Perspectives are different frameworks from which to explore the knowledge around sustainable sanitation and water management. Perspectives are like filters: they compile and structure the information that relate to a given focus theme, region or context. This allows you to quickly navigate to the content of your particular interest while promoting the holistic understanding of sustainable sanitation and water management.
IWMI research in Ghana suggests that poor access to irrigation may discourage some women from taking up urban farming, but men also feel disadvantaged by female domination of the marketing sector.
HOPE, L. COFIE, O. KERAITA, B. DRECHSEL, P. (2009): Gender and Urban Agriculture: The Case of Accra, Ghana. Warwickshire, UK: Practical Action Publishing URL [Accessed: 26.03.2012]
The use of Urine Diversion (UD) in dry toilets allows faeces dehydration. Urine can be reused as urea, while faeces are dried in a double vault system of alternate use. The moisture comes out using ventilation pipes. After 2 years the end product can be emptied and reused without having any health risk. Water from washing can be treated in a constructed wetland and reused for instance for irrigation.
HOFFMANN, H. (2012): Construction of Bench Style Double Vault Urine Diversion Toilet and Alternatives. Lima: Rotaria del Peru SAC URL [Accessed: 26.03.2012]
The drought of 2011 and the famine that followed in politically instable Somalia highlighted the vulnerability of the lowlands of the Horn of Africa. It is a story revisited with high frequency – 2000, 2005, and 2008. Climate variability is easily mentioned as the main attributing factor. Clearly it is – but there is also extensive land use change, because of the widespread invasion of invasive species (prosopis in particular) and the decimation of natural wood stands for charcoal production (particularly in Somalia). 2011 was a crisis year – but even in a normal years food insecurity is common. In the Afar lowlands in Ethiopia food aid has become part of the livelihoods, with most of the people dependent on it – including reportedly middle class families. There is a growing realization that water resource development – appropriate to the context – has to have a place in addressing food insecurity in the Horn of Africa. This paper focuses on irrigation policy and practice in the arid lowlands of the Horn that have been hit hardest and most frequent in the drought episodes
ALEMEHAYU, T. DEMISSIE, A. LANGAN, S. EVERS, J. (2011): Irrigation Practice and Policy in the Lowlands of the Horn of Africa. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) URL [Accessed: 26.03.2012]
Ten years ago, Thai epidemiologists noticed unusual clusters of kidney disease among elderly people around the town of Mae Sot. Heavy metal poisoning was suspected. A research team, including scientists from the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), demonstrated that an irrigation system dissecting an area rich in minerals was contaminating local rice. Thanks to their efforts, farmers received compensation and training so that they could switch to growing inedible crops valuable for biofuels.
IWMI (2012): Changing to Biofuel Crops Makes Productive Use of Contaminated Water. Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI) URL [Accessed: 26.03.2012]This is an article on how to remove radioactive iodine-131 from drinking water, talking about different technologies including ion exchange.
This web link describes the use of ion exchangers and their use in wastewater treatment, including theoretical and practical information.
The aim of this manual is to describe the variety of work as well as to provide a survey of the types of materials used in rural water supply construction.
MEULI, C. WEHRLE, K. MUELLER, H. PFIFFNER, H. (2000): Building Construction. (= Series of Manuals on Drinking Water Supply , 3 ). St. Gallen: Swiss Centre for Development Cooperation in Technology and Management (SKAT) URL [Accessed: 22.03.2012]This website is about basic ion exchange processes in water treatment with an emphasis on applications such as softening, demineralisation, and nitrates removal.
The practical guidelines for test pumping presented in this publication reflect years of hands-on experience in borehole exploitation in both rural and urban settings, from Africa to the Middle East and Asia.
ICRC (2011): Technical Review. Practical Guidelines for Test Pumping in Water Wells. Geneva: International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) URL [Accessed: 21.03.2012] PDF
The manual ‘Understanding Groundwater & Wells in manual drilling’ complements the 4 technical training handbooks and highlights those essential subjects which are relevant to manual drilling, geo-hydrology, hygiene, well installation and well development in practice, in simple and understandable language.
WAL, A. van der (2010): Understanding Groundwater & Wells in Manual Drilling. Instruction Handbook for Manual Drilling Teams on Hydro-geology for Well Drilling, Well Installation and Well Development. Papendrecht: PRACTICA Foundation URL [Accessed: 21.03.2012] PDF
The Rural Water Supply Network (RWSN), in collaboration with UNICEF, recently published a Code of Practice for Cost Effective Boreholes. This document outlines principles that provide a basis for the realisation of economical and sustainable access to safe water through the construction of boreholes in Sub-Saharan Africa. Evaluation of these principles in specific countries underlined the importance of improved contractual procedures and technical specifications for significant reductions in drilling costs.
UNICEF (2011): Improving Cost Effectiveness of Drilling Programmes in Mozambique and Zambia. New York: UNICEF PDF
This field note describes the history of hand drilling and water-lifting techniques introduced in Niger over 30 years ago and now firmly in the hands of local enterprises, farmers and household water users. Recommendations for the way forward are included.
DANERT, K. (2006): A Brief History of Hand Drilled Wells in Niger. Only the Beginning. St. Gallen: Rural Water Supply Network (RWSN) URL [Accessed: 21.03.2012] PDF
This manual has been devised as a training guide for small businesses specialised in manual drilling and related businesses such as those specialising in pump making and pump repair.
UNICEF (2010): Improving Skills of Manual Drilling Enterprises. Business Management. New York: UNICEF URL [Accessed: 21.03.2012] PDF
This handbook describes the percussion technique in detail. Although the technique is slower than other drilling techniques, it is the only manual drilling technique that is able to drill through consolidated rock layers.
VUIK, R. KONING, D. de WAL, A. van der (2010): Manual Drilling Series: Percussion. Technical Training Handbook on Affordable Manual Well Drilling. Papendrecht: PRACTICA Foundation URL [Accessed: 21.03.2012] PDF
This handbook describes the hand auger technique. This cheap and effective technique is very suitable for sinking shallow wells in soft soils and is excellent for soil surveys. Many drilling teams have this technique in their toolkit to complement other drilling techniques.
LABAS, J. VUIK, R. (2010): Manual Drilling Series: Augering. Technical Training Handbook on Affordable Manual Well Drilling. Papendrecht: PRACTICA Foundation URL [Accessed: 21.03.2012]