................... 24
5.2.5 MONTHLY INCOME ............................................................................................. 25
5.2.6 TYPE OF SANITARY LATRINE ............................................................................... 25
5.3 CURRENT FAECAL SLUDGE MANAGEMENT PRACTICE IN FARIDPUR MUNICIPALITY .......... 26
5.4 SITUATION ANALYSIS OF THE SWEEPERS: MUNICIPAL AND PRIVATE ............................ 31
3
5.5 PERCEPTION OF MUNICIPALITY ON SLUDGE MANAGEMENT ........................................ 33
5.6 SWEEPERS’ PERCEPTIONS ON SLUDGE MANAGEMENT: MUNICIPAL AND PRIVATE ........... 36
5.7 COMMUNITY PERCEPTION ON SLUDGE MANAGEMENT ................................................. 37
5.8 PERCEPTIONS OF OTHER RELATED STAKEHOLDERS ................................................... 39
5.9 TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT..................................................................................... 39
5.10 INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENT ............................................................................... 41
5.11 HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUE ..................................................................................... 41
5.12 FINANCIAL SITUATION: INCOME AND EXPENDITURE .................................................... 41
5.13 STRENGTH AND WEAKNESSES OF THE EXISTING FAECAL MANAGEMENT SERVICE ................... 43
6 BUSINESS PLAN DEVELOPMENT ................................................................................. 44
6.1 REVIEW OF THE PROJECT DESIGN ............................................................................ 44
6.2 DEMAND ANALYSIS OF THE EXISTING SERVICE .............................................................. 45
6.3 REQUIRED INVESTMENT FOR AN IMPROVED SERVICE .................................................. 46
6.4 BUSINESS MODEL FOR IMPROVING THE EXISTING FAECAL SLUDGE MANAGEMENT .................. 46
6.5 PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP FOR ARRANGEMENT: POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVE BUSINESS
MODEL 47
7 CONCLUSION ......................................................................................................... 48
8 8.0 RECOMMENDATION:......................................................................................... 49
References: ........................................................................................................................................... 51 Annexes................................................................................................................................................ 53
4
5
1 Introduction
1.1 Background of the study
Bangladesh has shown a significant progress in sanitation. It has targeted 100 percent
sanitation coverage by the year 2013. From only 33 percent sanitation coverage in 2003, it
was increased to 80 percent in 2009. In addition, the open defecation practice had been
reduced from 42 percent to 6 percent during the same period. It is possible through the
strong commitment of the government by allocating 20 percent of the Annual Development
Programme (ADP) grant to the Local Government Institution for sanitation. To increase the
sanitation coverage, a significant number of toilets were constructed with the GO-NGO-DPs
joint initiatives. Pit latrines and septic tanks with soak well were constructed in the urban
areas. However, it is alarming that faecal sludge volume will be increased considerably and if
collection and disposal systems are not in place and serious environmental degradation and
associated health risks will increase.
Faecal sludge management has not got any attention in Bangladesh so far. However, some
exemplary initiatives are taken in different parts of Bangladesh. DSK (Dustha Sasta Kendra),
a local NGO with the financial assistance of WaterAid has been operating mechanical faecal
sludge collection in Mirpur, Dhaka; Khulna City Corporation and Kushtia Municipality are
using desludging trucks and vacutug respectively for the collection of septic sludge. Faridpur
Municipality had been operating a tanker towed with a tractor since 1975 for night soil
collection.
Along with the sludge collection, the disposal of the collected sludge is also a big challenge.
It is neither put in a trenching ground nor treated rather it is a common practice in the
urban areas as well as rural areas to dispose of in drains or in water bodies making the
whole environment a havoc. In 2008-2009, Practical Action Bangladesh took a project with
Faridpur Municipality for the improvement of faecal sludge management with DGIS funded
Management of Digested Human Excreta. They provided a Vacutug Mark II (A mechanized
vacuum pump mounted tractor trailer unit with a satellite tank), a sludge gulpher (Manually
operated pump) and constructed a sludge treatment plant. However, the project ended
keeping some operational difficulties of the equipments and the treatment plant. To
overcome the difficulties and to keep the equipments and the sludge treatment plant in
operation, Practical Action Bangladesh and WaterAid Bangladesh has jointly taken a project
6
named Sludge Management Service (SMS) in Faridpur Municipality. The project has started
in 1st January 2011 with duration of 2.5 years.
The objectives of the project are:
(a) Develop a cost effective and functional sludge management (Collection,
transportation and treatment) system
(b) Develop a business plan for a long-term sustainable sludge management service
(c) Build capacity on both technical and management of the service providers with
giving emphasis on skill development, health and safety issue, and income
generation
(d) Raise awareness of the customers, the service providers and the municipal policy
makers on improvement of sludge management services.
This short term consultancy work has been invited by Practical Action with a specific
objective to undertake situation analysis on sludge management services in Faridpur
Municipality and consumers’ perspective to establish an improved system and development
of a business plan in this regard.
1.2 Rationale of the study:
In urban areas of Bangladesh, the excreta disposal situation is very alarming. Faecal matter
from either open defecation or from on-site sanitation (OSS) installations such as pit latrines,
septic tanks are discharged indiscriminately into drainage system, low lands, rivers etc.
causing serious health impacts and water pollution. Septic tanks or pits are needed to be de-
sludged at regular interval to keep it functional. Empting feacal sludge from pit or septic
tank is an unpleasant task and can be extremely hazardous both from a public health point
of view and a safety perspective.
Conventional sewerage system is absent in all urban areas except Dhaka where only 25
percent of the population is served by a sewer network (GOB 2011). All other urban areas
use onsite options like septic tanks, pit latrines, unhygienic latrines or none at all. At present,
there is hardly any formal or environmentally sound faecal sludge collection and disposal
system in Bangladesh. This is mainly manually done by sweepers with bare hands and
buckets. Sweepers normally take out the liquid by buckets and then step into the pit to
evacuate the sludge, which has turned too solid to be scooped. Hence, the traditional
manual emptying is associated with considerable health risks for the sweepers in the first
place. The general public is at risk, too, as the emptied sludge is usually deposited into
nearby surface drains or into open low lands. Manual emptying is often done at night and is
7
associated with clandestineness. It is common that the residents have or want to rely on
such a service, either because services for mechanical emptying are either non-exist or not
reliable, too costly, solidified deposits are not removable by suction, or because the pit is
not accessible by emptying vehicles. A mechanized operated pit-emptying technology is
introduced in some municipalities in recent years.
Faecal sludge collection and haulage are particularly challenging in major part of the cities
because of their very densely built-up and unplanned low-income settlements. Emptying
vehicles may not have access to pits or suction hoses must be laid through neighbor’s yards
and homes. The haulage routes usually long and renders haulage to designated discharge or
disposal sites uneconomical and financially unattractive, leading to uncontrolled dumping of
collected faecal sludge at shortest possible distance from the area of collection. Vacuum
tankers discharge their load at shortest possible distance from the points of collection to
save time and cost.
Suitable sites for treatment and use or for final disposal may be found at the outskirts of
cities only. In many cities, dumping sites for faecal sludge are close to squatter or low-
income settlements threaten the health and the living environment of the people.
Lack of urban planning has lead to this situation, whereby disposal or treatment sites at
reasonable haulage distance are lacking. Emptying services are poorly managed. A minor
fraction of the faecal sludges accumulating in on-site sanitation installations are formally
collected and discharged or treated. According to the survey conducted by UGIIP-II project,
in Faridpur Municipality 20 to 30 percent family is out of coverage of healthy latrines. About
51% families have septic tanks and 30% families have pit latrines. However, if we consider a
sustainable and healthy sanitation situation in Faridpur Municipality, along with the new
hygienic toilet construction; regular cleaning of the sludge of the septic tanks and pit latrines
is required. The septic tank should be emptied when the solid component reaches one half
and two-thirds of the tank (Franceys et al. 1992). Harvey et al. (2002) has given a formula for
calculating the emptying frequency of the pit:
Where, V= Volume of pit (m3), N=No. of users, D= Design life/year (Emptying frequency)
S= Sludge accumulation rate (litres/person/year)[182.5 l/p/y for solids and 292l/p/y for
urine accumulation, increased to 474.51 l/p/y, if water is used for anal cleaning)
A= Pit base area (m2)
8
Improved faecal sludge collection and treatment system in Faridpur Municipality is the first
initiative taken in Bangladesh, so for an effective and sustainable operation, it has to be
economically viable, socially acceptable, and technically and institutionally appropriate. So
existing situation analysis, consultation with the stakeholders, and
institutional/regulatory/technical issues have been considered in this study to give a proper
direction to way forward.
2 Literature review
For the improvement of faecal sludge management services of Faridpur municipality, it is
needed to review the policy documents, existing practices, the technical details of the
sludge collection and treatment process etc.
(a) Policy documents and guidelines: National Policy for Safe water Supply and
Sanitation (1998) is the main policy framework document for the improvement of
sanitation situation in Bangladesh. It emphasizes elements of behavioral changes
and sustainability of the water and sanitation infrastructure through user
participation in planning, implementation, management and cost sharing.
Unfortunately, in this policy document the faecal sludge management issue is
ignored. However, the national Sanitation Strategy 2005 calls for enforcement of
appropriate desludging of on-site sanitation systems and subsequent sludge disposal.
In the study of sanitation sector status and gap analysis: Bangladesh (2009) it is
pointed out that for the increase of sanitation coverage, septic tanks and pit latrines
are being constructed in the urban as well as rural areas; however, if the faecal
sludge management issue are not being taken consideration, a serious
environmental degradation and associated health risk will increase (Rahman 2009).
The study has given emphasis on awareness raising for stopping illegal disposal of
faecal sludge and stopping connection of pits /septic tanks with drains and water
bodies. In the Sector Development Plan (2011-25) of Water Supply and Sanitation in
Bangladesh, it is acknowledged that desludging of the pit latrines and septic tanks
and their safe disposal is a worrying environmental problem in the urban areas of
Bangladesh. Some action plans are suggested in the sector development plan where
Local Government Institutions are advised to prepare capacity building and
9
investment programme on improve management of sludge from septic tanks and pit
latrines by 2015.
Awareness and political will must exist and be strengthen at various levels of
government (from national to local government) to promote sustained
improvements in faecal sludge management. Municipal or entrepreneurial bodies
must be in place to provide effective sludge collection, haulage and treatment
services; and urban dwellers must recognize the need and be willing and be able to
pay for improved excreta disposal. This has to be included in the municipal policy
documents for effective management of faecal sludge which is so far missing.
In the international level, faecal sludge management issues are gradually pronouncing. In
the Dakar Declaration: Towards an Improved Faecal Sludge Management 2006 pointed out
that since latrine construction alone is not sufficient to banish the faecal threat, the latrine /
pit contents, the so-called faecal sludges, have to be disposed of and treated in an adequate
manner to safeguard public health and the environment. It also mentioned that in the
majority of cities and towns, faecal sludge management has been to date the stepchild of
urban sanitation with untreated sludges being used or disposed of haphazardly and illegally.
This causes a continued spreading of gastro-intestinal infections and leads to serious water
pollution.
The Symposium therefore recommends policy-makers to:
Define local and national FSM policies, including legal, institutional and socio-
economic elements;
Make faecal sludge management (FSM) a priority in national and municipal
budgets to secure the necessary financial resources;
Clearly designate the national institution responsible for defining and
implementing the FSM policies and strategies;
Enhance and formalize collaboration with the private sector to improve faecal
sludge collection, haulage and treatment;
Promote equipment adapted to slum and/or peri-urban areas, and improves
the protection of manual and mechanical emptiers;
Intensify training and applied sciences in faecal sludge management, focusing
on appropriate technologies (design of on-site sanitation facilities, emptying,
10
haulage, and treatment); planning and management; commercialization and
use of FS-derived bio-solids.
SACOSAN (South Asian Conference on Sanitation), a platform of South Asian
Cities has a overall goal to accelerate the progress of sanitation and hygiene
work so as to enhance its peoples’ quality of life in fulfillment of the MDGs and
the commitment of World Summit Sustainable Development. However, in the
declaration in SACOSAN IV held in Colombo, SriLanka on 4-7 April 2011, the
faecal sludge management issue is not included in the joint declaration. To
achieve sustainable development in sanitation, consideration of quality of life,
human dignity and environmental security of the people is must, and disposal
of sewage sludge is no way to get priority in this regard.
It can be concluded from the sanitation policy documents that the majority of the
WATSAN projects or initiatives has given focus on the provision of latrine construction for
achieving sanitation target, but the management of faecal sludge is generally not given
sufficient consideration. Although access to sanitation is reaching an acceptable limit but
removing faecal sludge from the pits and septic tanks will remain a problem and still not
under the purview of the concern authority.
(b) Existing practices of faecal sludge management: There are very few literatures
related to the faecal sludge management. SANDEC/EAWAG made a good effort to
document some cases of the developing countries. Jonathan Parkinson in 2005
under the DFID funded research project (ENG KaR 8056) documented the Faecal
sludge management of DSK, a local NGO of Bangladesh. In Bangladesh, till early 80s
the human excreta were collected manually by buckets by the mathors (sweepers of
an ethnic community) from the latrines (commonly known as service latrine). They
put the human excreta in a tanker which was pulled by a bullock cart. This manual
collection of buckets of human excreta was abandoned in the 1980s. Septic tanks
and pit latrines had been started using by the residents to keep the human excreta
for a certain period. As there was no appropriate option for faecal sludge removal
was revealed, indiscriminate disposal of sludge in low lands started. The mechanical
means of faecal sludge collection was introduced by DSK in December 2000 in
Bauniaband slum area. They used to collect sludge from pit latrines by vacutug but
found difficulties of access in the narrow lanes, constrained by the slow speed of the
machine to transport sludge and of limited capacity of the storage tank. In order to
resolve the technical problems, a bigger capacity vacutug was designed and
11
manufactured locally. It is mounted on wheels and towed with a pick up truck. For
the hygienic disposal of sludge, DSK convinced DWASA to use their two sewage
pumping stations. The demand for the service has been increased gradually even
from the middle and high income areas. As the revenue is sufficient to cover the cost
of staff salary and majority of the operational and maintenance costs, the service is
noticeably sustainable.
Though in Bangladesh, the manual emptying of pit/septic tanks is widely practiced but there
are few exceptions such as in Khulna City Corporation (KCC) and in Kushtia Municipality
where mechanical emptying of sludge is being practiced. These mechanical systems are
funded by international donor/aid organizations for improving the faecal sludge
management in the municipalities. The Khulna City Corporation is using two very expensive
desludging vacuum tankers with tractors (each cost around 30-40 lakh taka) for sludge
collection received from LGED’s STIIFP (Secondary Town Infrastructures Improvement
Project) funded by Asian Development Bank. The service is subsidized by KCC and the
customer has to pay only 1500 taka for emptying each septic tank. There is also mechanical
pit emptying done by sweepers in those areas where the desludging trucks cannot run
through the narrow roads.
Kushtia municipality started mechanical faecal sludge collection system (one vacutug with
two big tankers) in 2004 funded by a project of UNHABITAT. At the beginning, the pit
emptying service was totally free of cost encouraging to stop the illegal and unhygienic
practice of faecal sludge disposal. Gradually, with the increasing demand of pit emptying,
the municipality has started introducing service charge at subsidized rate to cover the fuel
cost of Vacutug operation. The municipality has a designated site for the final disposal of
collected faecal sludge. The site is around 4km away from the municipality.
Adopted from the Lecture Notes of SANDEC (2002), it is found that the current practice of
faecal sludge management (collection, haulage, discharge and use) is extremely diverse in
different cities in the developing world. While, in some cities such as Kalimantan (Indonesia),
Kumasi (Ghana), Burkina Faso (West Africa), Bamaco (Mali), mostly private entrepreneurs
cater for the collection and haulage of faecal sludge. In other cities such as Danang
(Vietnam), the service is exclusively provided by public utilities or municipalities. In some
cities such as Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), Barumbu (Congo) the services are delivered jointly
by public utilities and private entrepreneurs. In many cities such as Nam Dinh (Vietnam),
there presumably exist informal emptying and collection services rendered by individuals or
mini entrepreneurs who empty pits manually using buckets or baskets. The responsibilities
12
and tasks would have been devolved to community based organizations (CBO) or individual
beneficiaries.
It can be summarized that in Bangladesh both the private sector (DSK in Dhaka) and public
sector (Khulna City Corporation and Kushtia Municipality) are doing the faecal sludge
management. DSK is running on a commercial basis and has started earning to cover the
staff salary and operation and maintenance cost. However, the municipalities are giving
subsidy for the service. In the other developing cities in Asia and Africa, there are good
examples of private entrepreneurs, public-private partnership approach, and
municipalities’ involvement in faecal sludge collection. However, to design an appropriate
and sustainable system of faecal sludge management the following issues need to be
assessed before recommending any development plan:
- Existing sanitation infrastructure and development trends of the city
- Current faecal sludge management practices and their shortcomings
- Stakeholders needs, perceptions and attitude towards faecal sludge
management
- Municipal strategy towards faecal sludge management
- Prevailing socio-economic, institutional, legal and technical conditions, and
- The general urban development concept of the country
(c) Existing emptying methods of feacal sludge: The prevailing methods used around the
developing world for emptying septic tanks or pit latrines can be categorized into
four main groups: manual, manually driven mechanical system, specifically designed
mechanical systems and large vacuum tankers. KONE et al. (2007) made a detailed
comparison of the different options of faecal sludge collection system. It can help to
identify the suitable option for septage removal from tanks/pits.
Manual emptying generally the easiest and cheapest way of removing sludge to
keep a pit operational, although it is usually the most expensive per unit volume.
Manual emptying often involves atleast two workers. One worker has to enter into
the pit need to be equipped with ladder, rope, protective clothing and buckets
Advantages and disadvantages of manual emptying:
Advantages Disadvantages
i) Service accessible to i) High unit cost of removal
13
community
ii) Service is relatively cheaper to
keep the latrine operational
iii) Low equipment capital cost.
ii) Significant health risks to workers
iii) Associated with indiscriminate dumping
iv) Spillage occurs, flies attracted may
spread diseases to local communities
v) Usually the sweepers mess up the
whole area creating social tensions with
neighbors.
vi) Scope for demanding more by sweepers
vii) Social stigma on workers
Sludge Gulper is a manually driven mechanical system where a handpump is used
lowering down into the pit and used to lift the content into a bucket. It was
developed by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine together with
Oxfam in Indonesia.
Advantages and disadvantages of sludge gulper:
Advantages Disadvantages
i) Locally can be manufactured
ii) Cost of the system is low
iii) Accessibility into even densely
populated areas
iv) Low operational and
maintenance cost
i) Requirement of further
containerization and safe disposal of
waste
ii) Could still produce unpleasant odour
iii) Difficult to operate on thick sludge
Vacutug machine has a 500/600 litres capacity tank and a vacuum pump assembly,
driven by a small motorized operating vehicle. A suction hose runs from this unit into the
pit through the hole. It takes 5 to 10 minutes to fill. Small capacity and a speed limit of 5
km/h make for frequent trips and significant travel times to take excreta to a disposal
site. A modified vacutug Mark-II is to operate two units; a 1900 litre main collection tank
and a 200 litre satellite unit.
Advantages and disadvantages of Vacutug machine:
Advantages Disadvantages
i) Removes waste safely for both
workers and public health
ii) Low odour technology
iii) Faster to empty than either
manual or slude gulpher
iv) Reduces social stigma on workers
i) Slow speed encourages local
dumping
ii) Capital cost is high
iii) Accessibility problem
iv) Maintenance cost is potentially
high
14
v) Rate for service can be fixed
Large vacuum tanker contains a motorized pump and a storage tank for emptying and
transporting faecal sludge. Volume can vary from 5 and 10 m3 operate effectively upto
about 60 m and to a depth 2 to 3 m. One or two visits is enough for emptying but still not
emptied completely due to sludge compaction and pit depth.
Advantages and disadvantages of Vacuum tanker:
Advantages Disadvantages
i) Removes sludge safely for both
workers and public health
ii) Low odour technology
iii) Fastest means with which excreta
emptied
iv) Relatively fast removal speeds has
better possibility of economic
disposal of waste
v) Operational cost less per m3
removal
i) Costly both capital and
maintenance
ii) Access to facilities is problem in
urban areas
Access is one of the main reasons why manual emptying is so common. Large vacuum
tankers are simply unable to traverse the narrow streets in unplanned settlements.
Although longer hoses can be used, the maximum length possible is approximately 50 m
(Still, 2002) and adds to the cost of emptying. Even the Vacutug, designed with accessibility
in mind, is unable to access some of the narrower paths in Dhaka, Bangladesh (Parkinson
and Quader, 2008). On the other hand, at 2 kg in weight and approximately 2 m in height
(Oxfam, 2008), the (MDHP) Manual Desludging Hand Pump (Sludge Gulper) appears
extremely portable and easily moved around.
Vacuum-based technologies have experienced difficulties with various kinds of sludge.
Vacuum pumps are unable to deal satisfactorily with dry sludge or solid objects like stones,
sticks and other rubbish (Harvey, 2007). This is because the vacuum system depends on the
material pumped behaving as a fluid. Thus density of sludge is an important criterion,
though often water is added before emptying starts.
The technologies are only able to empty to a limited depth. A vacuum tanker can lift a depth
of up to 2 to 3 m (Pickford and Shaw, 1997); the Vacutug cannot empty pits more than 2 m
deep (Parkinson and Quader, 2008); the MDHP only reaches 80 cm down the pit (Oxfam,
2008). This also depends on the density of sludge. The higher the density of sludge, the
15
greater the static head required of a vacuum-based emptying technology. Observations
have measured the density to range between 0.97 kg/dm3 to 1.75 kg/dm3, which would
require an unobtainable static head of 12 m (Hawkins, 1982). Other important
considerations are that pit depths can vary widely, there may be no need to emptying the
pit completely for it to function acceptably, and it may be unaffordable for users to empty
more than a limited amount of sludge at a time. Franceys et al. (1992) suggested that septic
tanks/pits should not be completely emptied and a small amount of digested sludge should
be kept in the bottom.
(d) Faecal sludge treatment methods: Faecal sludge treatment is a big concern. It is well
known that inadequately treated sludges are some of the main sources of water
pollution and are responsible for the introduction of disease causing pathogens.
Sewage and sewage sludge treatment processes and technologies are being widely
applied in industrialized countries, such as extended aeration, digesters (with or
without gas utilization), mechanically stirred sludge thickeners, centrifuges, belt
presses, and vacuum filter presses etc. for the treatment of faecal sludge. However,
in the developing countries faecal sludges – the byproducts of on-site sanitation
installations (septic tanks and pit latrines) have long been neglected. In recent years,
an encouraging number of initiatives for improved FS management have emerged,
particularly in several West African cities (Senegal, Mali, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso,
Ghana), in South Asia (Nepal, Thailand, Vietnam) as well as in some Latin American
countries. These initiatives help urban dwellers and authorities to overcome the
challenges posed by the indiscriminate and uncontrolled disposal of faecal sludges
into drains, canals, and onto open spaces impairing public health, causing pollution
and creating nose and eye sores. Kone and Strauss (2004) in IWA (International
Water Association) conference presented their study findings on the pilot and field
scale performance of the different treatment processes in Asia, Africa and Latin
America and recommended (i) Solids-Liquid separation (ii) Settling/thickening tanks
or ponds, (iii) Unplanted drying beds (iv) Constructed wetlands (v) Co-composting
with organic solid waste (vi) Anaerobic digestion with biogas utilization, as
potentially suitable sludge treatment options for developing countries.
The high degree of mechanization requires large capital investment and high cost of
operation and maintenance. The concomitant high degree of sophistication calls for
advanced professional skills. Such treatment options should be chosen, whose O+M
cost and cost of repair and replacement will be affordable in the long run to the
municipality or to the entity to which the works have been entrusted. In addition,
16
land availability and price, haulage distances, economy of scale (plant size), public
acceptance, legal discharge standards, extent of government subsidies and
incentives are the considerable factors for choosing an appropriate faecal sludge
treatment option.
(e) Cost of Faecal sludge management: There is no published literature on faecal sludge
(FS) management cost or review of construction and O+M cost for FS management
schemes has been studied to date. Only scarce information on FS management cost
is available. Klingel (2001), in his FS management planning study for the city of Nam
Dinh, Vietnam estimated the cost for three treatment alternatives based on bills of
quantities and labour salaries. The treatment schemes were designed to treat 2,500
m3 of septage annually. Table-1 shows capital, O+M, annualized cost per ton of TS,
and net land requirements for FS treatment by constructed wetlands, unplanted
sludge drying beds, and ponds comprising primary treatment in settling/thickening
tanks.
Table-1 Capital, operating, annualized cost, and net land requirements for Three FS treatment options planned in Vietnam (Klingel, 2001)
Treatment option Capital cost 1
(US$)
Yearly O&M cost
(US$)
Annualized cost 2
(US $ p.ton of TS)
Net land requirements
3
(m2)
Constructed wetlands
16000 1400 70 200
Unplanted sludge drying bed
17000 2000 85 290
Ponds w. preliminary settlings
15500 6000 160 245
1 Excl. cost for design + construction supervision; depreciation period = 15 years; interest rate = 5 %
2
Comprise annualized capital and O+M cost; treatment for 2,500 m3/year @ 20 kg TS/m3
3 per-capita gross land requirements amount to 0.02 . 0.03 m
2 (based on an assumed per-capita FS generation of 0.5 L/day
and a plant capacity of 2,500 m3/year)
Resources for Literature review: There are very few studies carried out on faecal sludge
management. The SANDEC-EAWAG website contains many study reports on faecal sludge
management (www.sandec.ch). The case studies carried out in West African countries by
Sandec with other collaborative partners can be good examples for sharing in the South
Asian Countries. Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) has carried out some action research on
faecal sludge treatment methods. Jonathon Parkinson carried out a detailed documentation
17
of DSK initiative from a DFID funded research project in Bangladesh. From the review of
different potential case-studies, it is evident that faecal sludge management is not a big
problem from a technical point of view. After collection and treatment, it can be disposed of
in land or water bodies or can be used safely in agriculture.
3 Study Objectives:
Objectives of the study: The aim of the project of Faecal Sludge Management in Faridpur
Town undertaken by Practical Action and Water Aid Bangladesh is to increase the septic
sludge collection and its sound treatment. A short term consultancy has been called to carry
out a study. There are two main components of the study: one is to carry out the situation
analysis with giving emphasis on coverage, technological option/choice (collection,
transportation, treatment and disposal), resource input (manpower, equipment and
finances), customers and service provider’s satisfaction, technical capacity and motivation of
the municipal staff, demand analysis, strengths and weaknesses of the existing service,
scope and opportunities, limitations/barriers as Municipal policy makers’ perspective to
improve the service and the other is to develop a business plan with outlining demand,
required investment for improved service, O&M cost and recovery, cost/benefit ratio in
consultation with customers to achieve long-term financial sustainability of the improved
service.
4 Methodology of the study
The study was applied both qualitative and quantitative methods for better understanding
of various aspects and components relating to sludge management issues. The study
emphasized on capturing relevant information for the fulfillment of the objectives
mentioned on the ToR. Different types of research tools were simultaneously used to
ensure quality of information. Under the quantitative perspective, two types of
questionnaire surveys were conducted for collecting information from the fields. Focus
Group Discussions (FGDs), Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) at different levels, physical
observations and literature review were the other tools of the study. Detailing of different
methods is mentioned below:
4.1 Questionnaire Survey
Mainly, two types of questionnaire surveys were conducted under the study. One was
“Household Survey” and other was “Private Service Providers’ Survey”. The Questionnaires
of the surveys were prepared based on the objectives of the study.
18
4.2 Area selection and sampling procedure
The study followed purposive sampling method. As the study mainly focused on sludge
management activities of Faridpur Pourasava, area selection method was applied in such a
way that it covers the entire wards of the town. Such practice would ensure collection of
relevant information from every corner under the Pourasava area. Total sample size was
distributed equally among different wards.
The random sampling process was applied to cover maximum possible household within a
particular ward. The questionnaire was completed by selecting a respondent of giving a
certain interval of the houses. After taking interview in one house total 10 houses interval
was allowed to go for the next respondent. Such type of process ensured covering
maximum number of households within the limited sample size.
4.2.1 Sample design
In order to assess community perception, needs, affordability and acceptability, a household
sample survey was conducted in Pourasava areas. Male and female head of the households
were considered as the respondent of the field survey.
As considering the qualitative nature of the research, it took initiative to conduct the face-
to-face interviews among 250 beneficiaries who took desludging service either from the
conservancy department of the Pourasava or from the private sweepers. The area selection
was considered based on economical and socio-cultural diversity. The target beneficiaries
were the interviewers to collect relevant information by using a fully structured
questionnaire.
4.2.2 Team Mobilization
Practical Action took the responsibility to form a team by accumulating experienced
enumerators. Mainly, the project staffs were collected information from the fields by
following the preset guidelines. A supervisor closely monitored the entire survey and
accompanied the enumerators in the fields.
4.2.3 Orientation and training
A half day orientation and training was arranged for the enumerators for useful
understanding of the questions that were incorporate within the questionnaires. The
orientation and training provided the opportunity to collect information accurately and
ensure proper relevance of it.
19
4.2.4 Pre-testing the questionnaire
The enumerators previously filled up some questionnaires under the pre-testing process to
assess the effectiveness of the designed questionnaire. The questionnaires were finalized
based on the outcomes of the pre-testing of the questionnaires. Some modification and
adjustment was occurred to make it an acceptable in all type of respondents.
4.2.5 Data collection and quality control mechanism
At the final stage, the enumerators were collected data from the selected areas. They
collected information cautiously and checked all the questionnaires carefully before handing
over to the supervisor. The supervisor provided assistance in the fields; the person also
cross-checked sample questionnaires and scrutinized all collected data before processing for
data entry.
4.2.6 Data entry
After completion of the questionnaires, those were further checked and then entered into
the computer. Researcher to reduce entry errors did the data input. Some frequency
analysis and cross-tabulation was done to clean the data set. Data analysis was then carried
out with simple statistical tables and graphs. Software used included Excel and Statistical
Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) program.
4.2.7 Analysis of responses
A highly qualified data analysis was ensured while accumulating data for preparing
tabulation sheet of the survey questionnaires. The soft data was cleaned and edited through
logical check options. In addition, a separate manual checking provision was also followed
on a sample basis.
4.3 Focus Group Discussion (FGD)
One of the major dependencies of the study was on arranging focus group discussions
where the members of different types of groups articulated valuable comments on the issue.
Separate focus group discussions were organized among different types of stakeholders in
the society. Around 15-20 participants were invited and participated in each FGD. The
duration of each of the FGD was comprised with one and a half hours. The assigned
consultants were the facilitators of FGDs as to keep discussions in the right tracks in line
with the study objectives. Practical Action assisted the overall event by giving a PowerPoint
presentation based on the focused issues and raising relevant aspects for wider discussions.
The participants of different FGDs were highly encouraged expressing their enthusiastic and
valuable comments relating to the subject matter. The relevant comments were noted for
20
proper understanding and analyzing the existing situation of the Pourasava as have mandate
to provide sludge management service to the citizens.
4.3.1 Selection of different groups
The sludge management issue has a direct linked with the sanitary latrine used coverage in
the municipal city. There are different types of stakeholders that are taking part at the
decision making processes in the Pourasava in different ways, different committees as have
provision on the Municipal constitution and the service providers within and outside the
Pourasava authority. The study has considered six FGDs for chaptering various perspectives
from wide range of people. The categories of FGDs were as follows:
(i) Conservancy Staffs including labors, supervisors, inspectors and officers of the
Faridpur Municipality: The conservancy staffs are responsible to provide such a
service to the citizens according to the rules of the Pourasava. The department has
a direct relationship with the citizens; therefore, has legal obligation to meet the
desire of the general people. However, the department faces various types of
problem as have organizational limitation to provide adequate service in the
Pourasava area. The perception of the departmental staffs is considered as vital for
understanding the situation of the Pourasava, its limitations and challenges, and hw
to serve the citizen in effective and satisfactory ways.
(ii) Town Level CBO Committee (TLCC): The committee works as the advisory board in
favor of the Pourasava. It is a constitutional committee, so, has legal obligation to
the people by advising the Pourasava to ensure better and useful service from the
government authority. The committee is also responsible to provide advocacy
service for convincing the government agency to take effective decisions in favor of
the citizens. Hence, their perception has a value to introduce any kind of effective
processes in the city.
(iii) Ward Level CBO Committee: Under the Pourasava constitution, it is considered as
the lowest tier advisory committee by accumulating representatives at the ward
level. The committee is responsible to identify ward level problems and best
possible ways to address those and to resolve by adopting acceptable mechanisms.
The main role of the committee is to provide advocacy service to convince the
relevant government authorities and the civil society on different issues. The
committee has a link with the TLCC, so, can advocate further in favor of the citizens.
Therefore, comments and perceptions of such committee can be considered as
important to understand the ground causes and its effects at the ground level.
21
(iv) Civil Society Members: The civil society members are the think tank of the society.
Their perception has a value in overall development of the society. They have
significant contributions in socio-economical development in the society. Their
perceptions on various soci0-cultural and economic issues need to be accounted for
ensuring acceptable and effective decisions in favor of the citizens.
(v) Government Service Providers (Sweepers): The Pourasava has a set of manpower
to clean the roadside, drainage and sewerage system in the town area, known as
(government) Sweepers. The sweepers are responsible to clean the septic tank and
sock well of the citizens following instruction from the Conservancy department of
the Pourasava. These sweepers have the opportunity to get direct reaction of the
service takers to measure the satisfaction level of them by taking service from the
Pourasava. On the other side, the sweepers also face some kind of difficulties to
work in the fields starting from the collection of sludge and its management, safety
and security, health aspects, equipments, etc. Therefore, effective service providing
system cannot be introduced unless considered comments and suggestions of
them.
(vi) Private Service Providers (Private Sweepers): The contribution of the Private
Sweepers on sludge management issue is significant. People not only take sludge
management service from the government, but also from the specialized sweepers,
known as ‘Horizon’. These private sweepers also face different types of problems as
directly rent their service to the citizens. The issue of improved service has a linkage
with the service of the private sweepers. Therefore, the comments of these people
need to be considered to make an assessment of the service providers’ position
both from the government and non-government sides.
4.3.2 Checklist preparation
Separate checklists were prepared for different types of FGDs. The primary guidelines of
FGDs were shared relevant agencies and finalized based on the inputs provided by them.
The guidelines were strictly followed in the fields to secure effective comments and
information from different participants. The outputs of FGDs would be one of the valuable
sources to analyze the existing sludge management situation of the Pourasava and its way
forward.
22
4.3.3 Communication and arrangement of FGDs
On an average, 15-20 participants take part on each of the FGDs. The project implementing
organization took the responsibility to communicate with the relevant persons and ensured
their participation on the specific time and date.
4.4 Key Informant Interview
There are many stakeholders that take desludging service from the public or private
sweepers. The study was provided efforts to collect different perceptions of different types
of stakeholders, which would be useful for in-depth analysis of the existing sludge
management procedure in the Pourasava area. The representatives of the bus terminal,
private clinic, hotel, institution, large shopping market and bazaar were interviewed under
KII process. There are local government bodies, DPHE and NGOs that are functioning in the
Pourasava and the public representatives at the ward level were also considered as the key
informants. Therefore, different aspects relating to the subject matters and their relevance
with Sanitation and Sludge management practices were discussed with the sector
professionals and interviewed accordingly.
4.5 Limitation of the study
Information unavailability at Bangladesh context was a major constrain of the study. In the
real ground, different government, non-government and private stakeholders are involved
in sanitation related activities, however, the Sludge Management issue is found extremely
neglected and very little initiatives have taken or even addressed by various institutions or
organizations. Therefore, the assessment study need to depend on various remarks and
comments, experiences of surrounding countries, which was stressful and time consuming.
Extreme time limitation for conducting such a wide range unique study can be treated as
another serious constrain of the study. As the study demand, different types of research
methodology need to be applied within the short period of time. It is considered another
constrain of the study.
5 Situation Analysis of Faecal Sludge in Faridpur Municipality
5.1 Background information of the municipality
Faridpur Municipality has been upgraded into a class I municipality in 1986. The municipality
covers an area of 22.39 sq.km, comprises 9 wards with a total population of 135837. Kumar
River divided the municipality into two parts. The Faridpur Municipality is among the 35
23
municipalities of Bangladesh that included in the Second Urban Governance and
Infrastructure Improvement Project (UGIIP-2). 64 CBOs (1 CBO consists of 200-300 families)
are formed to involve the grass root people in the development process of the municipality.
The Municipality has prepared the Pourashava Development Plan (PDP)1 and constituted
the Executive committees such as CBO2 committee (12 members), WLCC3 committee (10
members) and TLCC4 committee (50 members) to ensure public participation in the
development works as indicated in the Local Government (Municipality) Act 2009.
5.2 Socio-economic profile of the respondents covered through
the questionnaire survey
An extensive household survey was conducted for understanding the socio-economical
profile of the people that are living in the Pourasava areas. The citizens are the service taker
from the public and private sector on sludge management issues. Assessment of the socio-
economical status of the citizens has direct link with the service taking from different service
providers.
On the other side, the information on the socio-economic conditions of the public and
private sweepers is also required to assess their situation and what kind of support would
be needed to ensure better service for the inhabitants.
5.2.1 Type of Residence
According to the household survey result, more than 95 percent respondents were the
owner of their residences. Only around four percent were the household caretakers. It is a
significant outcome to assess anything from financial perspective and suggesting for better
sludge management service in the town area. As the house owners pay the service charges
for availing any kind of services from different agencies, the comments of the house owners
should get priority at the decision making process.
1 PDP ( Pourashava Development Plan) is a long-term visionary integrated development plan of the
municipality. It is prepared based on the situation and demand analysis in a participatory manner. 2 CBO (Community Based Organization),
3 WLCC (Ward Level Coordination Committee)
4 TLCC (Town Level Coordination Committee)
24
Type of Residence
95.2
4.4 0.4
Ow nership
Caretaking
Others
Relogion
78.8
21.2
Islam
Hindu
5.2.2 Religion of the Respondents
Out of 250 respondents, nearly four-fifth of the respondents was Muslim (78.8%). The rest
of the respondents were Hindu (21.2%). It has given an indication of covering the major
religions in the Pourasava. Under the study, any kind of suggestion would be aligned for
both types of inhabitants.
5.2.3 Family Size of the Respondent
Average family members in the survey
areas were found 4-6 persons, which
was nearly 39 percent. Around 31
percent family size was up to four
members. The average family size is
identified as 6.1 where 3.04 is male
and 3.06 is female. It is a major
considering factor of determining the
size of the septic tank or the sock well
to avoid frequent cleaning for the chamber constructed over the latrine. More dependents
upon a family have a link to provide negative impacts on hygiene and environmental
friendly practices over emphasizing on the basic needs of a family. The study outcome has
the similarity with the national family size.
5.2.4 Occupation
of the
Respondents
Around 47 percent
respondents were involved
with business. Service
holders were the second
30.8
38.4
14.8 16
0
10
20
30
40
perc
en
tag
e
Up to 4 4-6 person 6-8 persone 8 above
Family Members
43.6
28.8
14.89.2
2.8 0.8
0
10
20
30
40
50
pe
rc
en
tag
e
Business Service Housewife House
rent
Retired
Person
Labor
Occupation of the Respondent
25
largest occupation identified on the survey, which was nearly 29 percent. Others were non-
significant though nearly 15 percent respondents were housewives; nine percent
respondents depend on collecting house rent. In general, all collected information has given
an apparent indication of having significant trend of occupations of the inhabitants as either
involved with business or services.
5.2.5 Monthly income
Monthly income of little more than 33 percent respondents was within the range of BDT
5,000 - 10,000. Around
28 percent respondents
earned within the range
of BDT 10,000 – 15,000
and 15 percent up to
BDT 5,000. It is given an
indication of having
limited earning
opportunity of the
people; eventually gives indication on limited scope to share more money for adopting any
kind of better service from outside sources.
5.2.6 Type of Sanitary Latrine
According to the survey result, around 66 percent of the respondents mentioned that they
have septic tanks with their sanitary latrine and other 34 percent with a sock well. The two-
third of the sanitary latrine with septic tanks has given a positive indication of having
constructed chamber for keeping feacal sludge in confined way. Such figure would be an
encouraging factor to ignite others for converting the sock well into septic tanks.
15.2
33.2
28
13.6
10
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
perc
en
tag
e
Tk. 3000 to
5000
Tk. 5001 to
10000
Tk. 10001 to
15000
Tk. 15001 to
20000
Tk. 20001 to
above
Monthly Income
Type of Latrine
34%
66%
Pit Latrine
Safety Tank
Number of Ring of a Latrine
7%
36%
22%35% up to 5 ring
5-10 ring
10-15 ring
15 above
26
As 34 percent people are used different types of pit latrine, the number of rings used for the
sock well is an important factor, which has a link with the frequency of cleaning the
chamber for sludge management at the household level. According to the survey result, 58
percent households have constructed the well by using more than 10 rings on a latrine. The
highest number of
households use 10-15
rings, which is 36
percent and second
highest is 15 and more
rings covering 22
percent. High number
of used rings for the
latrine well has a
positive link with the frequency of desludging the latrine. More ring on a well can be
confined feaces in one place for longer period of time.
The latrine having septic tank is more acceptable way to confined feces in systematic way.
The size of the septic tank is a considering factor with the frequency of requiring desludging
the tank. According to the survey result, the size of the septic tanks of nearly 62 percent
respondents is within the range of 100 – 300 squire feet; around 10 percent having larger
tank within the range of 300 – 600 sq. ft. More than eight percent respondents have larger
tanks over 600 sq, ft. On the other side, 11 percent respondents having comparatively small
septic tanks as mentioned the size were below 100 squire feet. The size of the septic tank
has linkage with the cost and the frequency; the service taker need to pay more money for
larger size of septic tank, however, frequency of cleaning it would be less.
5.3 Current Faecal Sludge Management Practice in Faridpur
municipality
The conservancy section of the Faridpur Municipality is providing desludging service of
septic tank and pit latrines against the demand received from the city dwellers. Residents
generally come to conservancy section with a request to get the desludging service of the
municipality for their septic tanks or pit latrines. Then an account assistant of the
conservancy section gives him/her a prescribed application form to write down the details
of the applicants including the type and size of the septic tank. Based on the type of the
latrine option, volume of septic tank, distance, accessibility, type of sludge content, the
11.0
61.6
19.2
4.1 4.1
-
10.0
20.0
30.0
40.0
50.0
60.0
70.0
perc
en
tag
e
Up to 100
sq. ft.
100 sq. ft. -
300 sq. ft.
300 sq. ft. -
600 sq. ft.
600 sq. ft. -
900 sq. ft.
900 sq. ft. &
above
Measurement of Safety Tank
27
municipality staff negotiated a service charge with the applicant. The applicant gets a
receipt after paying the service charge and gets a possible date for the desludging service.
The conservancy section maintains a register for keeping record of the service and sends the
application form for Mayor’s approval. A tractor with a tanker had been used by the
municipality for emptying the pit and septic tanks sludge. The service was unhygienic and
unsafe from public health point of view.
According to the survey outcome,
the inhabitants are not depending
on the conservancy department for
taking cleaning services of the septic
tanks or the pit latrines. Only 13
percent house owners mentioned
about taking such type of services
from them; where as the percentage is nearly seven times higher to take service from the
private sweepers; it is around 87 percent. It is extremely alarming for the Pourasava that the
people are not at all feeling attracted to take service from the Pourasava though has legal
mandate to serve the citizens on desludging pits or septic tanks in exchange of taking
service charge. The issue was also found supportive on a FGD that was conducted with the
TLCC members. As mentioned earlier, TLCC is an obligatory body according to the Pourasava
ordinance, however, it was identified that some of the members of those committees were
not aware about the desludging service provision of the Pourasava. The issue need to be
taken seriously and should be addressed properly for developing any kind of future scheme
or program under the Pourasava authority. Night soil
Normally, the desludging
service happens at night from
11 pm to 4 pm. The sweepers
prefer night time due to some
valid reasons. As identified from
the survey questionnaire, they
choose night time to avoid
sever foul odor, which was
nearly 92 percent of the respondent. Disposal is a serious problem for not having any
authorized place of the Pourasava; therefore, it is easy to dispose night soil anywhere at
night time as mentioned by 36 percent respondent. However, around 11 percent
respondents preferred night time for less use of latrines.
Dependency on Cleaning Tank
12.8
86.8
0.4
Municipality
Private Sw eeper
Self
91.6
36.4
10.8
0 20 40 60 80 100
percentage
Spread foul odour
Dispose anyw here
Less Toilet uses
Reason of Preferring Night Time
28
While asked the
respondents about the
satisfaction level of taking
service from the Pourasava,
they raised some complains
against the official sweepers.
About 31 percent
respondents expressed their dissatisfaction as the way they work for desludging the tank;
the main reason is not having any service guidelines for the sweepers as they mentioned. A
significant number of respondents (28.1 percent) stated that the official sweepers forcefully
demand and take additional money as tips for cleaning the septic tank or pit well, which is
undesirable. Another vital problem is the lengthy administrative process to get service from
the conservancy department; nearly 22 percent expressed such comment. Partial cleaning
and non-cooperation of sweepers were other problems of dealing with official sweepers
(12.5 and 6.3 percent respectively).
One of the major problems of the Municipal authority has no fixed place for sludge disposal.
So, the collected sludges are disposed of in adjacent low lands, drains or ditches. During the
rainy season, the waiting time for pit emptying is long since demand is high and the
municipality has limited resources. The labors do not clean the pit properly and make mess
in surrounding area during emptying. The influential people of the town receive this service
first and the poor are generally overlooked as they have limited ability to pay and
influencing capability.
Normally, the service was provided at night from 11 pm to 4 am to avoid the public
disturbance. The sweepers prefer night time due to some valid reasons. As identified from
the survey questionnaire, they choose night time to avoid sever foul odor, which was nearly
92 percent of the respondent. Disposal is a serious problem for not having any authorized
place of the Pourasava; therefore, it is easy to dispose night soil anywhere at night time as
mentioned by 36 percent respondent. However, around 11 percent respondents preferred
night time for less use of latrines.
While asked the
respondents about the
satisfaction level of taking
service from the Pourasava,
they raised some complains
Problems with Municipal Sweepers
31.3
28.1
21.9
12.5
6.3
0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0 30.0 35.0
Absence of service guidelines
Additional tips
Lengthy approval process
Partial cleans of the tank or pit
Non-coperation of sw eepers
percentage
Problems with Municipal Sweepers
31.3
28.1
21.9
12.5
6.3
0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0 30.0 35.0
Absence of service guidelines
Additional tips
Lengthy approval process
Partial cleans of the tank or pit
Non-coperation of sw eepers
percentage
29
against the official sweepers. About 31 percent respondents expressed their dissatisfaction
as the way they work for desludging the tank; the main reason is not having any service
guidelines for the sweepers as they mentioned. A significant number of respondents (28.1
percent) stated that the official sweepers forcefully demand and take additional money as
tips for cleaning the septic tank or pit well, which is undesirable. Another vital problem is
the lengthy administrative process to get service from the conservancy department; nearly
22 percent expressed such comment. Partial cleaning and non-cooperation of sweepers
were other problems of dealing with official sweepers (12.5 and 6.3 percent respectively).
One of the major problems of the Municipal authority has no fixed place for sludge disposal.
So, the collected sludges are disposed of in adjacent low lands, drains or ditches. During the
rainy season, the waiting time for pit emptying was long since demand was high and the
municipality had limited resources. The influential people of the town used to receive the
service first and the poor were generally overlooked as they had limited ability to pay and
influencing capacity. With a team of three to four members, the sweepers used to clean
three to four pits or septic tanks in one night.
The citizens were found
reluctant on desludging
issue. According to the
survey outcome, 66
percent respondents stated
that they don’t know where
the municipal authority
desludge the night soil;
around 22 percent stated that the sweepers desludged night soil in a designated place of
the Pourasava authority. Others were non-significant comments. It has given an indication
that a significant portion of the citizens were unaware about the issue of not having any
particular place of the Pourasava for disposing and desludging the collected wastes. Same
type of reaction was also found on the FGDs of WLCC and TLCC. Some of the participants of
WLCC stated that they were informed for the first time about having desludge service
provision and system of Pourasava. They are completely depended upon the private
sweepers. TLCC is a legal municipal level CBO that directly advices to the Pourasava on
development issues by attending meetings on regular interval. The committee also plays
advocacy role in favor of the citizens. However, it was also identified on a FGD that some of
the members of TLCC were confused about having such type of service. It indicates lack of
serious awareness about the services of Pourasava and need to take different initiatives to
65.6
21.9
6.3
3.1
3.1
- 10.0 20.0 30.0 40.0 50.0 60.0 70.0
percentage
Don't know n
Municipal designated place
Municipal drain
Ditch / Canal
Dissonance place
Where Dump the Collected Sludge
30
ignite the citizens, specially the members of different level committees that serve the
Pourasava on sludge management issues, service provision of the Pourasava and role of the
citizens to cooperate the issues.
In 2008-09, under DGIS funded ‘Management of digested human excreta’ project, Practical
Action donated a Vacutug machine to Faridpur municipality and a sludge gulpher to private
sweepers for the hygienic collection and transportation of the septic sludge. A faecal sludge
treatment facility was also constructed in a land of Faridpur Municipality 5 km away from
the town. The project put some conditions against the project grant. The conditions were: (i)
Provide land for construction of sludge treatment facilities (ii) Introduce one stop approval
system (whom to contact, contact number of responsible man, application form and others)
for service receivers to reduce hassle (iii) Open and maintain separate book for income and
expenditure of the service (iv) Introduce service charge within a affordable limit of the city
dwellers to recover the operational cost (v) Increase payment for labours, provide
protective cloths and regular medical service and O & M of necessary equipments.
The conservancy section has engaged one supervisor, one driver and six labors for faecal
sludge management service. The supervisor generally informs the driver and labors for the
task in advance. The sweepers work on ‘no work no pay’ basis and their working hour is
11pm - 4 am. Generally, they get Tk.1500 per month. They are involved in desludging
activity on an average ten days in a month and rest of the days, they are involved in other
conservancy work (mainly road sweeping). They also get some tips for the service from the
residents. The supervisor and driver are regular employees of the municipality and each of
them gets Tk.7000 per month.
The tractor-driver is entitled to get five liters diesel for emptying and discharging of sludge
for a septic tank and four litter diesels for pit latrine. The monthly repair and maintenances
cost arises around Tk.2000 from tractor, engine and tank. One time desludging by tractor
with big tanker costs around Tk.200. If the sludge is hard, then the service receivers have to
pay extra money for removal to the sweepers. Only three trips of sludge removal are
possible in one night.
The sight of the new machineries such as Vacutug and sludge gulper on the streets caused
considerable interest of the city dwellers. The vacutug has a 600 litre capacity tank and
vacuum pump assembly driven by a small-motorized operating vehicle. It is fast and
generally efficient as no direct contact of workers with the faecal sludge but has a limitation
of small capacity and a speed limit of 5km/h needs 4 to 6 trips (for a septic tank) and
significant travel times to transport sludge to the treatment plant. The hose pipe cannot
31
reach septic tank more than 100 feet distance and thick or dried material cannot be
collected with the low-powered pump. For this reason, the vacutug machine did not get
much attraction of the users as well as the service receivers. The sludge gulper is a manually
operated pump that can be lowered into the pit or tank and used to lift the contents out
into a bucket or a local trench. It needs human force and difficult to operate on thick sludge.
It is not operational as the sweepers are discouraged to use.
(Sludge Gulper, Source: Practical Action) (Vacutug and sludge treatment plant, Source: Practical Action)
The faecal sludge treatment plant constructed in Faridpur Municipality is anaerobic
digestion system in a closed tank with a provision for ventilation of gas in the environment.
The liquid has a provision to pass through a filter bed and collected in a stabilization pond.
The digested sludge can be used for co-composting in the adjacent composting plant. The
municipality tried to start the operation of the plant but due to technical difficulties (lifting
sludge from tank to plant with the less horse power motor) needs some modification.
5.4 Situation analysis of the Sweepers: Municipal and Private
There are Muslim and Horijon
sweepers that serve the citizens in
Faridpur Pourasava. The socio-
economic conditions of both types of
sweepers are marginal. According to
the survey outcomes, around 74
percent of the sweepers are renting
their service under the Pourasava, eight
percent are absolutely serve the private
organizations and 18 percent serve as
private sweepers. Nearly 18 percent
sweepers have no second professions;
others utilize the leisure times by renting their labor in private organizations.
Main Profession
74
8
18Pourasava
Sw eeper
Service in
Private Office
Private Sludge
Cleaning
Services
Working Experience
28.0
34.0
28.0
6.0 4.0Up to 10 yrs
10 - 20 yrs
20 - 30 yrs
30 - 40 yrs
40 & above
32
The sweepers have vast experiences on sludge management though working on
conventional way. Around 34 percent have working experiences of 10-20 years and 28
percent of 20-30 years; the percent is also same for those are working up to 10 years. It has
given a clear indication of restricted scope to switch from the present job to any other
professions. It is true mainly for the Horijon that are considered as schedule cast.
Mainly, the sweepers are illiterate, which is also reflected on the questionnaire survey.
Around 50 percent of the respondents were found having no formal education; however, a
significant portion can sign only,
which is supportive to illiteracy.
It means more than three
fourth of the respondents
having to connection with
education. It is a serious barrier
against suggesting any kind of
improved sludge management
services for the citizens. Education has a useful linkage with better understanding,
acceptance of new thoughts and changing mindset.
As considering the nature of the
work, the sweepers need to work
in a group. Some of them engage
in collecting night soil from the
under ground tank or pit-well;
simultaneously other support is
needed for disposing those on a particular container or place. According to the survey
results, around 44 percent mentioned of working four persons in a group; 30 percent
mentioned requiring three persons to manage sludge in useful way. On other side, two
persons’ group mainly works to manage cleaning sludge of pit latrine. It is an indication of
needing collective efforts to sludge management activities; therefore, they might required
training for capacity building on different relevant parts of desuldging management system.
The sweepers use conventional, non specialized and available materials for cleaning septic
tanks and pit latrine; using materials are bucket, belcha, rope, iron bar etc. Improved service
wouldn’t be expected by using those equipments. However, they need to spend money for
buying those items from the market. Though they are low earning class people, but as
identified from the survey questionnaire, nearly 44 percent mentioned that they need to
50
26
10 12
2
0
10
20
30
40
50
perc
en
tag
e
No formal
education
Can sign
only
Class I to V Class VI to
VIII
Class IX to
X
Education
Member in a Group
16%
30%44%
10%
Up to 2 person
3 person
4 person
5 person
33
pay within the range of BDT 1,000 -2,000; around 28 percent spend within the range of BDT
2,000 – 3,000. Almost 18 percent spend more that BDT 3,000. They find it difficult to
manage required money, which is mentioned by the municipal sweepers on a FGD. They
expect cooperation from the Pourasava authority regarding the issue. They stated that the
municipal authority should provide required equipment or allocate monthly / yearly
allocation of fund to get hose materials. They believe that such support would encourage
them to provide more effective services to the customers. The Pourasava authority might
take the issue seriously and raise it on different meetings, seminars and others major
events; introducing such provision would provide direct positive impacts on their jobs and
the citizens will also be benefited through getting better or improved service from them.
The economic
condition of the
sweepers is
extremely limited.
They are low
income group
people. Male and
female both work as sweepers for road cleaning and sweeping. Male are basically engaged
for sludge management at the household level. As identified on the questionnaire survey,
self and family income of most of the households was within the economic range of Tk.
3,000 – Tk. 5,000 (around 52 and 66 percent respectively). Nearly 40 percent of the
sweepers’ monthly income is up to Tk. 3,000. As considering the monthly income of one
person in a family, it is seen that the income of 92 percent people is till Tk. 5,000.
5.5 Perception of Municipality on Sludge management
(i) A meeting was held on 6th April 2011 at 10:00 am with the Hon’ble Mayor of
Faridpur Municipality Mr Shiekh Mahtab Ali Matthu regarding his priority on
faecal sludge management issue. Mayor is very much committed to give
attention to the sludge management issue. He will request the waste and
sanitation standing committee to work on it and bring this issue in the board
meeting. He will cooperate with the sludge improvement program and extend
his support to get suitable land for sludge treatment.
(ii) A focus group discussion was held on 6th April 2011 at 10:30 with the chair of
Chief Executive Officer Mr Shajahan Mia and the participation of representatives
40
8
52
66
6
182 4
0 4
0
20
40
60
80
perc
en
tag
e
Up to Tk.
3,000
Tk. 3,000 -
Tk. 5,000
Tk. 5,000 -
Tk. 8,000
Tk. 8,000 -
Tk. 10,000
Tk. 10,000
& above
Salf and Family Income
Self Income
Family Income
34
from conservancy, engineering, planning and health department of Faridpur
Municipality. The following views were recorded:
(iii) Sludge management has got least priority as a municipal service among the other
problem areas such as water, sanitation and solid waste. However, after
observing the photo slides (septic tank/pit connection to open drain, overflow of
the septic tank contents, pollution of the Kumar river); the representatives of the
Faridpur Municipality acknowledge the need to give sludge management as a
priority. The environmental deterioration such as the pollution of the water
bodies and a considerable risk of disease proliferation, the representatives of the
municipality admit faecal sludge management as an essential municipal service.
(iv) During the approval process of the building plan, the design and location of the
septic tank need to be examined and necessary supervision has to be done
during construction
(v) The motorized emptying of septic tank or pit latrines by vacutug has got a good
response from city dwellers for its hygienic operation. However, due to the low
capacity of the storage tank and slow speed, it takes more trips and longer travel
time. It also makes sound and sometimes the neighbors has raised objection
during night time collection and transportation.
(vi) The crude dumping of sludge in the drains or ditches cause environmental
problems such as spreading bad smell and diseases, polluting the surface water
sources and even possibility the ground water table contamination. The sludge
treatment facility needs to be functional otherwise, vacutug operational will be
useless. Sometimes, local resistance or complaint received by the municipality for
indiscriminate disposal. It has undermined the image of the municipality and
municipality has to face lot of criticism for the wrongdoing.
(vii) For the improvement of the faecal sludge management service, the vacutug
capacity and its performance need to be modified or increased.
(viii) Municipality has included the faecal sludge collection in the citizen charter.
Service charge and service delivery time are also displayed in the board for public
notice.
35
(ix) Capacity building of the municipal staff, more budget provision, awareness
raising activities and more equipment is required for the improved and effective
service.
Case Study 1
High risk: Desludging
Night Soil
Name: Md. Abul Hossain
Job: Driver,
Conservancy
Department
Physical Age: 43 years
Job Experience: 22
years
Faridpur Pourasava
Md. Abul Hossain is working as the driver under the conservancy department for
more than 18 years and 22 years of job experience as the employee of Faridpur
Pourasava. He has been experiencing different types of problems during the service
period. He is responsible for the collection of sludge and its desludgeing at the
outside of the Pourasava area. Mainly, those items are disposing in the low lands
and river side in authorized places, which mentioned as one of the major problems
by Mr. Hussain. Generally, he works from twelve to three hours at night by taking
the sweepers to the assigned place. Local people do not allow them to dispose
sludge here and there. In general, local people create obstruction for not disposing
such unwanted materials. Mr. Hossain faced such situation several times; because,
his is responsible to collect and desludge night soil. He becomes habituated to
absorbed bad comments and their rudeness. He was also physically assaulted by the
neighbors. Sometimes, he was forcefully moved out with the team members as
attacked by the local people while desludging wastes in a place; they were
helplessly leave places for self protect. He wasn’t the only person who was
physically assaulted by the neighbors, but some of his colleagues like Mr. Idris Ali,
Sabur Hossain and Amjad Hossain were also faced same type of problem. He
couldn’t accept such type of offensiveness behavior from the local citizens and
wanted to leave the job several times; however, couldn’t make it as considering
himself as the public servant and working under local government authority. Mr.
Hussain knows about the limitations of the Pourasava; however, very much hopeful
and shows courage to take the challenge of changing the situation by adopting
improved mechanisms with the support from external development agencies. He
pointed out some of the issues that need to be considered on an urgent basis for
improving overall sludge management situation in the municipal area, such as
immediate purchasing of land for waste and sludge disposal, improved but user
friendly technologies for the collection and disposal of sludge, extra facilities for
night sift workers, safety measures etc. He also suggested for digging two ponds
next to each other for systematic waste and sludge disposal at the adjacent of the
municipal area; alternative suggestion could be to construct large size underground
tank by selecting low lands anywhere outside the town.
36
5.6 Sweepers’ perceptions on sludge management: Municipal
and Private
The Faridpur Municipality has both muslim and traditional (horizon) sweepers. There is no
good relation between the two groups. The conservancy section of the municipality involves
the muslim sweepers in the faecal sludge management service officially. The horizon
sweepers only do the street sweeping of the municipality. The horizon sweepers belong to
the same community of the private sweepers. They do the informal sludge collection service
if they are hired by the residents directly. Both the group complains against each other.
Separate interviews were taken for the two groups. The municipality also keeps them
separated. Once, the horizon sweepers dominated the conservancy service. Gradually, the
muslim sweepers are replacing them. Regarding the health and safety issue both groups
want to work in good environment having protective gears. Both the sweepers (municipal
and private) are supportive to the improved mechanized sludge collection service. [In Dhaka,
initially, DSK faced opposition from local sweepers who traditionally cleaned pits and septic
tanks as the vacutug service threaten their source of income. It was settled through 10 to
30% commission as financial incentives]. Though this type of situation was not disclosed
during the interview but some kinds of financial incentives need to be introduced to
popularize the mechanized service among the sweepers. As there is a clear conflict of
interest exists between the two groups, similar attention need to be given in resource
mobilization. The municipal sweepers are mostly temporary with no work no pay basis. They
are very low paid, they get only Tk.1500/ per month. One driver and six sweepers work for
the sludge collection service. They do not get any extra money as incentive for this work.
However, they occasionally get some tips for the work from the service receivers. They work
at night 11 pm to 4 am, average 10 days in a month. Rest of the days, they do the road
sweeping work of municipality. Sometimes, they manage work privately. This part-time
work provide supplement to their main income. The conservancy supervisor sometimes
gives them money to buy detergent or soap. They do not enjoy any medical facility from the
municipality.
According to the private sweepers, they do not get the job regularly. However, most of
them work in the different institutions to clean toilets and sweeping work. The traditional
sweepers feel that they can deliver quality service than the muslim sweepers.
It is clearly observed that for a uniform as well as for an improved sludge management
service in the Faridpur municipality; both the municipal and private sweepers need to be
brought under a regulation. Similar resource need to be mobilized and capacity be
37
enhanced. Otherwise, it will be difficult to stop the informal and manual sludge removal
service.
5.7 Community perception on sludge management
The CBO, WLCC and TLCC members represent the community. Their opinions were taken
through focus group discussion.
I. As the CBO, WLCC and TLCC members are part of the policy making and development
process, they know about the sludge management service of Faridpur Municipality.
However, they were not aware of the situation of the problem due to unplanned
discharge in the environment.
II. Some members took the sludge management service of the municipality when they
knew about the improved service. But they are not satisfied rather they are frustrated
because of lengthy approval process and too expensive than the private service. They
also complain about the behavior and working manner of the sweepers. They do not
QQUUEESSTTIIOONNNNAAIIRREE SSUURRVVEEYY OOUUTTCCOOMMEESS:: HHOORRIIJJOONN AANNDD MMUUSSLLIIMM SSWWEEEEPPEERR
82 percent sweepers utilize the leisure times by renting their labor in private organizations.
76 percent sweepers are either illiterate or can sign; 22 percent have education up to class VIII and two percent till X.
18 percent of the respondents mentioned that other family members are also involved with the same service.
The sweepers work in a group of comprising three to five persons.
They use conventional, non-specialized and available materials for cleaning sludge.
They do not take any kind of safety measures for cleaning septic tanks or sock well. They request for taking initiative by the Pourasav to provide safety dress with other safety equipments and facilities.
The municipal sweepers have no inceptive expect the fix rate earning with no additional benefits. The situation of the private sweepers is even worst.
The sweepers represent as the low income group people; monthly income of 74 percent families was up to BDT 5,000.00/=; if consider the individual income, 92 percent sweepers’ income is within such range.
The Pourasava Sweepers ask for issuing ID cards in the favor as work in the night time for self protection.
Major problems faced by the sweepers are physical harassment for illegal dumping (38%), verbally tussle with the local people (32%), nuisance by the police and night guards 12%); other non-significant issues were lack of cooperation of the customers like supplying light, water; inconvenient location and distance, apathy to pay the final payment, etc.
They do not have any welfare organization, federation or CBOs to negotiate with the government and others for their well being.
38
clean the septic tank properly. They put some septage around the septic tank, so that
the owner may not get scope to supervise their work. They only clean the liquid part
but for solid part, they ask extra money. They found that private service is easily
available and cheaper than the municipal service. The private sweepers do the job
sincerely. However, they feel that the service needs to be delivered or controlled by
the municipality to make it uniform and systematic.
III. They feel that both the service (Municipal and Private) can be run in parallel and a
competition need to be there to prove their skill and quality in service delivery.
IV. In the Pourashava Development Plan (PDP), the faecal management service is dropped
out of ignorance; however, they acknowledge and recommend it as an important
service of municipality.
V. As the city is still unplanned and significant number of poor are living in this city, at
present situation, it will be difficult to stop the illegal connection of septic tanks to
drains. However, through improving the service delivery of the municipality and by
making people aware of the negative impact of illegal connection, necessary punitive
actions can be taken against the offender.
VI. The existing vacutug service is hygienic but the service is very slow. It takes lot of time
to clean a septic tank. The service needs to be fast and easily available. More
equipment support is needed for the Faridpur municipality. If the municipality does
not obtain sufficient equipments and deliver quick service; the people may be
reluctant to take the service from the municipality. So the capacity building of the
municipality in terms of human and equipment support is essential.
However, the common observations of the community such as lack of information (where
to go, whom to contact, service charge, application format, complain register etc), lengthy
approval process, not maintaining the serial, not satisfactory service delivery , claiming
extra charge as tips and sweepers abnormal behavior at night need to be paid attention.
To popularize the mechanized and hygienic faecal sludge management service of Faridpur
Municipality, more community consultation and awareness raising activities are required.
The service needs to be available to the community in terms of cost and quality. There
should be standardization and regulatory control on both the municipal and private
service to stop the manual cleaning.
39
5.8 Perceptions of other related stakeholders
Interviews were taken of the key personnel of LGED, DPHE and DoE. They are aware of the
municipal faecal management service. LGED and DPHE are working for the improvement of
sanitation situation of the municipality. DoE is the regulatory authority. So an institutional
linkage is required among the related organizations for effective and sustainable sanitation.
They recommend that a strong initiative is required to take necessary policy measures and
regulatory framework for faecal sludge management.
5.9 Technology assessment
For the improved and hygienic collection and transportation of faecal sludge, Practical
Action provided one vacutug to Faridpur Municipality and one sludge gulper to private
sweepers. The vacutug consists of 600 litre capacity tank mounted on a wheel assembly
platform which is operated by a motor used to suck faecal sludge from septic tank or pit
RREESSPPOONNSSEE OOFF TTHHEE HHOOUUSSEEHHOOLLDD SSUURRVVEEYY
The monthly income of around 33 percent respondents was within the range of BDT 5001 – 10,000. and 28 percent was the range of BDT 10,000 – 15,000.
66 percent use the Latrine with septic tank and the size of the septic tank of 62 percent users was within 100-300 sq. feet.
Around 34 percent use the Pit Latrine; most of them (36 percent) use 10-15 rings for pit-well.
Around 22 percent take initiative for desludging septic tank or pit-well once in every after six month; 32 percent once in a year and 20 percent once in two years.
Only 12.8 percent people take the sludge management service from the Pourasva and 86.8 percent depend on the Private Sweepers.
Major problems identified against municipal sweepers were having no service guidelines to serve the clients in better ways, lengthy administrative process to receive service, non-cooperation of sweepers, only cleaning the liquid sludge and demand additional tips for service.
Major problems of the private sweepers were claiming more service charges, only cleaning liquid sludge and non-cooperation attitude.
Most of the people don’t know (66 percent) where the collected sludge is disposed. Rest of the people expressed dissatisfaction to discharge the collected sludge in unauthorized places like, low land, in the drain, river site etc.
People are willing to pay additional money for advanced and improved sludge management service and ensured will cooperation the Pourasava regarding the issue.
40
latrine and a gasoline engine to transport the sludge to the treatment plant. Small capacity
tank and a speed limit of 5km/h needs more frequent trips and a long travel time to take
faecal sludge to the disposal point. Pump can usually suck down to a depth of 2 to 3 m only
and the hose pipe length 30 m, too short to reach pit from access point. Still (2002) stated
that the Vacutug would be an impractical solution if the disposal site is more than 1 km
away.
The sludge gulper can collect sludge from the pit and use to keep the sludge contents in a
container or in a nearby trench. It only reaches 80 cm down the pit. This also depends on
the density of sludge. The higher the density of sludge, the greater the static head required
of a vacuum-based emptying technology (Oxfam 2008). The private sweepers did not find it
suitable for operation and it has kept redundant.
Case Study 2
No special skills for
sludge management:
Muslim Sweeper
ame: Md. Halim Sarder
Job: Muslim Sweeper,
Conservancy
Department
Father: Late Shahor Ali
Address: Zajira,
Shariyatpur
Faridpur Pourasava
Md. Halim Sarder is the chief of the Muslim community. He is the founder of the
Muslim sweeper community and involved with the Pourasava since 1968. He
collected poor and dedicated people from different places including Rangpur,
Gopalgong, Nilfamary, Bikrampur, Madaripur and Shibchar districts. As present,
there are 48 families, having population of 240 persons (120 male and 118 female)
living in the Muslim sweepers’ colony under the leadership of Md. Halim Sarder.
There are serious conflict between the Muslim and Horijon Sweepers. Mr. Sarder
was struggled a lot to establish cordial relationship and avoid confrontation with
between the two communities. He always maintains communication with the
Pourasava authority to protect the rights of the Muslim sweepers. A common
problem of the sweepers is not having own waste disposal place of the Pourasava.
Md. Sarder faced serious problem for desludging night soil in unauthorized places.
He was physically harassed several times and moved out without properly disposing
sludge at different sites. He continuously communicating with the high authority for
buying a land in this regards. He complained against not getting protection and
lawful support from the Pourasava, if faced any difficult situation. Md. Sarder
mentioned that the Pourasava couldn’t provide adequate facilities to the sweepers.
They need uniform dress, self protecting equipments including clinical and safety
guard and ID card for self protection. They need improved salary structure,
incentives, enjoy holyday guidelines and basic services from the Pourasava. Md.
Sader also expressed his desire to create opportunity to get useful improved
equipments and technologies to serve the citizens in effective ways. The Pourasava
should provide water supply connection and building sanitary latrines inside the
colony to promote cleanliness and healthy environment in the locality. They work
for others’ hygiene practice, but, should get the opportunity from the authority to
improve their standard of living by meeting the basic needs.
41
5.10 Institutional arrangement
Mayor of Faridpur Municipality is supportive to the new initiative of sludge collection. Most
of the conditions imposed by Practical Action during the supply of equipments are fulfilled.
The conservancy section of the Faridpur municipality is responsible for faecal sludge service.
It has manpower strength of 1 conservancy inspector, 6 conservancy supervisors and 155
sweepers. Only 6 sweepers under one conservancy supervisor do the faecal sludge
collection service. There is a conflict of interest between the municipal sweepers and the
private sweepers. The conservancy department engages the muslim sweepers for the
official sludge collection service.
5.11 Health and Safety issue Fecal sludge contains all infective organism excreted with human feces. These organisms
can survive outside the human body for a limited period. Pathogenic bacteria die off within
a few weeks (low persistence), whereas the eggs of parasitic worms can survive up to three
years in the environment (high persistence). Fresh fecal sludge from public toilets contains
the highest quantity of infective organisms. However, sludge from septic tanks also contains
bacteria from fresh excreta and a large number of viable worm eggs. Fecal sludge needs to
be considered as a very dangerous matter and requires careful handling. The workers health
could be affected by direct contact with faeces containing dangerous pathogens and from
the gas build up in the septic tank or pit. The sweepers work on bare hands and they do not
take any safety precaution while emptying the sludge. They do not use mask or boot while
working. However, they aware of the dangers those may happen without safety gears. They
face difficulty and inhale gases while they go down into the septic tank. They normally work
at night which is preferable to avoid objection from neighbor which may cause workers
injury. They usually take locally produced wine while working in this abnormal situation
which may affect their health. However, the mechanical emptying by vacutug has improved
the working environment and safeguarded the occupational health and safety issue of the
workers.
5.12 Financial situation: Income and expenditure
For the improved faecal management service , Practical Action provided a Vacutug of 600
liter capacity manufactured locally from Mirpur agricultural Workshop and Training School
(MAWTS) at a cost of Tk. 6,50,000/-(US $ 9500) to Faridpur Municipality and a sludge Gulpur
of cost Tk 5000/- (US $ 75) to the private sweepers. Practical Action, formally handed over
the vacutug machine on 10th August 2009 to Faridpur Municipality. Field operation of the
42
machine started from November 2009. Sometimes, the machine was totally disordered due
to mechanical problem of engine. One driver and two sweepers are engaged for the vacutug
service. The driver is paid Tk. 4000 per month and the sweeper is Tk. 1500/. For the septic
tank emptying 5 litres and for the pit 4 litres of diesel are allocated. For the septic tanks 2
to 3 trips are required. According to the driver, the fuel is not sufficient for collection and
transportation of the faecal sludge to the designated treatment facility. Monthly
maintenance cost for the machine requires on an average Tk. 2000/-. The service charge
fixed for septic tank is Tk. 600- Tk1200 depend on size, for twin pit (with 10 rings) Tk 400
and for single pit(with 5 rings) Tk.200.
Faecal Sludge Management is a demand responsive service that customers request their
facility to be emptied. Table-2 shows the monthly income of the vacutug which indicated
that the demand for the service has not yet created. However, the revenue (Nov 2009 to
Nov 2010) and yearly expenditure for the Operational and Maintenance cost shows that the
Faridpur municipality incurred losses of about 25 percent at the beginning. However, in the
last 4 months, the losses are reduced to about 8 percent. The continuing decrease in the gap
between earning and expenditure indicates the increase in revenue from the operation. To
cover the cost of the staff salary and the O& M cost, the gap is still 80 percent.
Table-2 Monthly income statement of Vacutug under Faridpur Pourashava
Sl no. Name of month Benefited by the Vacutug
operation
Revenue collection
HHs Person
01 November 2009 6 43 3400
02 December 2009 5 31 2200
03 January 2010 6 35 2100
04 February 2010 5 22 2600
05 March 2010 5 30 3400
06 April 2010 5 31 2800
07 May 2010 5 34 2400
08 June 2010 3 16 1400
09 July 2010 3 15 1400
10 August 2010 4 25 2000
43
11 September 2010 5 32 2200
12 October 2010 1 6 400
13 November 2010 0 0 0
14 December 2010 4 25 1900
15 January 2011 5 33 3600
16 February 2011 4 28 2600
17 March 2011 6 44 2900
Total 72 450 Tk. 37300
5.13 Strength and weaknesses of the existing faecal management
service
At present, there is no regular and systematic mechanism for removing the sludge from the
septic tanks or pit latrines in Bangladesh. As a result citizens are disposing their raw
seweage and sludge into the nearby surface drains or ditches damaging the environment.
The people in general are not aware of the seriousness of the problem. Faridpur
Municipality has taken an initiative with the support of Practical Action to improve the
faecal sludge collection and treatment system. The present study evaluates the strengths
and weaknesses of the existing system and recommends for further improvement.
Strengths Weaknesses
i. Political will and awareness of the municipal authority
ii. The service is endorsed by the municipality in the citizen charter
iii. Gradual shifting from manual emptying to mechanical emptying has increased human dignity, quality of life and environmental security.
iv. Sludge management is included in the Terms of Reference (TOR) of the Solid waste and Sanitation standing committee
v. Faecal management issue discussed in the WLCC and TLCC meeting.
vi. Dedicated section of the conservancy wing for faecal sludge management.
i. Low priorities on authorities agenda
ii. Inadequate legal and regulatory basis
iii. Lack of suitable incentives and
sanction procedure
iv. Lack of consultation with the
stakeholders
v. Not considered in urban planning as
integrated approach for improving
the environment
vi. Inappropriate emptying equipments
vii. Manual, non-mechanized emptying
by private sweepers
viii. Limited or no accessibility to septic
tanks or pits
44
vii. Capacity building, training and exposure visit organized for the employees of Faridpur municipality
viii. Operational cost (such as fuel cost) is incurred from the municipality budget
ix. Formal procedure such as application form, fee structure, money receipt, register and authorities approval exists.
x. Faridpur Municipality is included in the UGIIP project and 3 percent of the infrastructure budget is allocated for improvement of sanitation.
xi. Good linkage with LGED, DPHE and DoE
ix. Poor service management by the
municipality (Slow and lenghty
approval process etc.)
x. Lack of knowledge/information to
users (how septic tank works etc.)
xi. Emptying frequency often very low,
overflowing of septic tanks
xii. Indiscriminate disposal of faecal
sludge
xiii. Users low affordability or negligency
for pit emptying
xiv. Non-functionality of non-emptied
septic tanks
xv. Informal or emergency manual
emptying of pits
xvi. Difficulty in securing suitably located
disposal or treatment sites
xvii. Lack of proven and appropriate
treatment options
xviii. Resistance for siting
treatment facility (NIMBY syndrome)
6 Business Plan development The purpose of the study is to develop a workable business model by evaluating the existing
situation, norm and practices, regulatory support and users’ perception and acceptability.
Existing practices in Bangladesh and abroad were reviewed, a series of focus group
discussions were held with the different stakeholders, existing reports and documents were
analyzed and opinions of key personalities and policy makers were seek out.
6.1 Review of the project design
Practical Action, Bangladesh in collaboration with WaterAid, Bangladesh and Faridpur
Municipality has taken a project to improve the sludge management service in Faridpur
town. The aim of the project is strengthening current mechanized sludge collection system,
renovating equipments for improved transportation system and activating the newly
constructed sludge treatment facility. The project will also undertake extensive awareness
45
raising events and capacity building of both formal and informal service providers. It will
also carry out documentation as well as develop policy and advocacy brief for dissemination.
Roles and responsibilities of the three parties:
Practical Action, Bangladesh
Provide co-fund;
Implement the project in ground;
Annual review and evaluations of the project in consultation with Water Aid
Bangladesh;
Production of knowledge products – training manuals, guideline, policy briefs etc;
Undertake service users satisfaction survey periodically;
Water Aid, Bangladesh
Provide Fund for implementation of the project;
Supervise the quality of Project implementation;
Assist Practical Action Bangladesh in producing Knowledge product and arranging
learning sharing meeting with other stakeholders;
Faridpur Municipality
Supervise the quality of project implementation;
Provide co investment – provide existing sludge carrying tank, Vacutag Mark II,
facilities for transportation of sludge, construction of sludge treatment plant, land
for agricultural research – assess quality of sludge cake;
Increase allocation in ADP for improvement of this service;
Introduce one stop approval system and graded service users fee;
Introduction of enforcement of existing law;
Undertake regular meeting of waste management steering committee;
Produce and submit report on service including income & expenditure;
Maintain a separate books of accounts of this important service;
6.2 Demand analysis of the existing service Faecal sludge management is a demand responsive service that customers request their
facility to be emptied. It is observed from the focus group discussions that people still are
not aware of the improved service of the municipality. However, by sighting the vacutug on
the roads caused interest of some of the members. They took the service but not satisfied
for poor service management. During the discussion with the CBO/WLCC/TLCC, they have
given more emphasis on creating massive awareness among the citizens. Social mobilization
campaign, use mass media, word of mouth, Local TV channels, miking, billboard,
documentary film etc. can be the avenue to communicate the mass people. From the
46
records of the municipality it is found that total number of users of vacutug is still relatively
low. Only 72 households took the service in last 18 months. It indicates that either demand
has not created or the customers are not satisfied with the service. The service is
considerably underutilized and there is a considerable scope to increase the efficiency of the
service. It is also pointed out from the discussion with the conservancy for increasing the
demand from the citizens, the permission procedure need to be quicker and the vacutug
service need to be improved. The citizen representatives indicated the availability, quality
of service and workers cooperation can increase the demand of the service. Effective
publicity as well as quality of service would create demand for the mechanized service. To
create demand and inform the residents about the service DSK in Dhaka produced
promotional leaflets and organized community discussions.
6.3 Required investment for an improved service The existing faecal management service is constrained by finding difficulties of access in the
narrow lanes, limited sludge holding capacity of the tank and the slow speed of the vehicle.
In order to resolve the technical problems, Vacutug mark I can be modified to Vacutug Mark
II in order collect a substantial volume of faecal sludge in one operation. A larger tank of
1900 litre capacity can be added and the existing tank of 600 litre can be used as a satellite
tank. Both the tanks can be mounted on wheels and could be attached to the existing
municipality own tractor or a second hand truck can be procured.
The treatment system needs to be kept operational for an effective and sound faecal sludge
management service. The present problem is that the inlet is too high. Without a powerful
pump, it will be difficult to load the sludge into the anaerobic tank. In addition, for the
further treatment of the liquid, a reed bed can be constructed. The sludge cake of the
anaerobic chamber can be collected and used in the existing composting plant (Co-
composting).
6.4 Business model for improving the existing faecal sludge
management
Sustainable faecal sludge management system needs to be economically viable, socially
acceptable, technically and institutionally appropriate and it should also protect the
environment and the natural resources. For an improved and sustainable faecal sludge
management service for the Faridpur Municiplaity, the following business model is
recommended. The Faecal sludge management service needs to be within a closed loop
where the collection, transport, treatment and use should be in order to protect
47
environment and health of the people. Some key issues such as regulatory framework,
financial and technical improvements are suggested.
(Source: Modified after Sandec)
6.5 Public-private partnership for arrangement: Possible alternative
business model
In Faridpur municipality, both the municipal and the private sweepers are working in
parallel for the faecal collection service. The service provided by the municipality with
mechanical equipments is underutilized. On an average only 5 days, the equipments are
being utilized. The private sweepers are doing it manually in a crude way. The private
service is easily available and cheaper than the municipal service. To develop a uniform
service in the municipality and bring it into a regulatory framework, private sector can be
involved. In this case, the private sector can hire the equipments from municipality on a
rental basis and bring the waste in the municipal designated disposal place or treatment
facility. Cost recovery of the service is imperative for sustainability. From the experience of
DSK in Dhaka, it is found that the revenue from the operation has gradually increasing and is
now sufficient to cover staff salary, regular O&M costs, capital cost and the depreciation
cost of the vacutug. For self-sustained operation of the faecal sludge management service,
Regular & Safe emptying of pits
Public Awareness
External funds for modification
O&M cost
Service charge
Incentives/sanctions
Efficient haulage
O & M cost
Subsidy
Advocacy & Capacity
building
Political will
Regulatory framework
Concertation of
stakeholders
Appropriate treatment
option
Proper design
O & M cost
Public acceptance
Compost sale
Safe use in
agriculture
Service charge within
affordable limit
Profit
Cost recovery
48
the public-private partnership approach can be an alternative suggession. To facilitate the
entry of small-scale enterprises into the market, the cost of pit emptying must be affordable
and the external environment must be supportive (Thye et al. 2009).
External fund Compost sale
O & M cost Capital cost O & M cost
Equipment
rental
Service charge
Service receiver Service provider Service contract
(Monitoring & supervision)
Faecal sludge Faecal sludge Faecal sludge
(Generation & storage) (Collection & transportation) (Treatment)
(Public-Private-Partnership business model for faecal sludge management)
7 Conclusion Sanitation in Faridpur town is based on on-site sanitation system such as septic tanks and pit
latrines. The periodical de-sludging to maintain the septic tank or pit latrine and a safe
disposal or proper treatment of the sludge have been neglected. With the conventional
design, the required emptying interval is from 2-5 years depeding on the size of the tank.
Septic tanks are in general only emptied when problems like blocking of the toilet or bad
smell occurs because of the tank is completely full with settled solids. Both the municipal
and the private sweepers are involved in emptying the septic tank/pit. The municipality has
a formal system with designated staff and mechanical equipments for faecal sludge
collection. These equipments have some technical difficulties such as low capacity of the
holding tank and low speed of the transporting vehicle. It is also found from the municipal
records that the equipments are considerably underutilized and there is a significant
shortfall between earning and expenditure. The facility constructed for the sludge
treatment is not in operation as the level of the anaerobic tank is too high and the motor
does not have the capacity to pump the sludge into the tank. Most people are somehow
aware that they should empty a septic tank from time to time to prevent blocking. However
many people do not know that a septic tank should be emptied in regular intervals to
maintain its function for environmental reasons. The informal service by private sweepers is
easily available and comparatively cheaper than the municipal service. The bureaucratic
system and lengthy procedure of the municipal service lead people to take the private
Private
Entrepreneur Municipality Household
(Septic tank/pit
owner)
49
service. The private service consists of manual emptying and crude disposal in open
environment.
The present study is proposing a business model aiming to strengthening the existing
municipal faecal sludge management by:
(a) Put the faecal sludge management service under a regulatory framework including
the informal private service
(b) Awareness building in order to increase the willingness of the city dwellers to take
the mechanical emptying service for hygienic collection and disposal.
(c) Faecal management service of the municipality needs to be easily accessible to the
general people and be trustworthy.
(d) Capacity building in terms of management and technical is needed as faecal sludge
management is gradually a worrying and emerging urban issue.
(e) Public-private partnership approach of sludge management can be an alternative
option.
8.0 Recommendation: The United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) aim to improve sanitation by
halving the proportion of people without an improved sanitation facility. Many developing
countries including Bangladesh are working toward achieving the target. However, in order
to sustain what has been achieved in terms of sanitation improvement, this must take into
account the need for septic tanks and pit latrines to remain in useful working condition. This
can be achieved through realizing the following policy recommendations:
(a) Strong government initiative is required to take necessary policy actions and
regulatory measures for faecal sludge management
(b) Advocacy and awareness raising strategies need to be taken for stopping illegal
connection and disposal in drains and water bodies.
(c) Capacity building of the service provider, policy makers and private entrepreneur
(d) Establishing cordial environment among the Horijon and Muslim sweepers and for
public and private sweepers.
(e) Political will and support of local government
(f) Co-operation and close collaboration with DoE, DPHE and LGED
50
(g) Municipal should take initiative for introducing improved and user-friendly
technologies for the collection and proper disposal of sludge like introducing more
efficient vacutug machine and constructing effective sludge management plant.
(h) Urban dwellers must recognize the need and be willing and able to pay for the
improved faecal sludge management service.
51
References:
1. Dakar Declaration(2006) Towards an improved Faecal Sludge Management, 1st
International Symposium on Faecal Sludge Management Policy, Dakar, Senegal 9-12
May 2006.
2. Franceys, R., Pickford, J. and Reed, R. (1992) A Guide to the Development of On-site
Sanitation, World Health Organization(WHO), Geneva, Switzerland.
3. GOB (1998) National Policy for Safe Water Supply and Sanitation, Local Government
Division, Government of Bangladesh.
4. GOB (2011) Sector Development Plan (2011-25) of Water Supply and Sanitation,
Local government Division, Government of Bangladesh.
5. Harvey, p. (2007) Excreta Disposal in Emergencies, A Field Manual, Water,
Engineering and Development Centre (WEDC), Loughborough University, United
Kingdom.
6. Hawkins, P. (1982) Emptying On-Site Excreta Disposal Systems in Developing
Countries: An Evaluation of the Problems. IRCWD News, 17, 1 – 9.
7. Jeuland, M., Kone, D., Strauss, M. (2004) Private sector management of faecal
sludge: A Model for the Future? Focus on Bamako, Mali
8. Kingel, F.(2001) Nam Dinh Urban Development project, Septage Management Study,
Nam Dinh,Vietnam, EAWAG-SANDEC(www.sandec.ch)
9. Kone, D. and Cofie, O. (2009) Co-composting of faecal sludge and organic solid waste
at Kumasi, Ghana, Case study conducted by Sustainable Sanitation
Alliances(www.susana.org)
10. Kone, D., Strauss,M.and Saywell, D. (2007) Towards an Improved Faecal Sludge
Management EAWAG-SANDEC (www.sandec.ch)
11. Kone,D. and Strauss,M.(2004) Low cost options for Treating Faecal Sludges(FS) in
Developing Countries –Challenges and Performances, Paper presented to the 9th
International IWA Specialist Group Conference on Wetlands Systems for water
Pollution Control and the 6th International IWA Specialist Group of Waste
Stabilization Ponds, Avigna, France, 27 Sep-1st Oct 2004
12. Montangero, A. and Strauss, M.(2002) Faecal Sludge Treatment, Lecture Notes, IHE
Delft, Sandec (www.sandec.ch/files/IHE_Lecture_Notes_FS)
13. Muller, C. (2009) Decentralized Co-Digestion of Faecal Sludge with Organic Solid
Waste, Case Study in Maseru, Lesotho,TED-Borda-EAWAG-Sandec
14. Oxfam (2008), Manual Desludging Hand Pump(MDHP) Resources (online) Available
from (www.desludging.org)
15. Parkinson, J.(2005) Decentralized domestic wastewater and faecal sludge
management in Bangladesh, DFID funded research project (ENG KaR 8056) May 2005
(GHK)
52
16. Pickford, J. & Shaw, R. (1997) Technical Brief No. 54: Emptying latrine pits.
Waterlines, 16 (2), 15 – 18.
17. Practical Action, Pit Emptying Systems, Technical Information (online)
(www.practicalaction.org/practicalanswers/product_info.php)
18. Rahman, M (2009) Sanitation sector status and gap analysis, Bangladesh. Global
Sanitation Fund, Water Supply and sanitation Collaborative council
19. SACOSAN IV (2011) Fourth South Asian Conference on Sanitation held in Colombo,
SriLanka 4-7 April 2011.
20. Scott, R. and Reed, B.(2006) Emptying pit latrines: The Factsheet, Sustainable
Sanitation and Water Management (www.sswm.info)
21. Still, D.A. (2002) After the pit latrine is full… what then? Effective options for pit
latrine management. Durban, South Africa. Water Institute of Southern Africa,
Biennial conference.
22. Thye, P.Y., Michael, R. and Ali, M. (2009) Pit Latrine Emptying: Technologies,
Challenges and Solutions; EWB-UK Research Conference 2009 Hosted by the Royal
Academy of Engineering, Feb 20.
53
Annexes
Annex - I Sludge Management Services Project
Project Area: Faridpur Pourashava, Faridpur
Houehold Survey Form
1. Name of respondent: -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Present address:
Para / Moholla: --------------------------------------------------, Road #. ----------------,
House #.: ---------------------------------, Holding #: -----------------, Ward #. --------------
3. Type of residence: ------------, (1 = private ownership, 2 = Rented, 3 = others specify)
4. Relegion: --------------------------------- (1 = Islam, 2 = Hindu, 3 = Christian, 4 = Buddist)
5. Number of household members: (Male: ---------, Female: ----------, Total: -------------)
6. Occupation: --------------, (1 = Sevice, 2 = Business, 3 = Other specify)
7. Monthly income: ---------------, (1 = Tk. 3000 to 5000, 2 = Tk. 5001 to 10,000, 3 = Tk. 10001 to 15,000, 4 = Tk. 15001 to 20,000 and 5 = Tk. 20,001 & above)
8. What type of toilets do you use? ---------- (1 = Ring slab, 2 = Single pit, 3 = Twin pit, 4 = Septic tank, 5 = Others)
9. If it is ring slab, how many rings are there? ------------- Nos.
10. If it is septic tank, what is its volume? ---------------- Cubic meter.
11. Number of latrine users: ----------- (1 = one to five, 2 = six to ten, 3 = eleven to fifteen, 4 = sixteen to twenty five, 5 = twnty six and above)
12. How frequently you need to clean your septic tanks / pits? --------- ( 1 = three months, 2 = six months, 3 = one year, 4 = two years, 5 = three years, 6 = four years, 7 = five years, 8 = six years and above)
13. Which season you prefer to clean the tank / pit? ------- (1 = dry season, 2 = rainy season, 3 = any season)
14. Whom do you depend on for cleaning the tanks / pits? ------- (1 = Pourashava, 2 = privte sweeper, 3 = ownself)
15. Which time you prefer to clean the tanks / pit? -------- (1 = at day, 2 = at night, 3 = any time)
16. If at night, why do you prefer? --------- (1 = spread foul odour, 2 = can dump anywhere, 3 = less use at night, 4 = takes long time for cleaning, 5 = Others specify)
17. How did they clean? ---------- (1 = manually, 2 = mechanically, 3 = Others specify)
18. What type of problems you face during services from Pourashava? --------- ( 1 = absence of service related guidelines, 2 = lengthy approval process, 3 = non-coperation of sweepers, 4 = tank / pit clean partially, 5 = claim excess tips, 6 = Other specify)
19. How much service charge do you pay Pourashava for the services? ----------- (1 = Tk.500 to 1000, 2 = Tk.1001 to 1500, 3 = Tk.1501 to 2000, 4 = Tk. 2001 to 3000, 5 = Tk. 3000 above)
20. Where does Pourashava dispose the sludge? --------- (1 = ditches / canals, 2 = ponds, 3 = Poura drains, 4 = carry & dispose distance places, 5 = pourashava designated places, 6 = Don’t Know)
21. Do you avail services from private service providers? ------------- (1 = yes, 2 = no)
22. What type of problems you face from private sweeper? ------------- ( 1 = claim excess service charge, 2 = no communication facilities, 3 = no night service, 4 = non-coperation of sweepers, 5 = tank / pit clean partially, 6 = claim access tips, 7 = Other specify)
54
23. Where did they dispose the sludge? ------- (1 = ditches / canals, 2 = ponds, 3 = Poura drains, 4 = sweeper dispose distance places, 5 = pourashava designated places, 6 = dug pits in the courtyard, 7 = Don’t Know)
24. How much service charge do you pay to private sweepers? (1 = Tk. 200 to 500, 2 = Tk. 501 to 1000, 3 = Tk.1001 to 1500, 4 = Tk. 1501 to 2000, 5 = Tk. 2000 above)
25. Would you cooperate for introducing advanced services by any organization? (1 = yes, 2 = no)
26. Do you know how your neighbours manage their sludge?
(1= connect with nearby drian, 2= connect with water bodies 3= dispose in poen places
4= others…….
What types of problem you face for this illegal practice?
(1= fould dour 2= spread disease vector 3= pollute souurounding environment 4=
others )
27. How much do you like to pay for improve services? Tk………………………
Name of interviewer: ------------------------------------------, Signature: ------------------------, date: ----------
55
Annex - II
Survey questionnaire for the Private Service Providers of Human Sludge Management
under Faridpur Pourashava
(Data will be edited in SPSS software)
Sl no. Question Heads
Answer in SPSS
1 Name of respondant
1.1 Age
1.2 Main Profession: ---------------------------------- Secondary Profession:--------------------
1.3 Academic qualification:
1.4 Relegion
2 Name of Father's or Husband's:
3 Name of Mother's:
4 Present address:
5 Permanent address:
6 How long are you involved in this service?
7 How many family members are involved in this ?
7.1 Line number
Name
Age
Education
Relation with respondant
Own income
7.2 Line number
Name
Age
Education
Relation with respondant
Own income
7.3 Line number
Name
Age
Education
Relation with respondant
Own income
8 Where do you provide pit emptying service?
Poura area
Sub-urban area
Adjacent Upazila
Rural area
Mentioned all areas
Other, specify
9 How do you provide this service
Alone
In a group
10 Number of workers in your group?
Female
Male
Total
11 Description of equipements you use to provide this service.
56
11.1 Name of equipements
Bucket
Spade
Sapol
Mug
Rope
Hammer
Sharpness Cutter (Seni)
Others specify
11.2 Total number of equipments:
11.3 Total value of equipements: Taka----------------
12 Do you use any protective cloths and safety equipment during work? (Yes or not)
12.1 If yes, what are the health safeties used?
Gloves
Gumboot
Apron
Mask
Perfume
Others
13 Monthly income by your group
14 Monthly income
15 Monthly family total income
16 How much you generally charge for this service?
17 How long you need to clean a septic tank of xxxx/capacity?
17.1 Number of person required:------------------------- required hours:-----------------------------
18 What is the amount of service charge for cleaning a pit or well?
19 How long you need to clean a pit or well?
Person required
Time required (Hours)
20 When do you work?
Night ----------------- Day -------------------- Both time:------------------
Exact time of working: -------------------- to -------------------- time
21 Are you enlisted as the Municipal Worker / Sweeper?
22 Do you get any supports from Mubicipality for this services?
22.1 If yes, please mention the supports from Municipality.
Equipments support
Cash money
Health services
ID card
Material support- Kerosine oil, Haricane, Soap, Firebox, Cloths etc
Others specify
23 What are the difficulties and problems you generally face to provide this service?
Lack of customer's coopertaion to receive logistics like water, light etc.
Least accessable location of septic tank/pit
Ill treatment from customer
Physical assault for crude dumping
Lack of supports from municipality
Harrashment by the night security both private and government
Apathy to pay the final payment
Sludge disposal
Others specify
24 What types of cooperation & supports you need for quality services?
Equipments support
57
Training support
Cash money support
Others specify
25 How much investment you require to improve your service standards?
26 Is there any professional association (CBO) in your locality?
27 If yes, what is the type of the Organisation?
Registered or Unregistered
28 Is there any branch/chapter office of central association for empowering Harijon community?
29 If yes, what is the name of the central association?
30 Are you involved with the branch/chapter of central association(CBO)? (Yes or Not)
If yes, what is your position in the organization?
President
Vice President
General Secretary
Join Secretary
Cashier
Organizing Secretary
General Member
Others specify
31 What types of benefits you receive from this association (CBO)?
Administrative and Legal supports
Financial help (Grant/Donation)
Loan support
Eqipments and safety materials
Treatment facilities
Dress/Apron
Others specify
58
Annex - III
Sludge Management Services (SMS) Project, Faridpur Municipality, Faridpur
Situation Analysis- Existing sludge management services in Faridpur Municipality.
Checklist for FGD: Municipal Conservancy Staff.
1. How you (Faridpur municipality) currently manage the sludge management services (approval/collection/transportation/disposal) process?
Describe please:
Service Approval Process
Collection
Transportation
Disposal
2. What are the resources (Manpower, expertise, equipments, tools, vehicles, logistics, records/documents etc) you have to manage the services? – Please make a detail list.
For Tools/Equipments/Vehicles
Description of items
and use
Quantity Value Year of
establishment/manu
facturing
Current Condition
59
For Human Resources
Name of Position No. of
positions
Monthly
salary
Length of
service
Contract
Status
Training
3. What types of problems cleaners face during services to customers (cleaning of tanks)?
Description of problems Priority Description of problems Priority
4. Does municipality provide sufficient health and safety equipments to the workers? Yes / No
If yes, please make a list of the facilities:
Type of facilities Mode of facilities Amount Remarks
5. Which time you prefer to provide services to the customers and why?
60
Describe please:
6. How do the customers / house owners assist your staffs during services (cleaning of tank/ pit)?
Describe please:
7. Where are you presently dumping the sludge (disposal system)?
Describe please:
8. What are your views on crude dumping of sludge (justification)?
Describe please:
9. Are you ever ill treated by municipal dwellers for crude dumping? Yes / No
If yes, please describe.
Describe please:
10. How much money you generally charge for desludging of septic tanks / pits?
Type of tanks / pits Size / numbers Condition of sludge Service Rate in Remarks
61
of tank / pits BDT
11. Do you maintain any records / registers (income and expenditures) of sludge management services? – Collect an updated statement for last one year and sample of money receipt? Yes / No
SL. List down the records
12. How frequently you have to provide desludging services to customers?
Frequent Quantity Remarks with seasonal
variation
Daily
Weekly
Forth nightly
Monthly
As per requests
Total
13. Average monthly expenses to manage the services:
Head of expenditures Quantity Unit Unit cost Total expenses
62
Head of expenditures Quantity Unit Unit cost Total expenses
Salary / benefits
Fuel
Mobil / Engine oil
Logistics
Tools / Equipments
Vehicle maintenance
Health safeties
Total
14. Does municipality provide additional incentives to workers beyond salary for this work?
Yes / No If yes, how much? Tk…………………. Per month.
15. Have you any enlisted formal / informal service providers (sweeper)? – Yes / No
If yes, please collect the list.
16. Do you aware on illegal sludge connection (septic tank/ pit outlets) to drains / water bodies by the house owner? Yes / No If yes, describe how?
Describe please:
17. What are the threats / impacts may bring to the environment due to illegal connections / crude dumping of sludge? Describe please.
SL. Description of possible threats / impacts
63
18. How can you (Faridpur municipality) stop / disconnect illegal connections of septic tanks with drain/water bodies?
SL. Description of steps / measures
19. What types of awareness programmes can be arranged to stop / disconnect these illegal practices?
SL. Description of steps / measures
20. Is the sludge management issue being discussed during preparation of PDP? Yes / No
21. If yes, do you know whether it was included in the PDP? Yes / No
Please mention the allocation in investment planning for this purpose:
TK………………………………..
22. What are the problems to make the services effective and efficient (with ranking)?
Description of problems Priority Description of problems Priority
64
Description of problems Priority Description of problems Priority
23. What are the strengths and weakness of municipal sludge management services?
SL. List down the strengths of services
List down the strengths of services
24. What are the opportunities/threats to improve the quality of services?
SL. List down the opportunities of services
List down the threats of services
25. What external assistance you expect to improve the service?
65
Financial
Technological
Capacity Building
Awareness Raising of Customers
Documentation and record keeping
26. How can you (Faridpur municipality) assist with new initiative by Practical Action and Water Aid ?
Describe please:
66
27. Overall comments and recommendations from the audience:
Comments:
Recommendations:
67
28. Prepare an Action Plan (based on identified problems and recommendations):
Template/Outline for Action Plan:
Municipal Conservancy Staff.
Sl Type of activities /
programmes
Time frame Responsible Support
needed
Remarks
68
29. Development of a business plan to improve the service and make it financially sustainable?
69
Annex iv
Sludge Management Services (SMS) Project, Faridpur Municipality, Faridpur
Situation Analysis- Sludge management services in Faridpur Municipality.
Checklist for KII: Different Institutions (Education, Business Centers, Bus Terminal, Hospitals
etc.)
30. Do you have any ideas / knowledge on sludge management services and system (process of getting services) of Faridpur municipality?
Describe please:
31. How do you manage sludge of your office complex?
Describe please:
32. Did you receive desludging services from municipality? Yes /No
33. Are you happy with the municipal existing sludge management services? Yes /No
34. Did you face any problems in receiving this service? Yes /No
If yes, mention please:
Sl List of problems Remarks
70
35. How much you paid to municipality for this service ?
Please describe:
36. Do you take service from other informal service providers? Yes / No
If yes, how much you have to pay for this? Tk………………..
37. How and where they dump/dispose sludge?
Please describe:
38. What are your neighbors’ practices on sludge disposal : How do they manage it?
Please describe:
39. What are your views on crude dumping of sludge (municipal existing disposal system)?
Please describe:
40. Do you aware on connection of septic tank/pit outlets with drain/water body? Yes / No
41. What are the environmental threats / impacts due to illegal connections / crude dumping of sludge?
Sl List of environmental threats / impacts Remarks
71
42. What are your opinions to stop / disconnect illegal connection to drain/water bodies?
Describe please:
15. What types of awareness programme can be arranged to stop these illegal practices?
Sl Types of awareness programmes / steps Remarks
16. What is your recommendations to make the sludge management services of Faridpur municipality more effective:
Comments and recommendations:
72
17. How can you participate if any organization takes interest to improve this service?
Describe please:
73
Annex v
Sludge Management Services (SMS) Project, Faridpur Municipality, Faridpur
Situation Analysis- Sludge management services in Faridpur Municipality.
Checklist for KII: DPHE and DoE
43. Do you have any ideas / knowledge on sludge management services and system (process of getting services) of Faridpur municipality?
Describe please:
44. Are there any institutional collaboration / linkage with municipal sludge services system? Yes / No
45. If yes, what are the areas of collaborations?
Please describe:
46. Did you (DPHE) implement any project on sludge management services?
Yes / No, If yes, mention please the title / place and year of implementation of the
project.
Title of the project Location / Place Year of
implementation
Present status / Learning
fro the initiatives
74
47. Have you any future plan for sludge management project? Yes / No
If yes, mention please the title / place and proposed time for implementation.
Title of the project Location / Place Proposed year Remarks
48. How do you manage sludge of your office?
Please describe:
49. Did you receive desludging services from municipality ? Yes / No
50. Are you happy with the municipal existing sludge management services? Yes / No
51. Did you face any problems in receiving this service? Yes / No
If yes, please mention:
Sl. Description of problems Remarks
52. How much you pay the service charge to municipality?
Describe please:
75
53. Do you take service from other informal service providers? Yes / No
If yes, how much you have to pay for this? Tk………………..
54. Comparative advantages and disadvantages of municipal service Vs private service?
Municipal Service Service by informal bodies
Advantages Disadvantages Advantages Disadvantages
55. How and where the cleaners dispose/dump sludge ?
Please describe:
56. What are your views on crude dumping of sludge ?
Please describe:
57. Do you aware on connection of septic tank/pit outlets with drains / water bodies by the house owners / organizations? Yes / No
58. What are the environmental threats / impacts due to illegal connections / crude dumping of sludge?
Sl List of environmental threats / impacts Remarks
76
59. What are your opinions to stop/disconnect illegal connection with drains and water bodies?
Describe please:
18. What types of awareness programme can be arranged to stop these illegal practices?
Sl Types of awareness programmes / steps Remarks
19. How DoE/DPHE can assist in improving sludge management services?
Describe please:
20.Is the sludge management issue included in the Environmental/Public health acts /
rules?
Yes / No.
21. What are your recommendations to make the sludge management services of Faridpur municipality more effective?
Comments and recommendations:
77
78
Annex vi
Sludge Management Services (SMS) Project, Faridpur Municipality, Faridpur
Situation Analysis- Existing sludge management services in Faridpur Municipality.
Checklist for KII: Town Level Coordination Committee (TLCC) Members of Faridpur
Municipality.
60. Do you have any ideas / knowledge on sludge management services and system (process of getting services, problems etc.) of Faridpur municipality?
Describe please:
61. Consumers’ traditional practices on sludge management: How do you manage your sludge?
Describe please:
62. What are your neighbors’ practices on sludge management?
Describe please:
63. What are your views on crude dumping of sludge?
Describe please:
79
64. Do you aware on connection of septic tank/pit outlets with drain / water body? Yes / No
65. What are the environmental threats / impacts due to illegal connections / crude dumping of sludge?
Describe please:
66. What are your opinions to stop / disconnect illegal connection of sludge to drains?
Describe please:
8. What types of awareness programmes can be arranged to stop these illegal practices?
SL. List down the awareness programmes
9. Is the sludge management issue raised / discussed in the TLCC meetings? Yes / No
10. Was the sludge management issue addressed in the PDP? Yes / No or, Don’t know
11. What are your recommendations to make the sludge management services of Faridpur municipality more effective:
Comments and recommendations:
80
12. How TLCC can assist if any organization takes interest to improve this important service ?
Describe please:
81
Annex vii
Sludge Management Services (SMS) Project, Faridpur Municipality, Faridpur
Situation Analysis- Existing sludge management services in Faridpur Municipality.
Checklist for KII: Ward Level Coordination Committee (WLCC) Members and CBO members of
Faridpur municipality.
67. Do you have any ideas / knowledge on sludge management services and system (process of getting services, problems etc.) of Faridpur municipality?
Describe please:
68. Consumers’ traditional practices on sludge management: How do you manage your sludge?
Describe please:
69. What are your neighbors’ practices on sludge management?
Describe please:
70. What are your views on crude dumping of sludge?
Describe please:
82
71. Do you aware about connection of septic tank/pit outlets with drain / water body? Yes / No
72. What are the environmental threats / impacts due to illegal connections / crude dumping of sludge?
Describe please:
73. What are your opinions to stop / disconnect illegal connection of sludge to drains?
Describe please:
8. What types of awareness programmes can be arranged to stop these illegal practices?
SL. List down the awareness programmes
13. Is the sludge management issue raised / discussed in the WLCC meetings? Yes / No
14. Was the sludge management issue included in the WDP? Yes / No or, Don’t know
15. What are your recommendations to make the sludge management services of Faridpur municipality more effective:
Comments and recommendations:
83
16. How WLCC/CBO can participate if any organization takes interest to improve this service?
Describe please:
84
Annex viii
