1. Dr. Nidhi Pasi Research Coordinator, WaterAid India
An assessment of fecal sludge management policies, programs, and practices in Tamil Nadu
Dr. Nidhi Pasi
Research Coordinator, WaterAid India

2. Study Objectives
To document and assess the existing Fecal Sludge Management practices of 10 Town Panchayats and 10 municipalities from 10 districts of Tamil Nadu
To create a comprehensive quantitative data base on FSM for 10 small towns and 10 Municipalities from 10 districts of Tamil Nadu
To conduct a desk review of the urban WASH policies at the national level to understand the dynamics between central and 6 state (Delhi, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu) programmes

3. Methodology and Process
Preparation of Tool and its translation
Tool Testing
Sampling and finalizing the target area
Capacity Building for field researchers
Allocation of study areas to WASHNET-TN members
Field study and data collection in 10 Town Panchayat and 10 Municipalities
Data quality review
Data analysis
Study Report
Five types of schedule were developed to 1. collect relevant statistics on existing FSM, human resources, equipments and safety measures used 2. to understand the views and perception FSM from middle level management 3. to understand the views and perception of sanitary workers, 4. to understand the views, perception, of private service providers and 5.Community –user groups.

4. Coverage Area of the Study
District
Nilgiris
Tiruppur / Coimbatore
Namakkal / Erode
Pudukottai
Thanjavur / Nagapattinam
Perambalur / Tiruchirapalli
Tiruvarur
Thiruvallur / Kanchipuram
Tirunelveli / Tiruppur
Kanyakumari /Thoothukudi
Municipality
Gudalur
Pollachi
Thiruchengodu
Pudukottai
Mayavaram
Perambalur
Mannarkudi
Thiruvallur
SankaranKoil
Nagercoil
Town Panchayat
Kothagiri
Avinasi
Perundurai
Keeranoor
Tharangampadi
Manachanallur
Needamangalam
Mamallapuram
Kunnathur
Alwarthirunagari

5. 48% of urban households depend on onsite facilities
Census (2011) details shows that only third (32.7%) of total urban households are connected with UGSS and septic tank (38%) is most prominent across India.
18.6% (very high) of urban HH- no access to IHHL. From this 6%- community toilets; 12.6% OD
Onsite pit latrines and septic tanks-account for substantial proportion of toilets in urban india % of urban HH depend on onsite facilties
On the one hand, conventional sewage treatment facilities that could potentially treat septage are severely limited. On the other hand, on-site septage treatment facilities are also often inadequate: though toilets may have been widely provided for in cities, far less attention has been placed on the management and proper disposal of septage from septic tanks and pit latrines.
48% of urban households depend on onsite facilities

6. Tamil Nadu 45.7% of the HHs in the state practice OD
35.7% of the urban HHs practice OD- highest for India
Two strategies adopted in the urban sanitation sector
Under Ground Sewerage System (UGSS) scheme for all towns
Total elimination of OD by 2015
Operative Guidelines for Septage Management for Local Bodies of Tamil Nadu- released in 2014 septemner

7. Key Findings Domestic Water requirement:
Municipality ranges between 3.9 MLD to 9.6 MLD and for Town Panchayat between 0.7 MLD to 2.5 MLD
Water supply:
88% and 85% of domestic water requirement of the Municipality and TP met respectively by the urban local bodies  
Wastewater Generation:
81% and 75% of total water consumed by Municipalites and TPs turned out waste water
Fecal sludge: Of the total waste water, 21% from Municipality and 19% from TPs
Type of Sanitation Facilities
Corporation need to supply 135 LPCD
TP – 90 LPCD
Municipal piped
TP is partially piped

8. Key Findings From Town Panchayats
Response from TP Management
Septage Collection Vehicle and Safety equipments: None of the TPs have septage collection vehicles while only a few Municipalities have.
Lack of an underground sewerage system & Septic tank - mostly used septage collection
Major problems with collection system: (Leakage and overflow which pollutes water bodies; Poor design which blocks proper clearing and Lack of protection from poisonous gas formation during clearance)
Lack of adequate equipment for desludging and no safety measures used
Infrequent desludging of septic tanks at household level (10-20 years);
Non adherence to the operative guidelines of septage collection
No STPs in TP level and lack of clarity at the TP level on their role in FSM
Lack of awareness among public on desludging septic tank in regular intervals
Role of Private Service providers
Private service providers play a crucial role in FSM across all TPs
No uniform pattern exists in case of cost for emptying septage & Cost for emptying fixed per trip based on septic tank size, distance and quantity collected.
Use of modern equipment by private players but they lack formal training in desludging and none of them reported of treating sludge before disposal.
Multiple sites– ‘outskirts’ and ‘agricultural land’ and ‘panchayat disposal yard’ are the commonly reported places for FS disposal.
Private service providers request Govt .to allot land or dumping yard for FS ; land and vehicles (with subsidy); licensing and regulation of the same and need for generating public awareness.

9. Key Findings From Municipalities
Response from Municipalities Management
None of the Municipalities have full fledged UGSS while three have partial coverage.
Septic tank mostly used for septage collection and around one-tenth use public toilet.
Municipalities have relatively better equipped with septage collection vehicle and safety equipments as compared to TPs.
Major problems with collection system: (poor construction, leakage and overflow which pollutes water bodies; Poor design which blocks proper clearing and lack of protection from poisonous gas during emptying)
Infrequent desludging of septic tanks at household level (2-10 years); Non-adherence to the operative guidelines of septage collection
Except two municipalities (Mannarkudi & Thiruvallur), FS dumped in agriculture field, outskirt and municipal dump yard in all municipalities
Lack of awareness among public on desludging septic tanks in regular intervals and maintenance of septic tank to prevent social and environmental problems
Role of Private Service providers
Private service providers play a crucial role in FSM in six municipalities
No uniform pattern exists in case of cost for emptying septage & Cost for emptying fixed per trip based on septic tank size, distance and quantity collected.
Use of advanced equipment by private players but they lack formal training in desludging and one-third of them reported of treating sludge before disposal.
Multiple sites– ‘outskirts’ and ‘agricultural land’ and ‘municipal disposal yard’ are the commonly reported places for FS disposal.
Private service providers expect government to allot land or dumping yard for FS; land and vehicles (with subsidy); licensing and regulation of the same and need for generating public awareness.

10. Key Findings Findings on Community Response:
Most of the community groups from TPs and Municipalities preferred to use services from private service providers while a few reported of using the services from manual scavengers
Lack of awareness among the community on frequency of desludging of septic tanks
Overflow of septic tanks during monsoon is the most common problem
Community groups are aware of health, social and environmental impact due to poor FSM.
Impact of Poor FSM on Water and Health
Regarding the water quality, Of the 14 districts covered under the study except two districts (Nagappattinam and Tiruvarur), ground water of 12 districts found to have high nitrate content.
Presence of fecal coliform in river water sources in the water sample from majority of the districts covered under study. However, statistics shows that deaths due to waterborne diseases such as Acute Diarrhoeal Diseases (ADD) and Cholera have been coming down drastically.

11. Key challenges to FSM in India
Lack of adequate and effective policy framework
Poor management of urban sanitation
Preference to centralized engineering solutions
On-site sanitation not accorded priority
Institutional and legislative challenges
Lack of funds for capital investment and O&M

12. Recommendations
Comprehensive national guidelines for Faecal Sludge Management stipulating a regulatory and monitoring framework should be prepared and finalised by the Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) with stakeholder participation and disseminated to all the states.
Provisions should be made to integrate FSM into City Sanitation Plans and City Development Plans.
Training and exposure to good practices in FSM should be provided to policymakers and stakeholders.
Sewage/ Septage treatment facilities should be constructed.
The use of Bio solid manure in agriculture should be encouraged.
Private Sector Participation in FSM should be promoted by incentivising.
FSM awareness campaigns and communication should be developed and delivered for enhanced participation by citizens.
Local research institutions should be engaged to develop innovative and cost effective solutions for different aspects of FSM.
In conclusion, the study offers the following recommendations in the hope that these could prove instrumental in improving the Faecal Sludge Management scenario in India:

13. Acknowledgements
Communities and Officials from across the 10 Municipalities and 10 Town Panchayats
Team members of ExNoRa and WASHNET-TN: WaterAid India partners in Tamil Nadu
Praxis Institute for Participatory Practices
WaterAid staff: Remi Kaupp, Arjen Naafs, Puneet Srivastava, and George Vergese
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation: for financing and supporting the study
Praxis for work done in developing the research framework, research tools, data analysis and report finalization.

14. Solution lies beyond building toilets
To Conclude
Solution lies beyond building toilets
Building Toilets
Solution remains in scaling up the value chain
Emptying & Transport
Treatment
Reuse
Collection
Storage