There is almost complete lack of sustainable toilet technology for flood affected / water logged areas in most of the developing countries. This is a serious issue of sanitation in unsewered area for such conditions. 

Leach pit (single or double pit) toilets are commonly used in non-sewered areas most of the developing countries in sewered areas, in spite of the fact that such toilets are not suitable for flood prone and water-logged areas or for areas with high ground water tables.  Such toilets become non-functional the day flood waters enter into the area. In case of high ground water table, such toilets cause serious problems of ground water contamination that may affect community health irreversibly. The situation in the areas where ground water is used as drinking water is further aggravated. 

Similar is the problem with Septic tank toilets also. It becomes non-functional during flood and water-logged condition and causes ground water contamination when attached with a soak pit for discharge of effluent. Due to lack of proper drainage system in rural areas, discharge of effluent in soak pit is the only option.

 People mostly ignore health impacts of such toilets mainly due to (a) lack of awareness to common people and even by most of the policy makers and (b) unavailability of affordable design of flood resilient toilet.

 Under the financial support from the FINISH Mondial, the Netherlands, I provided complete technical support (design, drawing and training) in implementing 2 units of household Green Toilets in Gaibandha Municipality, Bangladesh in February 2024. 

This toilet can be used uninterrupted even when floodwater level in the area is up to 60 cm. In case of rural areas, where proper drainage system is normally not available, leaching of effluent from pits into the soil is the only option. Such leaching causes ground water pollution, where ground water table is high. In such areas, where ground water is used as drinking purpose, there is serious and irreversible effects on community health. 

In case of Green toilets, there is in-situ treatment of effluent, and there is no chance or very little chance of ground water contamination, even when water table is one meter below the ground. 

Toilet is made up of low cost ring channels -commonly found in Bangladesh, with bacterial growth media in the form of used cement bags. In this case, treated effluent leaches in soil in 3rd chamber from the top of the soil surface. Therefore, here is no/least chance of ground water contamination. CAPEX is low, with no any OPEX. 

To  disseminate the technology in the country, there is urgent need to include the technology in the policy paper/strategy paper of the State government and central government for the sustainable sanitation and improve community health and environment of the society.