SaTo Technology approriate for hygienic latrine in cold region

Lunana and Laya villages lies in the extreme northwest of the country boardering with tibet and is located at an altitude of above 3400m above sea level. They do not have access to save drinking water, no proper toilet facilities, no bathing and washing services. Under such circumstances, people living there collect water from any stream for drinking and cooking, which may not be safe, open defecation is rampant and very less washing and bathing among the highlanders. There is high risk of catching water and air borne diseases. over 80% have access to pit latrines, which were made locally. The location where pit latrines made were not rightly placed since a lot of them were very close to their house and more over due to poor management, these latrines give out bad smell.

Considering such situation, the communities are regarded as a vulnerable group in the scope of WASH aspects. Due to their remoteness of these villages, very limited WASH related programs reach them, on top of that, with the low literacy rate, people have very little knowledge and understanding about the importance of WASH. With the changing time, people now wanted to go for flush toilet, but from some experimental cases, with the extreme cold temperature, the water in the flush toilet freezes and then people cannot use the toilet. However, one or two households are still experimenting it.

Besides the freezing problem, difficulties in transporting heavy ceramic pots across high mountain on foot and horse-back along with other construction materials is another critical problem in improving their toilet system in Lunana and Laya villages. In addition to this, there are no skilled labours to construct proper flush toilets.

The Bhutan Toilet Organization (BTO) has introduced Sato technology, that addresses all the three issues with one technology. If the communities come forward, the BTO has plan to address all the toilet issues with it. The communities are optimistic that with the interventions the government and related CSO are putting in, would eliminate all their WASH related problems. Communities have also expressed their full support for any initiatives that comes in.