Toilet technology flipbook

Find out about the advantages and disadvantages of a range of latrine technologies by looking through our low cost toilet technology flipbook.

This resource was based on a publication called Low cost toilet options, which was put together by Social Marketing for Urban Sanitation, a research project funded by DFID, to help house owners in low-income urban communities choose an appropriate low-cost toilet. The drawings were produced by WEDC, Water Engineering Development Centre.

Please note that costs of raw materials fluctuate all the time. The prices here should act as guides for relative comparison between the different technologies.

Download the full publication, Low cost toilet options ( PDF 1.3 Mb)

When the correct combinations are chosen, the items will go green and a total cost will appear in the bottom right hand corner. Please note that the components of the raised Eco-san toilet cannot be mixed and matched as other parts can. The structure, slab and vault must all be specifically Eco-san parts.

Lower cost composting latrine options can be achieved by using two pits. Having two pits allows the second pit to be used once the first has been filled. After a certain amount of time (usually about 1-2 years) the original pit can be opened up and the waste can be removed and used as fertiliser.

These technologies are common to all countries where we work but there are many more options, many of them cheaper. Look out for future updates, as we will be updating the flipbook to reflect more of these.

Please note that while WaterAid supports communities to gain access to the most appropriate technology for them, it does not fund all of the costs involved. The household is expected to provide much of the material and labour required to build the toilet.

When the catalogue was compiled, the exchange rate for Tanzanian Shillings (Tsh) was:

Tsh 1105 = $1 (USD)
Tsh 2000 = £1 (British Pound)