The unique challenges of improving peri-urban sanitation

This document is intended to be an informational tool that helps project designers better understand and confront the problems of improving sanitation in peri-urban areas. It is not meant to be a technical design manual, nor is it a comprehensive reference document on existing technologies. The ultimate goals of the report are to provide the reader with some key questions to ask, with information to gather as part of the planning and design process, and with suggestions about what basic approach to follow in setting up peri-urban sanitation projects. The "standard" technical and social solutions for low-cost sanitation currently used in rural communities are not necessarily appropriate for improving community sanitation in peri-urban areas. This report suggests that the complexities of peri-urban settlements require that a more comprehensive interdisciplinary approach be used to clarify the problem before attempting to design a project that will address peri-urban sanitation needs. This document reviews the key public health, environmental, social, financial, economic, legal and institutional issues that many of these settlements face and must be understood before developing a programme designed to improve a peri-urban community's sanitation services. To address these problems, the project designer must deal not only with engineers but also with legal specialists, financial analysts, social scientists, urban planners, and a wide range of institutions, such as the water and sanitation utility, the Ministry of Health, urban development authorities, and the municipality.