FACT SHEET Project name: Sustainable sanitation pilot project

The Sustainable sanitation pilot project in Burmi Tola, Bihar, implemented urine-diverting dry toilets (UDDT) to address the health and environmental risks of open defecation in a flood-prone area. The project installed units for 31 of 37 households in Burmi Tola and 7 in Rupauliya, utilizing a cost-sharing model where the project funded waterproofed substructures and households provided labor and superstructures. Despite initial resistance, the project gained momentum through community mobilization, the support of local officials, and agricultural trials demonstrating the effectiveness of 'humanure'. Key outcomes include improved health, better menstrual hygiene management for women and girls, and interest from approximately 55 households in neighboring communities.

• The project implemented a urine-diverting dry toilet (UDDT) model featuring a raised squatting platform approximately 0.9 metres above ground with two separate chambers for faeces and jerry cans for urine collection, specifically designed to be flood-resistant.
• Installation was achieved through a shared responsibility model: the project funded the waterproofed substructure, while households provided the plinth, sand, labor, and the superstructure.
• Initial community resistance—including a preference for waterborne toilets or continued open defecation—was overcome by the involvement of a community mobilizer, support from influential figures like the district magistrate, and agricultural trials comparing treated urine to chemical fertilizers.
• The project provided significant benefits to women and girls by improving privacy for menstruation hygiene management (MHM) and removing the need to restrict food and drink intake to avoid open defecation.
• The pilot resulted in reported health improvements, including fewer sicknesses and reduced medical spending, and sparked interest in approximately 55 households from neighboring communities.

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (2014). FACT SHEET Project name: Sustainable sanitation pilot project. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/sei-fs-2014-biharecosan-burmitola.pdf

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. FACT SHEET Project name: Sustainable sanitation pilot project. 2014. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/sei-fs-2014-biharecosan-burmitola.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=FACT SHEET Project name: Sustainable sanitation pilot project |date=2014 |url=https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/sei-fs-2014-biharecosan-burmitola.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitute2014fact, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{FACT SHEET Project name: Sustainable sanitation pilot project}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2014}, url = {https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/sei-fs-2014-biharecosan-burmitola.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }