Identifying challenges in the use of urine-diverting toilets: a case study from Rukungiri Municipality (S.W. Uganda)

In Rukungiri Municipality, the installation of pit latrines is hindered by limited space, rocky soils, and a high water table. A limited water supply eliminates flush toilets as a feasible option. Through surveys of users of Urine-Diverting Dry Toilets (UDDTs), the authors discovered that, although residents have been strongly encouraged by the Municipality to install these facilities, they have received limited education and training regarding their construction and operation. Other challenges identified include a lack of desiccating materials and the need to establish a safe, effective system for emptying and disposing of fecal material. To address these issues, the possibility of desiccant delivery and toilet emptying services should be explored, and further sensitization should occur, perhaps through public gatherings and the distribution of low-cost signs describing proper operation. The authors hope that, through these recommendations, UDDTs will become a safer, better understood, and more widespread sanitation option within Rukungiri Municipality.