Towards sustainable pit latrine management through LaDePa : a paper presented at the second conference on developments in faecal sludge management i...

Urban pit latrines and their associate challenges, in particular the disposal of sludge, are ubiquitous to the developing world. eThekwini Water and Sanitation (EWS), the municipal entity responsible for providing sanitation services to Durban and its surrounds, has co-invented and piloted an inexpensive, mobile, containerised technology, called LaDePa that can convert pit latrine and other sludge into a usable, pasteurized, dry product, beneficial for all agricultural. By utilising inexpensive, simple and robust mechanics this technology not only addresses the five major technical challenges of sludge management, but also address some environmental and socio- economic challenges in the communities where pit latrines are encountered. EWS intends privatising its pit emptying program anchored on the LaDePa technology. The low capital cost of LaDePa and its mobility obviates the necessity to enter into a Public Private Partnership (PPP) governed by the South African National Treasury regulations. This paper briefly discusses the technology, its environmental benefits and the challenges it addresses, and provides an overview of the procurement model that complies with standard Supply Chain Management requirements. [authors abstract]