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This fact sheet describes a 2010-2014 collaboration between the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) and the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Institute (WASHi), funded by Sida, to reduce human vulnerability in Bihar, India. The project implemented ecological sanitation (ecosan) solutions across five pilot sites to address high flood risks and low sanitation access, while establishing the state's only nutrient-testing laboratory to support policy reform and the Millennium Development Goals.

A pilot project in Bind Block, Bihar, India, demonstrated that treated human urine is a safe and effective substitute for commercial NPK fertilizers, providing similar or better crop yields for vegetables and fruits. By framing urine as a valuable resource rather than waste, the project overcame social stigmas associated with excreta handling and showed that families could save approximately 4,000 rupees annually. The initiative included the installation of urinals in schools and administrative offices, supported by field trials and laboratory analysis in Patna.

The Stockholm Environment Institute and WASHi established the Shree Krishna Gyan Mandir Water and Nutrient Testing Laboratory in Patna, Bihar, in August 2013. This non-profit facility supports ecological sanitation (ecosan) by verifying the safety and nutrient content of treated human waste for agricultural use, a service unique in the region. The lab also provides independent water quality testing for civil society and communities, identifying contaminants like arsenic to drive government action. To remain sustainable, the lab uses a cost-recovery tariff and offers educational courses, while seeking statutory accreditation to ensure long-term viability.

This fact sheet describes a sustainable sanitation pilot project implemented at the Tarumitra Bio-reserve and Ecology Centre in Patna, Bihar, India. The project, funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and implemented by the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Institute (WASHi) and the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), established an ecological sanitation (ecosan) complex to provide an alternative to open defecation and demonstrate the agricultural benefits of reusing human excreta.