A Critical Review of Technologies for Pit Latrine Emptying in Developing Countries

Abstract

Pit latrines are the most common forms of sanitation in urban slums and unplanned settlements in developing countries. Often, little consideration is given to how to deal with the pits once they fill up. The authors summarize pit emptying technologies that have been designed to date to overcome the problem of fecal sludge management in such settings and presents a framework to assist decision makers in identifying potential pit emptying methods based on local technical conditions.

KEY WORDS:

• sanitation
• onsite sanitation
• pit latrine
• sludge management