WATER, SANITATION AND
ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

Rural water supply and sanitation projects carried out by SANIPLAN included supply systems of a single or of several standard types of wells, from capped springs and shallow wells to deep bored wells, serving the needs of up to 100,000 people in a project area.

Urban water supply and sewage projects included design and supervision of deep wells, river intakes, distribution network, sewage system and sewage treatment plants as well as appropriate water supply and sanitary facilities in suburban areas with emphasis on community participation.

In rural zones, the selection of technologies and standardised technical solutions in accordance with natural factors can be difficult enough. But the choice of socially appropriate technology maintenance-friendly types of wellheads and pumps is just as important. SANIPLAN has the necessary experience to help making the right decisions, up to the tasks of forming, training and stabilising regional maintenance networks that are essential for today’s V.L.O.M. (village level operated maintenance) technologies.

MANAGEMENT CONSULTANCY SERVICES IN WATER PROJECTS INCUDE SUPPORT TO:

• Institution building and reorganisation of water utilities/services/authorities
• Strengthening of technical, financial and environmental management
• Increasing awareness and capabilities in Human Resources Management
• In order to ensure sustainable function of installations, adapted design of maintenance and repair systems. Planning, implementation and monitoring and evaluation of these include community involvement as a necessity.

The participation and integration of target groups is the main focus on the “user side” of water supply projects. SANIPLAN helps to develop specific methodological approaches for individual socio-cultural contexts.

Similar approaches are taken in the field of environmental sanitation, where SANIPLAN’s services include:

• Planning, implementation control, inspection and commissioning of sewer systems, waste water treatment plants, solid waste disposal technologies for communities, particularly for their public buildings (schools, hospitals and health centres)
• Elaboration, propagation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of locally adapted low-cost sanitation technologies, e.g. “V.I.P.” (ventilated improved pit) latrines with specific teaching aid kits for the particular region.
• As a component of water and/or sanitation projects, SANIPLAN identifies, plans, implements and evaluates activities for hygiene education and information which are - unlike superficially added “campaigns” - integrated in the training and monitoring of staff and field workers. Thus, they form an ideal sector link between health and water/sanitation services.
• Adapted maintenance and repair systems including community involvement
• Specifically adapted training courses for local personnel and of sensitising and teaching packages for target groups