ECOLOGICAL TOILETS IN HOT ARID CLIMATES

Objective To determine the ecological toilet type best suited for the hot, arid study area by evaluating: treatment methods and the destruction of human pathogens in biosolid waste over time, toilet construction and cost, as well as user satisfaction. Methods We constructed five each of four different ecological toilet types: single and double-vault non-urine diverting (biodegrading) and single and double-vault urine diverting (dehydrating). Biosolid samples were analyzed by multiple-tube fermentation for fecal coliform concentrations and by immuno-fluorescence for Cryptosporidium parvum and Giardia lamblia. A questionnaire was used to assess user satisfaction.