According to the United Nations, to date there are around 3.6 billion people living without ‘safely managed sanitation’ and around 673 million practicing open defecation.

In South Africa according to a report based on the General Household Survey published in 2019 by Stats SA, sanitation solutions increased by 20.4% between 2002 and 2019, growing from 61.7% to 82.1% with most improvements being made in Eastern Cape where now 87.6% homes are recorded as having access to sanitation, and in Limpopo with access increasing to 63.4%.

“Providing sanitation and clean running water is not only about dignity but also contributes to the health of the community,” explains Mario Correia, brand manager for Organico.

To prevent this from happening the provision of adequate sanitation cannot end with the building of a toilet. On site systems such as pit latrines will eventually reach capacity requiring a long-term maintenance plan to be put in place and budgeted for.

Pit latrines are still seen as suitable sanitation within South Africa, with nearly 3 000 schools making use of pit latrines. Unfortunately, due to the lack of maintenance, cleaning and care these toilets are not always suitable for use and can cause the spread of diseases.

Providing communities with sanitation should be the first step in the process, not the last. Giving communities the tools in which to keep these sanitation systems clean and waste free should be included in the roll out process.