SANITATION
CONFRONTING THE
PIT LATRINE CRISIS From portable toilet hire to septic tank servicing and package wastewater treatments plants, Sanitech is South Africa’s largest sanitation company and operates across the entire sanitation value chain. Kirsten Kelly speaks to Robert Erasmus, managing director of Sanitech, about the company’s latest on-site sanitation innovation.
O
ur business is less about products and more about servicing. While most companies focus on either providing a sanitation solution or servicing and maintaining on-site toilets, Sanitech does both. We understand the complexities in the provision, installation, and maintenance of sanitation products,” explains Erasmus. Servicing pit latrines When requested by municipalities, Sanitech services ventilated improved pit (VIP) latrines. The dry consistency of sludge and the high rubbish content that is found in many pits can present obstacles to vacuum removal. While pit latrines are estimated to last between eight and ten years, they are often the only discharge point for a household and are therefore filling up within two to three years. According to Erasmus, emptying pit latrines is a lengthy, difficult process that requires two to three steps to try to remove household rubbish and then return the sludge to a liquid form. “Very often, municipalities opt to close the pit and dig a new one, and that has serious health and environmental implications.” Another issue is that the excavation of the actual pit can be difficult due to unstable soil conditions, underground utilities, and limited space. Being part of the Waco International group, Sanitech accesses the latest innovative technologies and designs from
