Society-Ready Graduates

Composting Latrines: Students Helping Rural Panamanians

Issue (Who cares and why?)
     It is estimated that 30-40% of the developing world (more than one billion people) does not have access to potable drinking water. In certain population segments of Africa and Asia, safe drinking water coverage can even be as low as five percent, and eighty percent of sickness and death among children is caused by unsafe water. One of the most common features of unsafe drinking water stems from contamination with human waste. The problem rings especially true in regions of the world where pit toilets exist in seasonal flood plains.

What has been done?
     Over the Christmas break 2004, Dr. Mark Walker and students from multiple departments within the University of Nevada traveled to the town of Plantanilla, Panama, population 250. To generate airfare and building materials financing, students learned the nuances of soliciting donations from NGOs, local government agencies and area vendors, while conducting numerous fund raising events on campus.
      Upon arrival, the group quickly set out building the first flood-proof composting latrine as a model on which local residence could pattern. Students, with the help of regional Peace Corp volunteers, began the task of training locals how to build the latrine and more importantly how to operate the system.

Impact
      By the end of the visit, students with the help of local residences, constructed five compositing latrines and donated all building materials needed to continue constructing latrines for the remaining residences. Harmony Fanrnsworth, one of the University of Nevada students stated, “The system was so simplistic yet so valuable.” “It seems like, that by simply showing the locals how to protect their local water supply from raw sewage, they understand it will save lives.”

Contact
Mark Walker
Environmental Science and Natural Resources/370
University of Nevada
Reno, Nevada 89557
mwalker@unr.edu