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Sanitation safety planning as a tool for achieving safely managed sanitation


systems and safe use of wastewater

Article  in  WHO South-East Asia Journal of Public Health · September 2017


DOI: 10.4103/2224-3151.213790

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Perspective

Sanitation safety planning as a tool for achieving safely


managed sanitation systems and safe use of wastewater
Mirko S Winkler1,2, Darryl Jackson3, David Sutherland4, Payden4, Jose Marie U Lim5, Vishwanath Srikantaiah6, Samuel Fuhrimann7,
Kate Medlicott8
1
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Switzerland, 2University of Basel,
Basel, Switzerland, 3Independent consultant, Brisbane, Australia, 4World Health Organization Regional Office for South-East
Asia, New Delhi, India, 5LCI Envi Corporation, Quezon City, Philippines, 6Biome Environmental Solutions Pvt. Ltd, Bangalore,
India, 7School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa, 8Department of Public
Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
Correspondence to: Dr Mirko Winkler (mirko.winkler@unibas.ch)

Abstract
Increasing water stress and growing urbanization force a greater number of people to use wastewater as
an alternative water supply, especially for irrigation. Although wastewater irrigation in agriculture has a
long history and substantial benefits, without adequate treatment and protective measures on farms and
in markets, use of wastewater poses risks to human health and the environment. Against this background,
the World Health Organization (WHO) published Guidelines for the safe use of wastewater, excreta and
greywater in agriculture and aquaculture, in 2006. The Sanitation safety planning: manual for safe use and
disposal of wastewater, greywater and excreta – a step-by-step risk-based management tool for sanitation
systems – was published by WHO in 2016 to put these guidelines into practice. Sanitation safety planning
(SSP) can be applied to all sanitation systems, to ensure the systems are managed to meet health objectives.
This paper summarizes the pilot-testing of the SSP manual in India, Peru, Portugal, Philippines, Uganda
and Viet Nam. Also reviewed are some of the key components of the manual and training, and an overview
of SSP training and dissemination efforts and opportunities for implementation in the WHO South-East Asia
Region. Lessons learnt during the piloting phase show how reducing health risks can be surprisingly easy,
even in a low-income setting, especially when combining many smaller measures. The SSP approach can
make an important contribution towards Sustainable Development Goal target 6.3, by reducing pollution,
eliminating dumping and minimizing the release of hazardous chemicals and materials, thereby halving the
proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally.
Keywords: agriculture, aquaculture, excreta reuse, sanitation safety planning, Sustainable Development Goals, wastewater reuse

Background substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally by


2030.7,8
In many regions of the world, the scarcity of freshwater Without adequate treatment and protective measures on
sources is accelerating, making wastewater an increasingly farms and in markets, workers and the public are exposed
attractive alternative resource.1,2 Wastewater can be a valuable to pathogens and hazardous contaminants that pose risks to
sustainable resource for irrigation.3 Not only does it contain human health.9–11 Diarrhoeal disease and helminth infections
important nutrients for agricultural production but it is also are considered the greatest risks to human health transmitted
available from a variety of different sources, such as domestic by consumption of wastewater-irrigated products or through
wastewater, industrial effluents and polluted surface waters.4 contact with contaminated soils and irrigation water.12–15
In 2012, it was estimated that, worldwide, about 20 million There are also concerns about wastewater being a potential
hectares of agricultural land were irrigated with treated, contributor to antimicrobial resistance.16 In 2006, the World
partially treated or untreated wastewater.5 Wastewater is also Health Organization (WHO) published updated Guidelines for
used for aquaculture, landscape irrigation, urban and industrial the safe use of wastewater, excreta and greywater in agriculture
uses, recreational and environmental uses, and artificial and aquaculture.17 The main objective of these guidelines
groundwater recharge.6 The importance of safe wastewater is to maximize the environmental benefits associated with
and excreta disposal and reuse is also reflected in Sustainable the use of wastewater, excreta and greywater in agriculture
Development Goal (SDG) target 6.3, which aims to improve and aquaculture, while minimizing potential health risks. The
water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and overall objective of the guidelines is to ensure that wastewater
minimizing the release of hazardous chemicals and materials, is used safely with minimal risks to health, through microbial-
thereby halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and reduction targets for diverse pathogens and a code of good

34 WHO South-East Asia Journal of Public Health | September 2017 | 6(2)


Winkler et al.: Sanitation safety planning for safe sanitations systems and safe use of wastewater

management practice.18 The WHO guidelines17 assist with the and provided the conceptual framework for the 2006 WHO
selection of economically feasible and technically sensible guidelines.17 Its basic elements are the assessment of public
methods of wastewater treatment and suggest comparatively health and risks; health targets; and risk management,
low-cost on-farm measures to limit exposure, which can be based on informed environmental exposure and acceptable
applied in developed and developing countries alike.19,20 risk. The draft SSP manual also drew on the hazard analysis
In order to put the principles into action, a sanitation safety and critical control point (HACCP) approach that is common
planning (SSP) manual was recommended in 2010,21 with to WHO’s guidelines for drinking water, recreational water
the objective of providing a hands-on approach to assessing, and food safety.24 The safety planning approach has been
managing and monitoring risks along the entire sanitation described and successfully implemented globally through
chain. The SSP manual seeks to ensure that the quality water safety plans (WSPs), which assist water suppliers
and reduction targets for wastewater set by the WHO 2006 and regulators to apply the WHO guidelines for the quality
guidelines17 are reached through incremental improvement of drinking and recreational water.25,26 In contrast, it was
and by applying a multi-layered approach (i.e. combining recognized that the main users of the SSP manual would
different control measures available, such as treatment be: (i)  health authorities and regulators (to introduce
practices, irrigation methods and measures for food handling health-risk-based approaches to the sanitation sector
and preparation).22 and to verify their effectiveness); (ii) local authorities (for
This paper describes: (i) the development process for the planning investment in sanitation, especially in low-resource
SSP manual, which comprised an extensive piloting phase settings); (iii) wastewater utility managers (for managing
in locations in most regions of the world; (ii) key features of effluent quality and safeguarding public and occupational
the final version of the SSP manual;22 and (iii) an initial SSP health); (iv) sanitation enterprises and farmers (to introduce/
training programme held in Kolkata, India. Following the complement quality-assurance procedures for the safety of
manual’s publication in 2016,22 lessons have been learnt workers, local communities and consumers or users of the
from piloting and application of the manual and initial training product); and (v) community-based organizations, farmers’
activities. These are reported here and suggestions on future associations and nongovernmental organizations. SSP
dissemination in the WHO South-East Asia Region are and WSPs have several similarities and differences (see
outlined. Table 1).22
The first draft of the SSP manual comprised a broad set
Development of the sanitation safety of tools, methods and procedures that followed a structured
planning manual approach to achieving preset health targets at individual
and community levels in a range of contexts.21 WHO’s 2006
The draft SSP manual drew on the Stockholm framework guidelines,17 the Water safety plan manual,25 and the textbook
for guidelines for microbial contaminants in water,23 which on Microbial exposure and health assessments in sanitation
creates a harmonized framework for developing guidelines technologies and systems27 were the key sources for the tools
and standards for water-related microbiological hazards featured in the first draft of the SSP manual.

Table 1. Similarities and differences between sanitation and water safety planning
Sanitation safety planning Water safety planning

Derived from WHO Guidelines for the safe use of wastewater, Derived from WHO Guidelines for drinking-water quality26
excreta and greywater17

Uses risk management, hazard analysis and critical control point Uses risk management, HACCP, The Stockholm framework for
Similarities

(HACCP), The Stockholm framework for guidelines for microbial guidelines for microbial contaminants in water23
contaminants in water, Note 123

Core components: (i) system assessment; (ii) monitoring; and Core components: (i) system assessment; (ii) monitoring; and
(iii) management (iii) management

Follows the entire sanitation chain Follows the entire supply chain for drinking water

Considers multiple exposure groups for microbiological, physical Considers a single exposure group (consumers of drinking water)
and chemical hazards for microbiological, physical, chemical and radiation hazards

Expands from waste generation (source) to its uses and discharge Converges from catchments (sources) to the drinking-water
into the environment delivery point
Differences

Usually no clear regulatory framework – roles and responsibilities Operates in a clear regulatory framework in high- and middle-
are shared over different sectors and levels income countries, and an increasing number of low-income
countries

Objectives – to reduce negative health impacts of using Objectives – to consistently ensure the safety and acceptability of
wastewater, excreta or greywater, while maximizing the benefits of a drinking-water supply and to reduce the risk of drinking-water
their use contamination

Implementing agency – varies depending on objectives, skills and Implementing agency – water utility or a community association for
resources small supplies
Source: adapted from Sanitation safety planning: manual for safe use and disposal of wastewater, greywater and excreta. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2016.22

WHO South-East Asia Journal of Public Health | September 2017 | 6(2) 35


Winkler et al.: Sanitation safety planning for safe sanitations systems and safe use of wastewater

In 2012, with support from the Swiss Agency for Development Fig. 1. Sanitation safety planning modules
and Cooperation, WHO started to work in collaboration with
the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH),
the International Water Management Institute, the Swiss
Federal Institute for Aquatic Science and Technology and the
International Centre for Water Management Services, to draft
the SSP manual and testing process as part of an initiative for
safe resource recovery and reuse.28
The draft manual was developed during 2013–2014,
drawing on expertise of the WHO water quality and health
technical advisory group and experiences from pilot sites in
India, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Viet Nam and Uganda,
representing a wide range of contexts (see Table 2). In each
case, national authorities responsible for implementing SSP
worked with local experts to develop sanitation safety plans
for the pilot site. WHO and Swiss TPH provided training and
remote technical support to the process over a 6-month
period.29
The findings and experiences from the pilots were
shared in a 2-day workshop involving all stakeholders, who
gave suggestions on how to improve the SSP manual and
provided case-studies and some key learning on institutional
mechanisms to support and sustain SSP.

Some of the key features of the sanitation safety SSP: sanitation safety planning.
Source: Sanitation safety planning: manual for safe use and disposal of
planning manual and training materials wastewater, greywater and excreta. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2016.22
The final SSP manual22 comprises the following key sections:

• a detailed description of the six SSP modules (see Fig. 1) • guidance notes based on the experience gained in the
and expected outputs; piloting sites;
• guidance notes for each of the main tasks listed under each • a worked example of SSP in a fictional town in a middle-
module, as well as relevant background information; income country with a tropical climate;
• specific tools for SSP and examples illustrating the • annexes including; (i) more than 50 control measures and
application of the tools; their effectiveness in risk reduction for wastewater treatment;

Table 2. SSP pilot countries and sites with their lead organizations
Location Characteristics of SSP pilot site Lead organization(s)

Bangalore, India Sanitation wastes (combined with the open-drain stormwater Devanahalli Town Municipal Council; and
system) and solid-waste-disposal sites include small-scale Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage
agricultural production and formal and informal sanitary Board
waste dumping

Lima and Lurigancho Lima site: treated wastewater irrigation in a public park Lima site: park service of Lima
District, Peru (Parque Zonal Huáscar) Lurigancho district site: Rimac River Users’
Lurigancho District site: indirect agricultural use of Board
wastewater from a river contaminated with wastewater from
upstream cities; uses included fish farming and agriculture

Baliwag and Quezon City, Faecal sludge waste collection, treatment, reuse and Baliwag Water District; and Maynilad Water
Philippines disposal at two sites; uses included vermiculture using faecal Services Inc.
sludge bio-solids

Benavente, Portugal Inter-town sanitation and drainage system including: on-site Municipality of Benavente, and Águas do
septic systems, sludge management system, stormwater Ribatejo (intermunicipal company responsible
collection system, sewage system, wastewater treatment for the water supply and sanitation system,
plants, agriculture effluents (slurry/manure) reuse serving seven municipalities in Portugal)

Kampala, Uganda Sanitary waste collection, treatment, wastewater collection Kampala Capital City Authority and the
and discharge into a wetlands farming area using the effluent National Water Supply and Sewage
and combined raw wastewater for irrigation Corporation

Hanoi, Viet Nam Hanoi site 1: wastewater use in agriculture and conveyance Hanoi site 1: Hanoi Water Supply and
system Drainage Board
Hanoi site 2: municipal organic composting plant using Hanoi site 2: municipal organic composting
treated sewage plant using treated sewage

36 WHO South-East Asia Journal of Public Health | September 2017 | 6(2)


Winkler et al.: Sanitation safety planning for safe sanitations systems and safe use of wastewater

wastewater in agriculture and aquaculture; and excreta, The training included a field visit to the East Kolkata
urine and greywater use; (ii) a summary of microbial health Wetlands (fields, ponds and a sewage-treatment plant), which
risks from the use of wastewater in irrigation; and (iii) a list recycles almost 90% of the city’s waste for aquaculture and
of wastewater chemicals in agriculture and aquaculture. agriculture, and a visit to the State Pollution Control Board for
a briefing. Three days of training followed, covering the six
Some of the key features of the manual and supporting training modules of the SSP training. SSP processes were outlined
materials include: by the trainers, and participants practised their application
using the Kolkata wetlands. Based on the learning and skills
• a comprehensive exposure-group assessment, since the developed in the workshop, work has commenced on SSP
variety of groups exposed is greater than for water safety for the East Kolkata Wetlands, with an initial risk assessment
planning, and may be directly or indirectly impacted; now completed. The Kolkata SSP will initiate longer-term
typically, exposure groups would include: environmental surveillance in the region.
–– workers who maintain, clean, operate or empty the At the end of the training, participants: (i) were able to explain
sanitation technologies; the SSP concept and process to other sanitation stakeholders;
–– farmers who use the untreated, partially or fully treated (ii) knew where to locate further technical information to assist
wastewater, bio-solids or faecal sludge, usually on a farm SSP preparation, especially in relation to hazards, hazardous
or in a factory; events, control measures and their effectiveness; and (iii) were
–– local communities living near to or downstream from the able to develop peer-group relations and links to international
sanitation technology or farm on which the material is SSP experts and peers from around the globe. Each country
used and who may be passively affected; team also developed a provisional SSP action plan.
–– consumers who eat or use products (e.g. crops, fish,
compost) that are produced using sanitation products. Pilot sanitation safety plan in the Baliwag, Philippines
• the training starts with an entertaining and thought- The pilot sanitation safety plan of Baliwag Water District
provoking role-play activity, which not only acts as an ice- underscored the need for proper procedures and standards for
breaker but also sets the scene for the identification of risks the reuse of faecal sludge in agriculture in the interest of public
and exposure groups in a typical sanitation system in Asia; health. The sanitation safety plan identified practical control
• the training provides an introduction to relevant pathogens measures designed to manage risks produced by improper
and infection pathways and guidance on compiling biological, handling of sludges from faecal sludge-treatment plants when
chemical and physical hazard information; information on used as agricultural fertilizer. Simple and practical measures
types of hazard during normal and/or emergency operating included restriction on the use of treatment-plant sludges
conditions, which may be weather/climate related; exposure for non-food crops, crops processed before consumption,
and transmission routes; and control measures that could or crops that have to be cooked; improvement of farmers’
be used to mitigate the risks. Several videos and visual aids handwashing hygiene; and promotion of protective clothing for
are used in this interactive training. farmers during application of bio-solids to farms. As the water
utility started its formal licence application for the use of its bio-
Lessons learnt from the pilots and regional solids as soil conditioners, immediate improvement plans were
workshop implemented, based on the results of the risk analysis in the
pilot sanitation safety plan.
Regional workshop on sanitation safety planning in Building on the lessons learnt in the Baliwag SSP, and with
Kolkata, India assistance from the Asian Development Bank, the water utility
Reuse of wastewater in agriculture and aquaculture is developed a business model for reuse of its bio-solids to optimize
practised in several countries of the WHO South-East Asia environmental benefits through safe bio-solids treatment and
Region, generally informally with no proper regulation of reuse reuse, and by reducing the financial costs of disposal, through
activities.9,30 To highlight the health risks, and at the same time third-party uses of treatment-plant by-products processed as
to build capacity, the WHO Regional Office for South-East soil conditioners. With the increasing investments by the local
Asia organized the first south Asia regional workshop on SSP government units and water utilities on sewage management
in August 2016, in Kolkata, India. The main objective of the in the Philippines, an increase in the volume of bio-solids
training was to establish a pool of key people in the region with that will be generated is anticipated. The SSP approach will
an in-depth understanding of key SSP concepts and principles, complement these investments by establishing stronger
who would become SSP champions in the region. demand for the end-products of bio-solids processing, with
The training was attended by 34 participants from the private sector scaling up the business of sludge reuse; by
Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand, promoting greater understanding among farmers about the
representing sanitation and health officials from government benefits of bio-solids as soil conditioners or fertilizers; and by
ministries, sanitation practitioners from nongovernmental advocating more research and academic work on the fate of
organizations, and representatives from development partners, residuals and by-products of sewage treatment.
including the Asian Development Bank. Facilitation was done
by a team of eight trainers selected to be ready to support Sanitation safety plan in Karnataka, India
future upscaling of SSP internationally. An additional workshop A sanitation safety plan was applied in Devanhalli town,
objective was to trial the first draft of a new training package Karnataka, India, to complement the draft liquid-waste
for the SSP manual. All trainers had prior knowledge of the management plan prepared by the Karnataka Urban Water
manual and some had contributed technical input. Supply and Drainage Board (KUWSDB). The SSP process

WHO South-East Asia Journal of Public Health | September 2017 | 6(2) 37


Winkler et al.: Sanitation safety planning for safe sanitations systems and safe use of wastewater

identified hazards associated with the management of open of ownership of SSP by the lead agency’s young professionals
drains collecting wastewater and storm water. Clearing solid has been shown to be significant in developing SSP
waste in those drains was identified as the highest risk to champions; and (iv) appropriate partnerships with civil society
workers and local communities. Improvements to reduce risk organizations should be developed and nurtured, in order to
included changes in management and improved coordination strengthen the ownership and impact of SSP.
with the workers, resulting in lower capital investment
needs than had been anticipated in the original liquid-waste Opportunities and challenges for wider
management plan. application of sanitation safety planning in
The SSP process was understood and run by the three the WHO South-East Asia Region
staff available at the Devanahalli Town Council, with very
little outside assistance. No extra budget was required for the The amount of wastewater produced in the WHO South-East
improvements identified by the SSP process. Asia Region is increasing every year, with rapid development,
The KUWSDB has a specialized training institute for its urbanization and population growth. Hence, proper
own staff and other stakeholders in the area of water and management of wastewater becomes increasingly important,
wastewater management. This centre plans to take up SSP as mainly to protect public health and the environment. Lack of
a training programme and replicate it across the 270 small and resources, capacity and regulation are some of the factors
medium-sized towns in the state of Karnataka. that affect proper treatment of wastewater and safe disposal
or use of wastewater in agriculture or aquaculture. However,
Optimizing support for the sanitation initiatives have been commenced, like that in India through the
safety planning process Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India Mission), spearheaded
by the prime minister, designed to declare India free of open
Among the challenges for successful SSP implementation are defecation by 2019, while at the same time addressing
the need for effective broad-ranging stakeholder engagement, management of liquid waste.31 In support of this initiative, the
which is often achieved through appropriate composition Ministry of Urban Development issued a policy in 2008, with
of the SSP team. The SSP team should include people with a vision to make all cities and towns “sanitized, healthy and
complementary health and technical skills, so that members liveable”. To achieve this, many cities have started developing
are collectively able to define the system, identify all hazards city sanitation plans. SSP is central to such initiatives and
and hazardous events, and understand how the risks can be efforts are being made to use SSP in ongoing programmes.
controlled (e.g. it should include relevant agricultural and/or The National Water Supply and Sewerage Board in Sri
aquacultural expertise). SSP is often initiated by the sanitation Lanka is scaling up water safety planning in several parts of
service provider, such as a sewage company. However, users the country and they are exploring opportunities to implement
of the effluent or bio-solids (e.g. farmers), and consumers of SSP in catchment areas of drinking-water sources where
their produce, face significant potential health risks, and also WSPs are implemented as a means of protecting the water
have major roles to play in protecting public health.20 The roles catchment area from contamination by wastewater.
of these stakeholders are as important as that of the service
provider. Without the commitment and involvement of users, Conclusion and outlook
SSP can lead to suboptimal health gains. To help address
these challenges, the SSP manual includes guidance on Working towards SDG target 6.3, i.e. “by 2030 … halving the
stakeholder analysis, to help the lead organization effectively proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing
engage all stakeholders.22 recycling and safe reuse globally”,7 countries worldwide need
Often there is a natural initial reluctance by the service to ensure robust planning of new sanitation systems with end-
provider to extend the SSP boundary beyond the traditional use in mind, and to put in place ongoing management and
limits of the sewage-treatment plant. This is because areas surveillance to ensure the system protects public health at
downstream of the treatment plant are generally outside all steps of the sanitation chain and can adapt over time to
their normal operational or regulatory limits. Operational a changing environment (e.g. population growth or climate
experience in SSP has shown, however, that when the variability). The SSP manual22 and the WHO 2006 guidelines17
service provider puts effort into meaningful discussions with have potential to become an important vehicle for promoting
stakeholders, as encouraged in SSP, stakeholder engagement safely managed sanitation and safe use of wastewater and
is significantly improved. One outcome of this engagement excreta. Through its flexible step-by-step approach, combined
is greater understanding of the actual use of the effluent with clear guidance and a broad toolset, the SSP manual22
and bio-solids processes downstream of the treatment plant. allows SSP to be readily adapted to local, societal, financial and
This engagement and understanding not only leads to better ecological systems. A limitation of the manual is the proposed
stakeholder communication and understanding of health semi-quantitative risk-assessment approach, using a matrix of
impacts, but directly supports improved development and likelihood and severity. While such a method can be applied
implementation of SSP. by people with varying backgrounds, it may not result in a fully
In the course of the SSP piloting and early application, a objective risk quantification. Therefore, as recommended in
number of success factors for SSP have been identified, namely: the SSP manual, the semi-quantitative risk assessment needs
(i) support by multinational donors and funding agencies can to be undertaken by several individuals, in order to produce
“kick-start” local interest and raise awareness; (ii) support by consolidated ratings.
international and national consultants experienced in SSP Experience in the WHO South-East Asia Region shows
helps to avoid SSP teams “doing it alone”; (iii) a keen sense that SSP is contributing to more efficient and safer sanitation

38 WHO South-East Asia Journal of Public Health | September 2017 | 6(2)


Winkler et al.: Sanitation safety planning for safe sanitations systems and safe use of wastewater

systems. In particular, its focus on operational and verification sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/21252030%20


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Source of support: None.
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overall manuscript development process. DJ, DS, P, JMUL, VS, SF and
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KM contributed specific content to the draft development. All authors
Urban wastewater treatment plants as hotspots for antibiotic resistant
read and approved the final version of the manuscript for submission. bacteria and genes spread into the environment: a review. Sci Total
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