Tools for improved water quality, sanitation and safe use of
human excreta in agriculture, Cochabamba, Bolivia

Abstract: Today 1 billion people in the world lack safe drinking water and 2.6
billion people do not have access to basic sanitation (WSP, 2006). This
causes large health- and contamination problems, especially in urban areas.
Due to UN Habitat (2003) the world’s urban population will increase from 3
to 5 billions within 20 years. Many developing countries do not have an
adequate municipal drinking-water service and it is common that the water
is provided by small water communities. The work is often carried out by
non-professionals and control of the drinking-water quality is uncommon. To
simplify the work with drinking water control WHO has developed guidelines
for water monitoring adapted to small water communities. Since the early
1990’s the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) has been working
with the concept of ecological sanitation (eco-san) to advance in the
development of safe, robust and economical sanitary solutions. The
challenge is to create systems that consume little or no water, minimize
the contamination risk and allows recycling of nutrients to agriculture.

In Bolivia, South America’s second poorest country, diseases caused by lack
of safe drinking water and proper sanitation are common. The health
situation has improved the last 30 years as more people have gained access
to improved drinking water (85%) and sanitation (46%). The Bolivian company
Agua Tuya has been working with drinking water systems in peri-urban areas
of Cochabamba, Bolivia, for 15 years. During the last years the demand for
sanitation has increased and to meet that demand cooperation with the
research organization EcoSanRes has been established. In a pilot project 20
urine-diverting toilets will be built in Challacaba, Cochabamba. Agua Tuya
also plans to open a Resource Center that among other things will offer a
monitoring program for small-scale water distribution.

This Master’s thesis at Luleå University of Technology will contribute with
tools to improved drinking water monitoring and sanitation in peri-urban
areas. It includes a two months field study in Cochabamba during autumn
2006 as well as a literature study performed in Luleå. The Master’s thesis
resulted in a monitoring program for water quality, adapted to small water
communities based on sanitary surveys and preventing acts. Analyses of
water samples are subordinated as parameters measuring changes in the water
quality such as pH, smell and taste are prioritized. In Challacaba 19 urine-
diverting toilets were built. Recommendations for use, cleaning and
emptying of the toilets, storage times and treatment for faeces as well as
spreading of excreta were established in line with WHO’s guidelines. The
Bolivian law does not show any obvious obstacles against the use of human
excreta in agriculture as long as the recommendations are followed.