New research centre established in Dakar with support from Eawag
1st October 2007
In the Dakar region, an estimated 170 000 m3 of
faecal sludge from latrines arises per year – sludge that has to be treated and
then appropriately disposed of to prevent public health risks in a city with a
population of over 2 million. However, treatment is problematic: although Dakar
has a treatment plant, trucks carrying faecal sludge are often unable to reach
the facility as a result of traffic congestion. This means that their loads are
dumped on wasteland, in the sea or in roadside ditches. Such indiscriminate
disposal of sludge undermines the government’s efforts to provide basic
sanitation for as many households as possible. There is thus an urgent need for
improved management of faecal sludge.
The government of Senegal recognized this problem several years ago and approached the Eawag research department Sandec for support. Since 2004, a team led by Doulaye Koné has therefore been participating in the Senegalese PLT initiative (Projet Eau à Longue Terme). As part of this project, a new pilot and research facility for faecal sludge treatment was established in Dakar in mid-July, under the direction of Eawag and with funding from the Velux Foundation. This has attracted widespread attention, as the Senegalese government is aware that the success of its efforts to improve sanitation in the city of Dakar will ultimately depend on the development of local expertise in faecal sludge management.
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Accordingly, this new facility will not only enable faecal
sludge treatment methods to be refined and adapted to local conditions, but
also permit an ongoing programme of basic and advanced training for water
treatment professionals in Senegal. There are also plans to involve Dakar’s Cheikh
Anta Diop University in this project, with – in the longer term – MSc and PhD students
conducting applied field research on faecal sludge treatment. This knowledge
will benefit not only the university and Senegal |
itself but also other West African countries whose students attend this university.
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Doulaye Koné commented: “Although at the start of the project
we had to struggle to gain the confidence of, and establish good relations
with, our partners in Dakar, they have now embraced this project enthusiastically.
It certainly helped that the ONAS (Senegal National Sanitation Agency) repeatedly
emphasized to the public and the other partners how seriously it takes the
sanitary problems of the ‘latrine city’ of Dakar. I am of course proud that the
pilot plant is now |
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operational. But the biggest challenge lies ahead – building
a group of experts and developing a range of technical options that can provide
a sustainable solution to Dakar’s sanitary problems.”
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