Improving Sanitation Services in Tough Physical Environments, Kirfi Local Government Authority, Nigeria

This case study documents WaterAid Nigeria’s Strengthening Water Sanitation and Hygiene Delivery Systems (SWADS) project in Kirfi Local Government Area (LGA), Bauchi State between 2017-2019, as part of the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) Water Programme II. The case study shares how adaptations to their implementation strategy were made to overcome challenges of sandy, loose soil in remote communities, which made traditional pit toilets vulnerable to collapse and issues with installation of new improved models, with reports of toilets sinking after only a few days. Markets were also weak, with Toilet Business Owners and masons struggling to transport toilets and construction materials to these communities, raising the costs for communities with high rates of poverty. Adaptations included introducing an offset pit, as well as a pit lining – although the latter increased toilet costs. The concrete slab was also split into four pieces to make it smaller for easy transportation, which fit together during construction. To address affordability challenges, which were found to be more acute during the rainy season, Village Savings and Loans Association schemes were introduced to encourage communal savings. Key recommendations included undertaking context analysis of topography, to understand challenges that might arise in constructing and installing different toilet technologies and come up with any necessary adaptions. Including this analysis early on can mitigate risk of unsuitable or unsafe toilets being constructed at the expense of households.