A flowstream approach for sustainable sanitation systems

Abstract

Reaching the Millennium Development Goals for Sanitation is a challenge. To address this challenge, numerous technological innovations have been developed. But with so many innovations and a wide range of existing technologies appropriate in different settings, difficulties with communication and knowledge dissemination hinder informed decision-making and the integration of all sanitation elements. This chapter describes a novel method for organizing and defining sanitation systems to facilitate informed decision-making and an integrated approach. Technologies are categorized based on their 'Product-Process' specificity and then linked into logical systems using a 'Flowstream' concept. Technologies are grouped and used to construct seven logical systems. Additionally, according to the flowstream, suitable technologies are grouped and given a score for each of the criteria. The advantages and shortcomings of the flowstream approach to sanitation system planning and the differences between 'system' and 'technology' are discussed and a set of terms and concepts that can be used to standardize the way in which sanitation is thought of and communicated about is proposed. © 2010 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.