Slum Networking for Home Toilets

-Delhi


Simplified Sewer Networking Slums to Trunk Infrastructure for Home Toilets, Delhi

Safeda Basti in Geeta Colony, Delhi is an inner city slum on public land without legal land tenure. Safeda Basti residents had minimal access to civic services even the community toilet was dysfunctional when CURE began to talk to the community. People expressed a need for personal toilets, both because it would afford a dignified, safe, convenient and healthy way of living, but also in the hope of securing land tenure. Because the trunk sewer line passed by the settlement, CURE proposed a simplified sewer line - shallow and narrow bore, connecting to the main sewer. The simplified sewer has enabled over 60 households in one street to build individual toilets. The community co-financed the sewer line and paid for their own toilets. A Toilet Committee was formed to collect contributions and bank them. Women also contributed to the design of toilets and sewer line and supervised the construction. Money for construction was accessed from WaterAid. Shubham Housing Finance Company subsidized home toilets under its CSR fund. Home toilets have significantly improved people's health and productivity. On an average families have invested Rs 100,000 to upgrade their homes. Women have returned to income generation. The Toilet Committee manages the O&M and oversees new connections into the manholes. Safeda Basti is a model of networking that is replicable and sustainable

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