Construction of Pilot Latrines Finishes!

July 28, 2012

Here is an update from our in country coordinator Geovanni Mendoza:

All of the construction is done! We were worried that the rain would hold us back and prevent us from finishing everyone's latrine on schedule, but everyone in the community worked really hard to help make it happen and we finished the remaining three latrines in one week. Everyone was in high spirits and it was a wonderful experience this cooperation and embodiment of community in Monte Fresco.

and now,  the brand spankin new toilets:





Latrine Design


Here is a closer look at the latrines we are building in Monte Fresco. Thank you to El Porvenir (www.elporvenir.org) for sharing these plans and supporting our project in many other ways!

The key to this design is the double vault system. Currently, many residents of Monte Fresco lack any type of sanitary facility. The latrines that do exist in the community are single vault pit latrines. For the  typical large family in Nicaragua, traditional pit latrines fill quickly and families are forced to construct new ones without the materials or expertise to do so. What results are non functional haphazardly constructed latrines that leak, break, and overflow.  These latrines are incredibly dangerous to the community and environment. They are subject to sudden collapse and allow for the easy spread of pathogens by leaking into drinking water sources and overflowing into the community streets during the rainy season. In the double pit design, when one pit vault fills up, a concrete cover is used to seal the hole while the housing structure and toilet seat are switched to the other vacant side available for use. The waste in the first pit is left sitting and in time, the pathogens are inactivated and the dangerous poop is eventually turned into useable and valuable compost! This process can continue indefinitely so long as people take care of their latrines! That is where our education team, a group from the local Ministry of Health, comes in. 

The people in the community are very open to this new technology and are excited at the potential to use the compost to grow crops and start a community garden. Monte Fresco is a peri urban area outside of the city. It is not considered rural and there is no agricultural sector, but there is certainly the space! Sanitation can and will transform communities entirely. From sanitation to agriculture, Viva la revolucion!