Sanitation and Climate Change Are Two Sides In One Coin

Why Sanitation and climate change?

This year World Toilet Day theme is Sanitation and Climate Change. While sanitation and Climate change are two different things, they have one thing in common: human wellbeing. Both can pose a threat to social wellbeing if not adequately moderated, even worse when they strike together at once.  Without a resilient and adaptable toilet for climate change, we invite diseases like Cholera and typhoid.

Where are we globally?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), around 4.5 billion people lack access to adequate sanitation worldwide, which puts them at risk of infectious diseases. Climate change worsens these risks by placing tension on sanitation systems and infrastructure. Simultaneously, severe flooding and intense droughts have led to the destruction of many homes and shelters across Africa, posing challenges towards Sustainable Development Goal 6 on water and sanitation.

Sanitation and climate change in Tanzania

In Tanzania, it has been estimated that 70-80% of the urban population resides without proper sanitation infrastructure and waste collection services (National Environment Statistics Report, 2017 Tanzania Mainland). The rapid growth of cities and towns puts ever-increasing pressure on the urban infrastructure, including accessing water and sanitation services.  In addition to rapid urbanization, climate change and city planning are among the key factors that strain sanitation infrastructure and facilities, resulting in rivers becoming dumping grounds for sewage, rubbish, and drains' blockage. 

Tanzania is the 26th most vulnerable country to climate change and is already experiencing rising temperatures and heavier rainfalls (USAID, 2018).   In October 2020, intense rainfalls caused 12 deaths, extreme floods, considerable damage to water and sanitation infrastructures, and destruction of homes and businesses in Dar Es Salaam.

Climate change and un-improved sanitation

The Temeke Municipal is the most populated town in the city and, similarly to other municipalities, has been heavily impacted by flooding. Teodora Nzingo, 80, lives in the coastal ward of Kigamboni, where flooding had prevented her from using her toilet and stopped sanitation services from accessing it:

“The floods have also brought challenges to the toilet. It is causing me difficulty. When the sanitation business came to empty my pit latrine, they couldn’t because the flood water had gone into the storage tank. So, I can’t empty the toilet, and it is full. I can’t use it anymore.” said Teodora Nzingo, 80years beside her flooded toilet.

Theodora showing her flooded toilet

Responding to sanitation and climate change challenges

In response to these challenges, WaterAid Tanzania has been a key partner to the Government through the city utilities in constructing the fecal sludge treatment plant, which recycles sludge and wastewater into fertilizer biogas. This solution is helping Temeke residents in dealing with human waste in a crowded city with little sewers. The construction of technologies such as Decentralized Wastewater Treatment Systems (DEWATS) in Kigamboni and Temeke Municipal allows pit-emptying to be done in a hygienic way and safe disposal of waste.

What now?

More remains to be done. As change-makers, we should continue to advocate for smart toilets that will withstand climate change.  The expansion of city-wide inclusive sanitation, urban settlements planning, mainstreaming climate risks mitigation, contribution to national policies, adopting sanitation technologies and services, integration of sanitation in the development of the master plan, especially in the growing or small towns, will massively contribute to sustainable sanitation for all.