The availability of safe sanitation is a major global challenge, where more than a third of the world’s population lacks access to adequate sanitation. This problem is particularly severe in peri-urban areas and urban slums, where lack of adequate infrastructure is compounded by poor access to health and education amenities.

In the densely-populated peri-urban neighborhoods in Brazil - like elsewhere in the developing countries - domestic liquid wastes are disposed of in latrines or septic wells. This calls for out-of-the-box thinking on provision of sanitation services. In Sao Paulo, Brazil, the primary catchments for the city’s water supply system (Billings and Guarapiranga resevoirs), are being quickly overrun by unplanned urbanization. Consequences for public health are severe: infant

mortality rate (65 per 1000 in Parelheiros and Grajaú) is much higher than in the population at large in Brazil. Thus, the need for urgent solutions is pronounced.

This project investigated such an approach for provision of adequate sanitation.

Objectives:

Typical septic well (Jardim Santo Antonio)

• To test and develop a new technological approach using a permeable reactive material in septic well construction
• To enhance the capacity of stakeholders in informal settlements to prevent groundwater contamination through provision of in-situ sanitation
• To replicate similar solutions in other developing countries

Partners:

UNU-INWEH

University of Waterloo

University of Sao Paulo

City of Sao Paulo