Bucket Latrines

Bucket latrines have a reputation of being dirty and smelly. However, if used appropriately, fitted into a wider collection and disposal system and if training in maintenance and hygiene education given, they can be very effective, convenient and private. This type of system does require, however, daily maintenance and cleaning. Buckets need to be emptied into a larger collection tank or system daily, if this is not done it may discourage their use. Organizers should mobilize families to do most of this emptying work. Bucket systems have a clear advantage of being very mobile, thus enabling privacy for use in safe places, especially for women and girls. They are especially useful at night for home/shelter use, especially in dark or unsafe camp environments or for use by the sick and disabled. Buckets can also be fitted with simple easy-to-clean plastic seats and lids. When promoting this type of system it is advisable to also promote the use of a separate bucket for urinating. This will greatly reduce smells, sloppy liquids and will reduce the risk of spreading of harmful pathogens in the environment. It will also enable the use of urine for tree or plant fertilization.

Always address privacy, maintenance and hygiene issues