sporadic indicative sanitation survey in davao city slums
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SANITATION SITUATION IN CENTRAL DAVAO
CITY SLUM AREAS
A SPORADIC INDICATIVE SURVEY
Field observations and sporadic surveys in some of Davao City central district slum areas.
Part of Bachelor of Built Environment Third year internship research water management at
Rotterdam University of Applied Science.
Project Sanitation assessment Davao City Document name C.02 Version 4.2 Organizations HELP Davao, TropICS, Ateneo de Davao, DOST XI Website http://davao.vincentoskam.nl Author Vincent Oskam Data gathering In cooperation with Sean Ligtvoet Date 21 December 2012
Region XI Davao
Sanitation situation in central davao city slum areas A sporadic indicative survey
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I. INTRODUCTION Hygienic habits, like using proper toilets
and hand washing prevent the spreading of
deceases from human extoileteta, which
otherwise contaminate water and food. This
contamination is a major cause of diarrhea
which is the second biggest killer of
children in developing countries. It can also
lead to other major diseases as cholera,
schistosomiasis and trachoma
(WHO/UNICEF, 2008).
To assess the state of sanitation in Davao
City, the following dense populated areas,
and informal settlements within Davao City
central district are visited.
17-October 2012
1.) Brgy 22-C, Quezon Boulevard
2.) Brgy 40-D, Poblacion
3.) Brgy 23-C, Isla Verde
4.) Brgy 31-D,
18-October 2012
5.) Brgy 2-A, Bagong Lupa
6.) Brgy 37-D, Trading Boulevard
7.) Brgy 76-A, Bucana
Illustration 1.1
The results of this research are only to be
used as indicative data.
Areas are chosen on non-further
substantiated recommendations. The few
interviewees are chosen by Barangay
captains and can be biased. Communication
was difficult caused by the language barrier,
questions were therefor sometimes leading
or suggestive and answers can be
untrustworthy caused by embarrassment.
ORGANIZATION OF THE PAPER Chapter one (1) covers the results from the
interviews and chapter two (2) results from
field observations. This paper ends with
conclusions and generalizations and as
attachment the survey outcomes are added.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The research results in this paper where
only possible with the help of Marife
Anunciado who coordinated our with the
Barangay captains and helped us with
interpretation. Sr. Ben Co who provided us
with safe transportation and Sean Ligtvoet
who prepared and performed the
interviews.
II. METHODS Field observations and interviews, to
indicate, not to quantify. Observations in
the field are compared to the definitions by
WHO/Unesco.
Goal 7 from the millennium development
goals: to halve the proportion of people
without sustainable access to safe drinking
water and basic sanitation. The United
Nations describes sustainable basic
sanitation as “…access to facilities that
hygienically separate human excreta from
human, animal and insect contact…” and “…any
of the following types of water supply for
drinking: Piped water, public tap, borehole or
pump, protected well, protected spring or
rainwater.” (United Nations, 2003)
According to Global Water Supply and
Sanitation Assessment 2000 Report
sanitation facilities are considered
“improved” as they are either connected to
public sewer or a septic system, a pour-
flush latrine or simple pit latrine, as long as
it is not a public latrine, open pit latrine or
service/bucket latrine. (World Health
Organization & UNICEF, 2000)
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1. SURVEY
NUMBER OF USERS PER TOILET Private toilets can be used by up to three
families or eleven people per toilet. While
some houses have two toilets for only four
people. People without toilet can often use a
public toilet that accommodates up to 50
people. Cost of using a public toilet varies
between three and five peso per visit.
People without private toilet also often use
the toilet of neighbors or family in the
neighborhood.
TOILET HABITS AND TYPES Most people use the “splash” method, they
use water to clean after toilet visits. Some
use paper napkins. The types of toilet vary
between squat and sit toilets. Most toilets
are manually flushed with a water bucket.
According to one inhabitant people defecate
under the house. Some houses in tide
affected areas or houses permanently above
sea water only have hole in the ground that
is used as toilet. According to a barangay
official people also use the wrap and
through method, they defecate in a plastic
bag or piece of paper and throw this in a
public area.
HYGIENIC CONDITION Both private toilet users and public toilet
users claim that the hygienic condition of
the toilets is “OK” or “Clean”. Observations
indicate this is questionable (Illustration 2.8)
ACCOMMODATION For both private and public toilets, users
claim it can effectively accommodate all
toilet users, up to 15 people for a private
toilet. The reported waiting time for public
toilet visits is a maximum of 5 minutes.
NUISANCE FROM OPEN SEWER Reported nuisance from the open sewer
varies between “not at all” / “never” to
nuisance from odor, headaches, and rashes.
Especially for kids parents name cough and
cold. It is not possible to check if these are
indeed caused by the open sewer.
CONTACT WITH HUMAN EXCREMENT People from the same Barangays contradict
each other, some report to experience
exposure to human excrement in streets or
open sewer daily, other claim they never
experience exposure. As most households
do not have a septic tank and
sewer/drainage runs in small overflowing
canals next to the streets, exposure is to be
expected to all people.
SEPTIC TANK Most houses report to have a septic tank,
while barangay officials estimate about
30% of the households have a septic tank.
Functioning of septic tanks can be doubted
as they should often be cleaned for well-
functioning.
ACCESS TO CLEAN DRINKING WATER Most people have access to drinking water
from the Davao City Water District,
reportedly one of the best water qualities in
the world. People without water connection
can buy water in buckets from neighbors
paying 1,- to 1.50 PHP per bucket.
WASHING HABITS Some areas have public washrooms which
can be used for a fee up to 6 PHP. People
report to wash 1 to 3 times a day, if there is
no dedicated washing area in the house
they use a bucket or a small tub inside or
outside of the house.
SAFETY OF PUBLIC TOILET Public toilets might be unsafe, especially for
young women. Female inhabitants using
public toilets report it is safe to use the
public toilet, as long there is functioning
light at night.
Sanitation situation in central davao city slum areas A sporadic indicative survey
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2. FIELD OBSERVATIONS Following are photos taken during the visits
with comments.
Illustration 2.1
Clearly polluted canals run in the side of the
streets.
Illustration 2.2
Usually the canals are passable by simple
bridge constructions.
Illustration 2.3
Canals are clogged with siltation and debris,
which may cause them to flow over the
streets, spreading contaminents.
Illustration 2.4
Often the canals flow over, due to either
tides or rain.
Sanitation situation in central davao city slum areas A sporadic indicative survey
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Illustration 2.5
Children play in the polluted canals, there is
nothing protecting them from exposure.
Illustration 2.6
Sometimes the waste water/open sewer
runs over the potable water lines, leakage
can lead to contamination of the tap water.
Illustration 2.7
People often wear sandals or bear feet
(mostly children), further spreading
contaminants from the wet areas
throughout the area.
Illustration 2.8
Public toilet buildings, reportedly hygienic,
do not look well maintained or clean. *This
does not say anything about their actual
hygienic condition, it has not been tested.
Sanitation situation in central davao city slum areas A sporadic indicative survey
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Illustration 2.9
Some houses are located on tidal affected
areas. These houses often don’t have septic
tanks but use holes in the floor as toilet.
Human excrements are disposed under the
houses, during tides and floods they get
flushed into the rest of the city.
Illustration 2.10
Some areas naturally accumulate waste, as
the tides deposit them during high tide, they
stay behind when the tide falls.
Illustration 2.11
Houses are accessible by small wooden
bridges, it is easy for children and elderly to
fall in the polluted water.
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3. CONCLUSIONS According to (World Health Organization &
UNICEF, 2000) exposure to human
excrement causes diarrhea and can lead to
major deceases like cholera. Sanitation
habits like proper toilet usage can reduce
the spreading and exposure to these
threats.
Sporadic indicative survey of 7 barangays in
Davao City show that have access to toilets,
either their own private toilets or toilets
from family or neighbors, reportedly
effectively accommodating up to 15 people.
While public toilets are available for a small
fee for people without access to private
toilets. The maximum reported waiting time
for public toilet usage is 5 minutes.
Inhabitants report that they are exposed to
human excrement in the streets, reportedly
leading to health issues like rashes and for
children cough and colds. Not all toilets
have a septic tank and the functioning of
existing septic tanks can be doubted. It is
clear that the drainage canals in the sides of
the narrow streets contain human excreta.
These canals often overflow during high
tides or heavy rainfall. Siltation and debris
also lead to overflowing canals.
Children are not in any way protected from
this contaminated water and are seen
playing in it. Some houses are built on top of
tide affected or permanent sea areas. The
water underneath these houses is polluted
with debris and most houses there only
have a hole in the floor as toilet. The water
under the houses is expected to be
contaminated, while the access to these
houses is by narrow wooden planks. It is
easy for children or elderly to fall from the
planks in the contaminated water.
Irrespectively of these situations, most
people report that the hygienic situation of
their toilets, both private and public, is ok.
Most of the inhabitants have access to a
private metered water tap. Those who do
not have access to water can buy water in
buckets from family or neighbors.
Most people have access to water and adapt
regular washing habits.
However, the definition of (World Health
Organization & UNICEF, 2000) for proper
sanitation is not met. Human excreta is not
separated from human, animal or insect
access, worse they flow over streets and
under the houses. Furthermore, the (World
Health Organization & UNICEF, 2000)
definition of proper toilets is not met,
people use public toilets or private toilets
from family or neighbors.
III. Work cited United Nations. (2003). Indicators for
Monitoring the Millenium
Development Goals. New York: United
Nations.
WHO/UNICEF. (2008). Poor sanitation
threatens public health. Geneva.
World Health Organization & UNICEF. (2000).
Global Water Supply and Sanitation
Assessment 2000 Report. Water
Supply & Sanitation - Collaborative
Council.
IV. ATTACHMENT C.02
1. SUMMARY OF SURVEY
RESPONS
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