Designing a transport system for human waste in Indian slums

Abstract

The availability of adequate sanitation is something that is taken for granted in most parts of the Western world. It is hard to imagine living in a situation without a proper toilet and sewage. Still, a third of Earth’s population does not have this luxury. The consequences are contaminated water and food, leading to diseases that ultimately cause many deaths. India is one of the places that is suffering. The urban slums have no sewage, and cultural issues make it hard to find solutions. This project aims to aid in offering better sanitation. As part of a team effort to place community sanitation centers in the Indian slums, the problem of moving the waste from the toilet facility to a treatment plant is tackled. The bad road conditions in the slum, the high volume of waste, the large risk of contamination; all these issues play a role in finding a suitable solution that fits in the context. The end result is a transport system of multiple loops taking care of the environmental conditions. The main outcome is the proposed design of a cart, able to transport large volumes of waste through the narrow bumpy alleys of the slum. Its composition allows for a relatively quick implementation and adaptation by the slum community. While the transport of the waste is only a part of the equation, the proposed solution could make beneficial changes. When combined with the right sanitation centers, it has the potential to improve sanitation in places where the conditions are not helpful.