AfroECO

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  • +27 (0)61 546 2016

info@afroeco.co.za

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Afro Eco Flush

Is your pit toilet / septic tank toilet smelly? Are there flies and maggots as a result? Is it filling up due to lack of treatment? Do you have space in your property to dig up another pit toilet? Tired of using inappropriate and toxic chemicals that are harmful to the environment and your health? Try our eco-friendly, cost-effective, efficient accredited solution, which is fit for purpose.

The best solution for pit latrine maintenance, septic tank toilets, and grease traps. It extends the lifespan of your pit latrine and ensures a hygienic and healthy experience. It also helps to stop smells, eliminates green flies as well as maggots, and it stops pit latrines from filling up. Afro Eco harnesses the power of specialised bacteria and enzymes that quickly eat away at accumulated waste.

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Pit Toilet challenges

According to StasSA figures of 2016 South Africa has over 4.5 million Pit Latrines.

Responsibility for provision, operation and mainte­nance of basic sanitation rests with local or district munici­palities designated as water services authorities (WSAs). This includes all types of Pit Latrines within the WSA’s area of responsibility.

In 2013 Over two million VIPs and other on-site sanitation sys­tems had been built since 1994. But with a remaining three million households still without basic sanitation at that stage, many WSAs in South Africa were still focused on addressing backlogs and have not given serious thought to the maintenance of the systems they have already built.

Many of the toilets that were first provided in the push to provide basic sanitation for all were expected to reach capacity in the few years after 2013, This would result in an overwhelming demand for pits to be emptied. Without funds, policies, tools or procedures in place to manage the emptying of pits and disposal of sludge when this happens, many WSAs around the country are facing a crisis.

This situation has deteriorated further over the years with increased urbanization and the increase in informal settlements around areas of economic activity as more and more people including migrants from other countries seek employment and other opportunities. These communities have no choice but to dig their own pit Latrines due to non-existent municipal services in the areas where they settle informally.

Schools

It is disheartening that as at 29 September 2021, 3 297 South African schools still utilise pit toilets. the Eastern Cape was the worst-performing province, faced with inadequate toilet and other sanitation challenges, with 2 236 schools still using pit latrines, 983 schools in KwaZulu-Natal province are reliant on pit latrines, 19 schools use pit latrines in the North West, 59 schools use pit latrines in Mpumalanga(Okedu 2022).

The figures exclude Enviro Loo’s implemented by government as part of the Schools Pit Latrine eradication problem. For the purposes of this exercise these enviro loo’s are included though as our objective is to eliminate the hygiene and human indignity issues related to the use of all forms of Pit Latrines.

Challenges

Communities

  • According to 2016 StatsSA figures over 4 million households in South Africa are still living with the indignity of using Pit Latrines.
  • Possible contamination of underground water systems with pathogens and nitrate
  • Exposure of communities to dangerous pathogens during the use of Pit Latrines
  • Pit emptying is often done in a very unsafe manner. Access to some communities by Vacuum trucks is not possible resulting in municipalities not being able to periodically clean the Pit Latrines or resorting to manual cleaning which exposes workers to a myriad of safety and health hazards.
  • Flies and odours are normally noticeable to the users and are a major nuisance.
  • Costs to empty the pits are significant. A household in South Africa can expect tp pay anything between R500 and R1500 for a Vacuum truck to empty a pit latrine in areas where such services are available from private suppliers.
  • Sludge (called fecal sludge) requires further treatment resulting in further burden on the municipalities or uncontrolled disposal by unscrupulous operators resulting in harm to the environment.
  • Pit latrines are often relocated or re-built after some years (when the pit is full and if the pit is not emptied) and thus need more space.
  • The majority of households reliant on these pits cannot afford to invest in improved sanitations solutions.

Schools in South Africa

  • The South African government promised to replace all pit toilets at schools nationwide by 31 March 2023. It has not happened. Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga said there were still 3 398 schools using pit latrines and the deadline to eradicate them had been shifted to 2025.
  • The use of pit latrines in schools remains a prevalent human rights issue, infringing on every child’s right to Education, Dignity, and Health, as well as their right to access water and adequate basic sanitation

Environmentally Friendly

Join our green revolution journey toward a cleaner, healthier planet. Contact us today and discover how together we can achieve responsible sanitation objectives while preserving our environment for generations to come.

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