Sanitation Sector Research Articles

Determinants Driving the Uptake of Biodegradable Plastics: A Sequential Exploratory Mixed-Methods Research Approach

Biodegradable materials are emerging as a sustainable alternative to conventional petroleum-based plastics across packaging, sanitation, and agriculture sectors. These materials naturally decompose into harmless substances within a specified period, completing an eco-friendly lifecycle. However, the widespread adoption of biodegradable plastics depends on building confidence among consumers, manufacturers, and regulators regarding their effectiveness. This study employed a mixed-methods approach to investigate the key factors influencing biodegradable plastics’ sustainability, integrating theoretical frameworks with survey data collected from Malaysian plastic users aged 15 and above. Results revealed that individual characteristics, particularly environmental self-identity, significantly influence behavioural intentions toward sustainable practices, such as choosing eco-friendly packaging. The findings contribute to the theoretical understanding of biodegradable plastics adoption in developing markets while providing actionable insights for government and corporate stakeholders. This study recommends targeted awareness campaigns emphasising environmental self-identity to reduce conventional packaging use and promote biodegradable alternatives. By incorporating these identity-focused messages into marketing communications, organisations can enhance public awareness and market perception of biodegradable products.

Sanitation Challenges in the Complexo da Maré

Objective: The objective of this study is to investigate the challenges faced by vulnerable urban communities, such as Complexo da Maré, addressing the impacts on public health, the environment, and constitutional rights, with the aim of exposing the vulnerability of these communities and highlighting the difficulties related to the universalization of basic sanitation, aligned with constitutional rights and the Sustainable Development Goals. Theoretical Framework: This section presents the key concepts and theories that underpin the research. Key aspects include the lack of basic sanitation as a reflection of the country’s structural inequalities, the 1988 Constitution, which considers sanitation a social right, and the regulatory framework (Laws No. 11.445/2007 and No. 14.026/2020), which reinforces the importance of universal access. Method: The methodology adopted for this research includes a descriptive, qualitative, and documentary approach, based on a literature review. Articles, theses, and reports from the sanitation sector, with a 20-year time frame, were consulted. Data collection was conducted through the analysis of these documents to understand the context and challenges related to sanitation in vulnerable urban communities. Results and Discussion: The results revealed the precarious sanitation conditions in Complexo da Maré, with open sewage and significant impacts on public health. Environmental racism and social exclusion exacerbate the situation, while community initiatives, though promising, do not address the existing gaps. In the discussion section, these results are contextualized in light of the theoretical framework, highlighting the identified implications and relationships. Possible discrepancies and limitations of the study are also considered. Implications of the Research: The practical and theoretical implications of this research are discussed, highlighting the need for effective public policies that use sanitation as a tool for social inclusion and environmental justice. Collaboration between government and communities is essential for concrete progress. These implications may impact public policy, public health, the environment, and sustainable urban development. Originality/Value: This study contributes to the literature by providing a detailed analysis of sanitation in Complexo da Maré, connecting it to constitutional rights and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The relevance and value of this research are evident in its exploration of practical community solutions, contributing to the debate on socio-environmental justice and proposing the universalization of basic sanitation as a way to reduce inequalities and ensure sustainability in marginalized communities.

Ownership in times of water scarcity: are inhabitants supplied by private utilities consuming more water?

ABSTRACT The growing public focus on water resource issues highlights the effectiveness of demand-side management in reducing water consumption, a strategy adopted worldwide. In Brazil, where water scarcity remains a concern, the 2020 regulatory framework accelerated water utilities' privatization. This study examines how the expanded role of private companies in the water and sanitation sector influences residential water consumption behaviors. Using a three-level hierarchical linear model, we analyzed per capita water consumption data from 858 Brazilian municipalities between 2002 and 2019. Results show that, on average, residents in municipalities served by private companies consume less water than those served by public providers. While rising tariffs from privatization may partially explain these outcomes, the literature offers mixed support for this claim. Nonetheless, findings emphasize the importance of state-owned water providers, which serve most Brazilians, in revisiting their water demand management strategies. Key actions could include informational campaigns and economic incentives to promote voluntary water-saving behaviors.

BASIC SANITATION IN BRAZIL – 1995 to 2020: SECTOR DYNAMICS AND GOVERNANCE

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the institutional changes in the sanitation sector in Brazil, since the 1990s, led by several municipalities in the country that were frustrated with the lack of meeting demands by the previous state model and that initiated a movement to implement private concessions, with the objective of universalizing water supply and sewage collection and treatment services in their territories. A process that led to the breaking of the monopoly of state sanitation companies and contributed to the advancement of private concessions and the modernization of sanitation in the country.Theoretical Framework: Historical sectoral/institutional analysis, based on statistical data, sectoral and company reports.Method: Analysis of historical evidence, based on an official database of basic sanitation statistics in Brazil, reports on the sectoral panorama and the main concessionary companies.Results and Discussion: The results obtained show that the initiative of municipalities in Brazil was decisive in breaking the state monopoly in the sanitation sector, and contributed to achieving universal service to the population with greater efficiency.Research Implications: The practical and theoretical implications of this research are related to the importance of the pioneering action of municipalities, in a decentralized and democratic manner, to achieve the objectives of universalization in basic sanitation in the country with greater efficiency.Originality/Value: This is an original study, with an innovative approach and practical contributions, which contributes to the literature in areas such as sanitation, private concessions, public-private partnerships (PPPs), regional development and sustainable development.

Leveraging Big Data Analytics to Enhance Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Systems

The Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) sector is crucial to public health and achieving sustainable development goals. To enhance the effectiveness of WASH initiatives, it is essential to gather data from various sources, including Flow Monitoring, Water Point Mapping (WPM), mWater, Leak Detection (FMLD), and mWash. By implementing big data analytical tools such as Apache Hadoop and Apache Spark, this sector can efficiently store, process, and analyze large volumes of unstructured data within a distributed, parallel computing environment. Leveraging big data analytics in the WASH sector enables improved monitoring, visualization, equitable data-driven decision-making, post-implementation tracking, open data practices, and strengthened social accountability, ultimately supporting the sector’s development and sustainability.

A Bladeless Wind Generator with Deployable Boom

Energy is the key factor for improving the quality of life and it serves as the backbone of various sectors including health, sanitation, education and many other sectors related to human development. As the demand for energy increases in the cities, there is still scarcity of energy specially in remote villages, refugee camps and other disaster-stricken regions. The biggest problem with current Conventional Renewable energy sources such as wind and solar is limitation in terms of portability and high susceptibility to weather conditions. To address these issues, in this paper we introduce a Deployable Bladeless Wind Power Generator (DBWPG), this is a compact size portable wind generator whose boom can be deployed to different heights and thus respond to the various weather conditions. We developed a device that uses the vibrations induced on its boom due to the vortex shedding causes by wind flow, to produce electricity. The device is easy to care and easy to deploy to different heights when needed. With this innovation we aim to introduce a low cost, low maintenance, environmentally clean and easy to operate wind power source that can be benefit residents of rural areas, NGOs and other relief organizations.

Appropriate approaches for practitioners in international programs: reflections from a Cambodia–Australia collaboration

ABSTRACT Ensuring appropriate solutions for communities is an objective emphasised across international development, including the water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) sector. However, attention is rarely paid to ensuring practitioners have appropriate approaches to provide these solutions. Many approaches fail to account for or adapt to differences in how practitioners think and speak, and these concerns are notable for international collaborations where practitioners work across different backgrounds, cultures, and languages. We present reflections from a collaboration between a research group in Australia and a WASH program in Cambodia that aimed to validate a new approach to account for complexity in WASH programs. Insights from these reflections demonstrated the importance of facilitation as well as flexible approaches that can adapt to differences in practitioner mindsets and language. We share these reflections as lessons learnt, and we believe these lessons may be particularly important as international programs continue to action localisation and decolonisation efforts.

On a journey to citywide inclusive sanitation (CWIS)? A political economy analysis of container-based sanitation (CBS) in the fragmented (in)formal city

ABSTRACT Rapidly growing cities face the chronic challenge of access to safe, dignified and accessible sanitation, in contexts of inequality and informality. Technological and operational innovations, such as container-based sanitation (CBS), are promoted as relatively low-cost market-based circular economy off-grid solutions to deliver citywide inclusive sanitation (CWIS). However, in the absence of evidence that CBS is delivering on these promises, this paper asks: under what conditions can CBS services contribute to achieving CWIS goals? It applies a combined political economy and socio-technical regime analysis to examine multi-level governance in the sanitation sector and CBS service regimes in Cape Town, Lima, Nairobi and Cap-Haitien. Only Cape Town, a municipality-controlled system, demonstrates the necessary public authority that enables CBS to operate at scale. Yet, it is regarded by many residents in informal settlements as poor sanitation for poor people. This suggests that scaling CBS requires sustained public investment and strong coordinating authority.

Development of a Portable Ozone Generation System for Calibration of Online Ozone Water Analyzers

ABSTRACT Ozone water, serving as a disinfectant, plays a significant role in the production of medical, food, and sanitation sectors. However, due to the instability of ozone water, it needs to be produced and used simultaneously in practical applications. It leads to a series of technical challenges. They include the lack of standard ozone water solutions. To address them, this study designs and constructs a new calibration system for online ozone water analyzers with controllable concentrations. This system has been successfully applied to the calibration of online ozone water analyzers from different manufacturers and models available. The concentration values of ozone water were verified using the chemical iodometric method. Calibration results showed that the indication error of the online ozone water analyzers ranged from 0.04 mg/L to 0.07 mg/L, the repeatability was between 0.0% and 4.1%, and the stability ranged from 2% to 9%. This study not only provides an effective solution for the calibration of online ozone water analyzers but also contributes to the standardization and quality control in related fields through the design and implementation of the system.

Navigating the path: regulatory readiness and stakeholder insights in Indonesia's citywide inclusive sanitation landscape

Inadequate sanitation has catastrophic consequences for public health, standard of living, and productivity, as well as gender equality and social inclusion. Urban sanitation programmes yield suboptimal outcomes regarding long-term impact, effectiveness, sustainability, and fairness. To ensure that all urban dwellers in Low- to Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) have access to sanitation facilities that are properly maintained and safe, it is crucial to bring about a fundamental change in the urban sanitation sector through the implementation of Citywide Inclusive Sanitation (CWIS). This research analyses the sanitation regulatory framework and stakeholders' perspectives in Bandung City, Indonesia. The goal is to determine the possible obstacles and advantages of implementing a comprehensive CWIS (Citywide Inclusive Sanitation) system in Indonesia. The CWIS idea has been recognised at the national level in Indonesia. While existing legislation and policies partially govern and deal with CWIS components, there is no official programme establishment yet and limited implementation at the local level. Some challenges that have been identified include conflicting priorities in serving marginalised populations, a lack of political commitment and capacity to provide comprehensive services for all types of domestic wastewater (including grey water) and throughout the entire sanitation service chain (from containment to treatment and/or reuse and recovery), inadequate knowledge management and data transparency, a lack of incentives and penalties for local governments to meet sanitation standards, and limited motivation for meaningful and institutionalised private sector involvement. This study also delineates four crucial domains for efficiently fostering the deployment of CWIS in Indonesia.

Does the Special Allocation Fund Reduce Rural Poverty?

This study aims to analyze the effect of special allocation funds for thematic poverty reduction assignments in the fields of water, sanitation, and the field of settlement and housing on poverty in rural areas. The data collected by secondary data is number of poor people in rural areas is accessed through the BPS website, and special allocation funds for thematic poverty reduction assignments in the fields of water, sanitation, and settlement and housing are collected by accessing the Simtrada website (Information System Transfer to Regions and Village Funds) https://djpk.kemenkeu.go.id//simtrada/. The population of 34 provinces and the sample of 25 provinces in Indonesia that experienced a decrease in rural poverty were analyzed in this research. The data were analyzed by multiple regression analysis techniques. The results showed that special allocation funds for thematic poverty reduction assignments in the water sectors, and in the field of sanitation sector, did not significantly affect poverty reduction, (sig p-value 0.461>0.05 and sig p-value 0.751 > 0.05 respectively). The value of special allocation funds for thematic poverty reduction assignments in the field of the housing sector had a significant effect on reducing rural poverty (sig p-value (0.007< 0.05). This study recommends that poverty reduction funds in rural areas, especially in the field of housing, continue to be distributed and managed appropriately, so that poverty in rural areas is alleviated.

Surface engineered novel cationic surfactants with enhanced surface adsorption for environmental applications

Gemini Cationic Surfactants (GCS) have garnered significant attention due to their distinctive molecular structure, featuring two hydrophilic head groups associated with a hydrophobic spacer. This distinctive configuration enables diverse applications across various fields. Hence, the current study introduces a novel series of GCSs, ethanediyl-1,2-bis[di(2-hydroxypropyl) alkylammonium] dibromide (Cn-C2-Cn[IsoPr(OH)2; n = 9, 12 and 14) and comprehensively explore their properties, highlighting their promising antimicrobial activity. The synthesis of GCSs was validated using 1H NMR and IR spectroscopy. Dynamic Light Scattering was employed to determine the dimensions of Gemini surfactant aggregates in aqueous solutions. Surface tension analysis determined critical concentrations of micelle (CMC), minimum surface area (Amin) and concentration of surface excess (Γmax). Physicochemical properties were assessed through conductivity and surface tension analyses in aqueous solutions. The CMC, Amin and Γmax values decrease as alkyl chain length extends. Surface tension data revealed strong adsorption of GCSs at interfaces. π values (mN/m) ranged from 36.7 (C14C2C14[Iso-Pr(OH)]2) to 45.3 (C9C2C9[Iso-Pr(OH)]2). Conductivity and surface tension measurements further characterized Gemini surfactants in aqueous environments at 298 K. The size of the micelle aggregates varied between C9C2C9[Iso-Pr(OH)]2 (1.2885 nm) and C14C2C14[Iso-Pr(OH)]2 (1.9210 nm), highlighting the impact of chain length on micelle size. Hence, the study highlights significant effect of the chain lengths on Gemini cationic surfactants’ self-assembly in dilute aqueous environments. Antimicrobial tests demonstrated significant activity of Cn-C2-Cn[IsoPr(OH)]2 GCSs at varying concentrations. Antimicrobial tests showed the significant antimicrobial potential of these GCS compounds, suggesting their potential and promising applications in medical, hygiene, environmental sanitation and advanced materials sectors.

Assessment of the Status and Characteristics of Faecal Sludge Management in populated unplanned settlements of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

This study evaluates faecal sludge management in densely populated informal settlements of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, using suitable standardized methods. The data indicates that latrines are built with less emphasis on quality compared to the construction of houses, resulting in the use of inferior materials and technology. Various techniques are employed for emptying pits, with vacuum trucks and manual pit emptying being the predominant methods. However, lack of access to households poses a significant obstacle to vacuum truck emptying, as 39.67% cannot be reached by transportation means. The pit emptying industry faces high costs and restricted technological accessibility. Semi-manual and semi-mechanized technology innovations for hygiene emptying in less accessible dwellings have not gained sufficient appeal among inhabitants in densely crowded unplanned settlements. DAWASA owns treatment plants for faecal sludge treatment, but these are located far away, increasing transportation expenses. Implementing decentralized faecal sludge treatment plants appears to be a more effective approach. The collection and handling of faecal sludge now overlook the potential for resource recovery and re-use, which might greatly enhance the sustainability of faecal sludge management. Two government ministries have partially incorporated the faecal sludge management or sanitation sector into their health and water policies and programs, but the separation of responsibility has hindered its growth and lack of emphasis on information diffusion in urban areas.

STRATEGI KOMUNIKASI KONTROL JEJARING KEBIJAKAN DALAM GERAKAN BERSAMA RAKYAT ATASI KAWASAN PADAT KUMUH DAN MISKIN (GEBRAK PAKUMIS) DI KABUPATEN TANGERANG

Housing and settlements have a very fundamental role in the life of the Indonesian people considering the problem that often occurs is the level of housing needs that is not balanced with the level of regional capacity in providing habitable housing. As a result, a residential area will receive a load that exceeds the carrying capacity of its environment and tends to become slum. The problem of settlements is a serious problem because it is feared that it will cause fatal pockets of poverty and then cause various social problems beyond the government's ability to handle and monitor them. The Tangerang Regency government tries to clean up uninhabitable houses through the GEBRAK PAKUMIS Program. The main focus of this program is to improve the water and sanitation sector with a focal point on improving the quality of houses because a poor sanitation system is a major factor in the formation of slum areas. This study aims to analyze and find theoretical answers to the principles of policy networks and obtain new concepts about policy networks. This research uses descriptive qualitative methods, data collection techniques by means of interviews, observation, and documentation. One of the problems that is the basis for the failure of this program is the long procedure. This is something that is feared by residents, because it is considered difficult to be realized. Based on the problems faced by residents as recipients of house renovation assistance, environmental development and community empowerment, the correct communication strategy is a solution to communicate the benefits of the program to the beneficiary residents. Therefore, the communication strategy solution offered in this study is as a stimulant for local government to provide populist socialization to residents in order to bring citizens to ease in taking procedures in this program.

Assessing regulatory governance for the water and sanitation Agencies in Brazil

This paper focuses on evaluating and benchmarking the governance of regulatory agencies in Brazil's water and sanitation sector. Using a unique database obtained through the application of a questionnaire, we developed an index of regulatory governance and ranked all the agencies in Brazil that participated in the study. The index is an aggregate number of the evaluation of four key governance characteristics: Autonomy, Transparency, Accountability, and Tools & Capacity, including not only formal aspects of regulation but also indicators related to actual implementation. Based on 18 different indices, we analyze the positions of agencies with regard to different aspects of their regulatory governance, considering not only performance in each variable but also scores in the different components of each category. This evaluation identifies particular agency shortcomings regarding governance and indicates needed improvements. Although Brazil has strived to consolidate the governance design of its regulatory agencies, implementing the independent regulator model still faces several challenges. Various aspects of governance can be improved to pursue greater efficiency and quality in providing services, particularly in Accountability and Political Autonomy, where the country shows the largest number of regulatory agencies with the lowest scores. Conversely, almost half of the participating agencies show optimal scores in the Regulatory Autonomy aspect of governance. The results, for the most part, corroborate the institutional theory, in which the role of institutions is paramount for greater efficiency in providing public services, as it reduces information asymmetries and transaction costs and maximizes economic incentives.

Expanding access to water quality monitoring with the open-source WaterScope testing platform

Increasing access to water quality tests in low-income communities is a crucial strategy toward achieving global water equality. Recent studies in the Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector underscore the importance of addressing practical concerns in water testing, such as robustness and results communication. In response, we present the WaterScope testing kit; an open-source, validated platform for drinking water quality assessment. It modernises the testing process with the inclusion of a unique cartridge/slider mechanism, machine-learning-enhanced classification and full digitalisation of results. WaterScope’s equivalency to conventional methods for quantifying E. coli is established through extensive validation experiments in both laboratory and field environments. This versatile platform provides potential to expand its applications to test other bacteria, perform colorimetric assays, and analyse clinical samples such as blood/urine samples. We anticipate that the system’s ease-of-use, portability, affordability, robustness, and digital nature will accelerate progress toward global water equality.

Transformations in the sanitation sector in the State of Rio de Janeiro: neoliberalism and regulatory changes

This article analyzes the reconfiguration of water supply services provided to municipalities across the State of Rio de Janeiro. It seeks to examines how advancements in the neoliberalization of Brazil's basic sanitation sector have contributed to a fragmentation in the provision of services and to the emergence of uneven geographies on a regional scale. This will be conducted through the lens of policy experimentation, particularly after the approval of Law 14.026/2020. The study is based on an approach concerning the commodification of public services within the context of neoliberalism, marked by a complex reformulation of regulatory mechanisms. The methodology combines an analysis of secondary data, documentary research, and thematic mapping. The results reveal that the management of sanitation services is increasingly guided by market logic, with the experimentation of controversial regulatory mechanisms that have exacerbated fragmentation and deepened territorial inequality.

By the numbers and in their own words: A mixed methods study of unmet needs and humanitarian inclusion of older Syrian refugees in Lebanon.

Older people constitute an overlooked vulnerable population in humanitarian crises. Lebanon is a small country that hosts the largest number of refugees per capita in the world. With exacerbating socioeconomic conditions, exclusionary policies against refugees, and a fragmented humanitarian system, the status of older Syrian refugees (OSRs) requires special attention. This study aimed to explore OSRs' unmet needs, coping strategies, available humanitarian services, and some indicators of the humanitarian inclusion standards focusing on the shelter, health, nutrition and food security, and water, sanitation and hygiene sectors. We conducted a convergent mixed-methods study between December 2021 and March 2022 in the North and Bekaa, including a cross-sectional survey with 461 participants and 14 semi-structured interviews. Results show that OSRs lived in inappropriate shelters (cold, leaking rainwater), especially in informal tented settlements. High rent prices pushed refugee households with elderly to prioritize paying rent at the expense of other needs such as food and medication, particularly when food cash transfer is the sole source of income, jeopardizing food security and intake. Access to dignifying and accessible bathing facilities was compromised in ITSs with shared facilities. Substantial medical costs hindered OSRs access to healthcare such as surgeries. Due to the crisis, chronic medications are not always available in dispensaries for subsidized cost, pushing OSRs to non-compliance and selling food assistance to buy medications. Soaring fuel prices hindered OSRs access to heating and transportation to receive healthcare. No efforts were reported in collecting data on OSRs' needs, targeting them with information on services, or soliciting feedback for programming, especially in the absence of any age-tailored interventions. Findings shed light on the precarious living conditions of OSRs in Lebanon and add to the body of evidence documenting their invisibility to the humanitarian response. An age-inclusive response is needed through holistic, tailored, and sustainable interventions.

Relationship between Access to Clean Water and Child Growth and Development in Kenya

Purpose: The aim of the study was to analyze the relationship between access to clean water and child growth and development in Kenya. Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries. Findings: Access to clean water significantly impacts child growth and development in Kenya by reducing waterborne diseases like diarrhea, improving hygiene practices, and ensuring adequate hydration. Children with reliable access to clean water experience better nutritional outcomes and enhanced immune function, crucial for their physical growth and cognitive development. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Ecological systems theory (Bronfenbrenner), health belief model (Rosenstock) & social determinants of health (SDH) theory may be used to anchor future studies on relationship between access to clean water and child growth and development in Kenya. Expand the implementation of effective water purification technologies and community water supply projects in resource-constrained environments. Advocate for integrated policies that prioritize water security alongside nutrition-sensitive interventions. Policies should support multi-sectoral collaboration between health, water, and sanitation sectors to address the complex interplay between water access and child nutrition.

The biofactories: Quantifying environmental benefits of the wastewater circular economy in Chile using life cycle assessment

The wastewater circular economy promises improved environmental impacts within the food-water-energy nexus. This requires verification as the global sanitation sectors seek to improve environmental impacts and achieve integrated water management. Life cycle assessment (LCA) has been used to compare novel technologies for wastewater treatment and recovery, but research addressing plant-wide improvements of co-product resource recovery using real data from full-scale plants is still needed, particularly in a Latin American context. In Chile, two wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have embraced the circular economy configuration, recovering treated effluent, biosolids, and biogas, in addition to implementing advanced nitrogen removal using different technologies. The LCA of these two WWTPs demonstrated that Plant A improved 8 out of 10 impact categories compared to the baseline conventional scenario, while Plant B improved 5 categories out of 10. The analysis of the two plants showed the influence of influent quality on environmental impacts and the trade-off that occurs between the different technologies implemented. Plant B generated larger environmental credits through increased biogas and biosolids recovery due to thermal hydrolysis pre-treatment and anaerobic digestion, combined with cogeneration of heat and power. Plant A implemented water recovery, which provided benefits on a smaller magnitude but to more impact categories. Therefore, both plants improved environmental impacts through the wastewater circular economy, but further improvements in system configurations are recommended in each.