Emergency Disaster Sanitation

After the devastating earthquake happened in southern Turkiye and Northern Syria, Ozan Ertug worked on an emergency disaster sanitation system that will fill the gap right after the disaster till sufficient sanitary systems are applicable. The sanitary unit is planned to be cheap, fast, and easy to maintain for at least a month but this can be extended to 3 months with sufficient maintenance.

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Here are the instructions to prepare a toilet like that in a disaster:

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Disaster Toilet Instructions

 

1)A trench 60 cm wide, 240 cm long and 90 cm deep is excavated by excavator. The horizontal gap between the 2 trenches should be 5m for the vacuum truck and maintenance team to work. A toilet unit consisting of 3 eyes will come to these trenches.

 

2)A corrugated plastic pipe with a diameter of 60 cm and a length of 120 cm is placed inside the trench, leaving equal spaces. The pipes will thus end 30 cm above the ground. The gaps between the pipes and the trenches are filled with some of the soil and compacted. The remaining soil is then stored for layering over the accumulated sludge inside the pit.

 

3)The metal/wood/aluminum structure produced on-site or in the workshop is placed on the trench. The 3-eye system has a width of approximately 90 cm, a length of 270 cm and a height of 240-270 cm. In order to prevent the structure from sinking, a light blockage + lean concrete can be poured or a plank/concrete plate is placed under the parts where the structure comes into contact with the ground.

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The ground plate in the toilet can be ready-made fiberglass or metal. A plate with a 150 kg carrying capacity with a suitable hole in it is also suitable.

 

4) Linoleum Tarpaulin system is stretched and attached to the fixing points left in the system before, or it is produced with a sticking/locking apparatus on itself. Then the linoleum curtain system is installed as a door.

 

5) Rainwater directed by the roof slope is taken into the rainwater collection reservoir at the midpoint and used in the sink by passing through a simple filtering apparatus. Rainwater, which is lowered to the ground with chains attached to the other corners of the roof, is collected in containers, passed through a simple filtering system, and used later. A more detailed preliminary study should be done with environmental engineers and permaculture experts on this subject.

 

6) After the pits are full, this lightweight system is lifted and placed on top of the newly opened pits. The old pits are covered by adding a minimum 30 cm vegetable soil layer on the upper part. It is possible to plant trees in these areas to make a food forest or a memorial forest. A more detailed preliminary study should be done with environmental engineers and permaculture experts on this subject.

 

7) The water collected under the sink can be passed through a charcoal filter and used as recycled gray water.

 

8) A simple vent pipe can be added up and out of the pits to prevent odors and flies.

 

9) It will be safer to drive and connect simple stakes to fix the system to the ground.

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Notes:

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• Due to the combination of urine and feces, the formation of pathogens increases. With an additional system, the urine can be sent to a separate storage unit outside the stool pit and slowly released into the soil.

• Certain filtering and layering can be done for the bottom of the pit. A more detailed preliminary study should be done with environmental engineers and permaculture experts on this subject.

• One of the 3-eye systems can be used for showering. However, the applicability of this issue in terms of water scarcity is questionable. It may be used for changing or other purposes.

• The ladder system can be produced if desired or can be solved with a simple 15 cm elevation. In addition, some toilets should be provided with ramp access.